passing signal
I understand that in Mexico the truckers turn on their left signal to let you know that it is safe to pass. We in the US. ought to start doing that.
Forum Discussion
fred42 wrote:
I seem to remember a similarly dangerous use of turn signals that was a fad decades ago. That was if you were in line of cars and a car in front of you was slowing traffic to turn right or left with its turn signal on, you somehow felt the need to turn on your turn signal to inform drivers behind you about it. The only information they need is your brake lights. For a right turn, this "sympathy signal" on a vehicle that is not turning tells drivers waiting at the turn off point to enter the road to come on out. For a left turn, oncoming traffic would feel free to make their own left in front of you.
The danger in the above situation is the same reason you should never turn on a right turn signal until you have passed all streets or parking lot entrance/exits before the turn you want. Safe drivers would never pull out in front of someone based solely on a signal, but the most important thing a safe driver knows is that not all drivers are safe drivers. Depending on speed limit, my state requires a turn signal 100' or 200' before the turn. I will not follow this law if that distance has other entrances to the road before my turn.
If coming up on an accident or other backup, don't use your signal. Simply turn on your 4way flashers. That warns following drivers that something unusual is happening but doesn't have any specific implication that you will turn or change lanes.
