No Stupid Questions

I don't drive a BMW, so yes, I do use my blinker.

I've never understood how a simple hand motion can be beyond anyone's skillset. It's just part of driving.

...i always use my signals to unambiguously communicate intent; the only time i've been embarrassed is after carrying that habit onto the track, but it's tough to break...

...my wife uses her signals to ask permission, which i feel can cause confusion, but she feels the same way about me...

Yes. You're supposed to use it anytime you're about to turn or change lanes, including if you're sitting in a turn lane at a red light or backing out of a drive way or parking spot.

Not doing so makes you a road hazard.

I use mine so often that sometimes I accidentally turn them on in sharp curves.

Always, because I’m not a lazy git or self-centered arsehole.

Yes, I use it. Over a million miles and nearly 40 years driving.

Fuck the haters, use that thing.

I'm the road a lot as a cyclist. Like OP, I'd estimate that at least a quarter of vehicles rarely or never signal.

What kind of person shits on another for using a turn signal? My guess is it is someone who forgets to use it frequently.

All the time. To the point of if I don’t use it I really kinda have a “Shit, forgot my signal” moment.

That said I don’t get too bent out of shape about other people not signaling unless it’s these two situations: making a tight lane change, or with a speed differential where I’m overtaking. Basically just short of cutting me off. Signal and I can compensate. Cut over with no warning and fuck you. Second is braking before signaling a turn, say into a driveway or side street. IDK what the hell they teach in driver’s ed these days but we got drilled that you signal first and then brake because the signal is a warning to the driver behind you that you’re gonna slow for a turn and gives them time to prepare for what you’re gonna do. Be predictable. Seems like 3/4 time people just hit their brakes in the middle of the lane leaving you wondering wtf they’re doing or if they’re just an idiot.

Yup. All the time. There's a road I drive several times a week that turns left. No intersection, it just makes a 90deg turn. I use it there out of habbit.

Yes. You're moving heavy objects with meat in them very fast. You should always clearly indicate your intentions.

Always use the blinker. Remember it's not a request, it's a warning. The only time you might not is if you have to make a sudden emergency swerve and don't have time and need both hands on the wheel. In this case, survival should be immediately followed by an apology wave.

When changing lanes in fast traffic, using the blinker will usually cause the car next to you to speed up. This is a feature, not a bug, as it opens a space behind them into which you can stick the nose of your car, ahead of the guy following them.

Adding in: if you routinely drive with your lights on, you will find that little extra visibility makes people slightly less likely to cut you off or more likely to let you in. Sometimes they don't mean to be assholes, they're just distracted, and being more visible helps. If you consider that "dingdingding" a reminder to lock it, it will turn off the lights and be safe.

I use it 100% of the time when the rules of traffic prompts me to use it.

Within a small single-lane housing area: I blink.

When exiting my driveway and the road reaches a dead end 100 meters in the one direction, so it should be very obvious which way I'll go: I blink.

The roundabout in town which is so tiny that it looks more like an intersection, and when heading straight through it: I blink.

It's so much better to have a habit of blinking and making unambiguous signals than to forget it. It helps with the flow of traffic and probably lets everyone get where they need to go quicker.

Yes, even in clearly marked turn only lanes. I wish more people were ticketed for not using them.

First thing: the blinkers are for your own safety, but they're also for other people's safety and to help improve the flow of traffic (for example, if somebody waiting at a T-junction to go into your lane sees in a timely fashion that you're going to exit at the junction, they'll know earlier they can come in rather than have to wait to see what you actually do and this kind of thing times many such situations adds up to better traffic flow).

Second thing: it's a lot easier and cognitively simpler to just do it without thinking rather than considering the situation to see if you should do it or not and a good mental trigger point to train that as an instinctive movement is "if I'm going to turn out of my lane, I'll turn the blinker on for the side I'm turning to" - so, turning of the road -> blinker on that side; changing lane -> blinker on the side I'm moving to; going to stop and park on a side of the road -> blinker on that side.

