How much spacing while stopped at a red light?
How much spacing while stopped at a red light?
So this has been annoying me lately; drivers leaving excessive spacing when stopped for a red light. I get it, you don't want to be right on the next guys bumper, you should leave space to escape if the guy in front stalls or somebody tries to carjack you. But 2-3 car lengths? It really bugs me when they do it in a left turn lane causing a back up to the travel lane resulting in overall congestion. Or, if they're first at the light, they don't pull up far enough to reach the road sensors that trigger a light change. I haven't been able to isolate to a specific demographic, seems to be young, old, black, white, you name it. Maybe they're just stoned at the wheel. I'm tempted to roll down my window and ask 'wtf'? I'm in the Northeast US. Has anybody else witnessed this?
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I believe this happens everywhere. I think maybe some people lack correct depth perception or something and maybe they are overcompensating for it? It is highly annoying though, I would agree.
Also: TURN SIGNALS, PEOPLE!!! USE THEM EVERY SINGLE TIME FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. EVEN IF YOU THINK NO ONE IS LOOKING OR YOU’RE IN A TURN ONLY LANE. No excuses
Though, of course, don't use them until you're already halfway through the turn or lane change. It's not like the signal is to show your intention, it's to assert that You Had The Right Goddamn It to have just made that abrupt and dangerous maneuver that you just made. You signaled, so all's OK, you're in the right, no matter what happens.
You don't need them in turn only lanes, but otherwise yes, use the damn turn signals.
I disagree. Mainly for the reason that if pedestrians are around, they might not know the lane your vehicle is in is a turn only. It’s just good etiquette and makes things safer.
Nice advice to fail a driving test.
No it isn't, you're not required by law to use a turn signal in a turn only lane. If I was giving a driving test I'd fail you for using a turn signal in the turn only lane as it demonstrates you don't know the law.
I was a Driver Examiner in the Province of Ontario.
You wouldn't fail for this, but it is an infraction.
You must ALWAYS SIGNAL YOUR INTENTION.Also, cite this 'law' you pulled from your ass.
Ah, OK might be a Canadian thing then. There is no law in the US that requires usage of a turn signal in a turn only lane. I didn't pull a law from my ass, you're pulling one from yours, or rather I'm talking about US law and it seems you're talking about Canadian.
It seems you're a shitty driver in every country.
Wrong.
Minnesota (this is a state in the US) traffic code 169.19 Subd. 5 Signal to turn:
A signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during not less than the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning. A person whose vehicle is exiting a roundabout is exempt from this subdivision.
A law not saying you need to, is not the same as a law saying you need not to.
Wrong.
Minnesota (this is a state in the US) traffic code 169.19 Subd. 5 Signal to turn:
A signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during not less than the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning. A person whose vehicle is exiting a roundabout is exempt from this subdivision.
There isn't a federal law on turn signal use that I can find and it's left up to the individual states. Every law I looked at said you have to have a continuous signal before the turn and when turning into a different lane. I did not see any exceptions listed anywhere, including turn lanes.
When turning from a turn lane, to a different lane, that is a change of lane and therefore falls under the law. If you have any other evidence to the contrary or happen to live in a state that I didn't check where that is an exception, I and the others here would love if you'd source that. If you can't, then you're just making shit up and should just take the "L".
The only law in my state that requires usage of turn signals states this:
No person may turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a highway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety, and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner hereinafter provided, in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.
The key there is "direct course". The direct course in a dedicated turn lane is the turn, so no signal is required. If it's a turn or straight lane it is required as in that case the direct course is straight.
You conveniently left out the rest of the law...
(1) No person may turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a highway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety, and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner hereinafter provided, in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.
(2) A signal of intention to turn right or left must be given continuously during not less than the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning, except that such a signal by hand or arm need not be given continuously by a bicyclist if the hand is needed in the control or operation of the bicycle.
(3) No person may stop or suddenly decrease the speed of a vehicle without first giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided herein to the driver of any vehicle immediately to the rear, when there is opportunity to give such signal.
(4) The signals provided for in s. 316.156 shall be used to indicate an intention to turn, to overtake, or to pass a vehicle and may not, except as provided in s. 316.2397, be flashed on one side only on a parked or disabled vehicle or flashed as a courtesy or “do pass” signal to operators of other vehicles approaching from the rear. (5) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation as provided in chapter 318.Yes because it's irrelevant. The first clause failing means subsequent clauses don't apply. Because a signal isn't necessary it doesn't matter how far back you don't signal for.
Wow! You're wrong again!
No person may turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a highway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety, and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner hereinafter provided
Even in your nonsense "direct course" argument "no person may turn a vehicle from a direct course" until such movement can be made with reasonable safety, and then only after giving an appropriate signal.
That literally means you have to signal when turning from a direct course. The last part, "in the manner hereinafter provided" is inclusive. It means every one of those clauses applies.
You are a great example of why people should be retested regularly.
The clauses apply if the first one does which it doesn't. Since you're never turning from a direct course you don't need to signal in the manner the following clauses describe. Since you're never leaving the direct course, there's no need to signal otherwise you'd need to use your turn signal every time you turn the wheel on your car even if you're just following the road (which is what you're doing in a turn only lane). You need to signal when entering the turn lane, but once in the lane you're just following the lane (the direct course) and therefore don't need to signal.
Trooper Steve was asked by a viewer named Lisa, “Are turn signals required in Florida? I see them not being used all the time -- and never being enforced.”
Trooper Steve started by saying that the answer to first part is plain and simple.
“You are required to use your turn signal anytime you are changing direction in your vehicle,” he said. “Florida Statue 316.155 talks very specifically about when you are supposed to indicate a turn or change of lane.”
Cite this 'law'.
What law, that's the point, no law requires usage of a turn signal in a turn only lane. There is no law that requires that and a driving test is testing that you're following the laws. It's the same as if you turned on your turn signal in a straight lane and then didn't change lanes.
So, is there a law or not, or are you simply full of shit?
You can't prove a negative. You cite the law that says you need to use a turn signal in a turn only lane. Or are you full of shit?
Minnesota (this is a state in the US) traffic code 169.19 Subd. 5 Signal to turn:
A signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during not less than the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning. A person whose vehicle is exiting a roundabout is exempt from this subdivision.
You've been wrong every time you've said you don't need to signal.
Wrong.
Minnesota (this is a state in the US) traffic code 169.19 Subd. 5 Signal to turn:
A signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during not less than the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning. A person whose vehicle is exiting a roundabout is exempt from this subdivision.