Personally I just use the blinkers for all such situations and don't even have to think about it, and as for the first point I made, that just informs how early I do it (I've trained myself to do it quite a bit before I turn in order to help with traffic flow). This does mean that at times I'll use the blinkers when there is nobody else around to actually use that information, simply because I'm not actually thinking about "should I do it or should I not?" I'm just unthinkingly executing a trained impulse. Never had any problems with excessive wear and tear of blinker lights and since I don't need to think about the "should I turn the blinker" decision I can focus on more important things, so as I see it, even at the cost of at times using the blinkers when there is nobody to see it so there is really no point, I'm still better of having trained myself to do it like this.

That said blinker usage amongst drivers massively depends on the country and the general driving culture there. For example were I come from, Portugal, most people only use the blinkers in situations were they stand to gain from it themselves (for example when exiting a road to the left, crossing a lane, were others might give you way, out of good manners if they know your intentions), then of the rest most will use it for the safety of other cars but almost none will do it for the safety of pedestrians, whilst in The Netherlands (were I picked up my current habits on this) they're generally pretty thorough on using blinkers in all situations they should quite independently of seeing or not people who might use that information (possibly because of all the bicycles around, as they're often hard to spot using the mirrors when in certain positions relative to a car which are exactly the positions were knowing that the car wants to turn is important for the safety of the cyclist)

Yeah; because I don't want someone to end up hitting me if I turn unexpectedly. I want them to expect it. I mean, I don't wanna be hit either way but you know what I mean.

Always always signal your intention. I heard a woman complaining that her new car had lane control, which forced her to indicate when changing lanes. "It's so annoying, I mean it's obvious I'm overtaking, I don't need to indicate!"

Also, as a frequent pedestrian I appreciate when drivers and cyclists indicate and judge heavily when they don't. So frustrating to be waiting to cross the road and someone turns without indicating.

Yes even in parking lots and driveways, except sometimes when I'm pulling into a double turn lane and I don't want people to think I'm changing lanes

I always use it because then I'll never forget to use it.

I get mad at myself if I don't turn it on early enough. As I. If I go to change lanes and it only flashes once it really isn't enough notice for other drivers so I usually bitch at myself.

I may be the only person you meet who road rages against himself.

Yes, of course.

Yes what the fuc

Just use it all the time including turn only lanes. Deal with the clicking, it’s fine.

There are specific directives for Audi, BMW and Mercedes which void their warranties should you ever even think such scandalous thoughts as using the indicators individually; not using them to say that you know you're parking in a stupid place, angle across a pavement but you're only buying some chocolate from that corner shop.

My car has lane detection such that my steering is 'corrected' if I don't use an indicator. It gets confused on country roads and often tries to steer into the hedge or ditch. Fucking thing. It can't be turned off long term, but only ever time one turns on the ignition.

I don't use turn signals when driving around a roundabout unless I'm exiting because I'm not psychotic.

But seriously, they are for signifying intent, not blinking idly, and they should be used plenty.

I put a turn signal on when I back into my underground parking spot when I'm literally the only person down there. Force of habit that I'm totally cool with.

So grateful to everyone in the comments who use them. Thank you all! Where i live most don't use them. I don't get why; aren't these people annoyed when others don't use the blinker?

I use it even in my drive way. Good habbit is a good practice that makes operating any system easier and honestly just more fun. I know cars get a bad rap these days but it's an amazing technology that's fun to be a part of.

I got made fun of for using it when pulling out of my moms driveway once lol

I believe the socially acceptable retort is "if you don't like my driving, you can get the hell out of the car. If you're staying, you can shut up"

Until humans invent mind reading and we can all do it easily without a moment's hesitation, I will be using my turning indicator. Only idiots make fun of signalling.

Yes. Because people are horrible drivers and I want them to know what I'm up to. At least one of us can be informed about the other...

The only time I don't is when there is no one behind me and I'm turning onto my home street. Or if I'm sitting in a turn only lane. If I'm in a turn only lane, then I'm turning so...

I use it to pull into my driveway because it's immediately after a sharp blind turn and I'd rather not get shoved into my own mailbox.

I ride a bicycle. I always signal by hand. It pisses me off when cars don't see me and dont signal. Almost been hit that way.

Let people know when your massive death machine is going to be changing direction.