TURN-SIGNALS AND PARADIGM SHIFTS

Michael Round

May 4, 2009

As it happens so often, this morning I was following a car in the right lane.  The car braked, and just prior to reaching the turn, the driver applied their turn-signal.

I've thought about turn-signals a lot recently, not because I like turn-signals, but rather in the context of trying to understand what the driver is thinking.

Certainly, here the turn-signal was a conditioned response to some long-lost rule, "when you turn, apply your signal".  Nothing more extraordinary than that.

But why do we apply the turn signal?  When?

Because typical state's laws say we must, and we must "100 feet prior to turning."  However, the following example shows such a rule is not only wrong - it's dangerous!  In this case, I - driving north - want to turn right to go to McDonalds.  However, there is a second driver 25 feet ahead of me exiting the gas station.  If I apply the turn signal where the law says I should, I'm giving that second driver the impression I'm turning to his left!  Therefore, he (she) might enter the main street, only to be broad-sided by me - by me following the law!

Of course, the problem here is the law - it's a poor law.  Any law inviting accidents is a poor law.

What constitutes a good law?

Let's forget that for a moment.  What should I do?  Clearly, I don't want to activate my turn-signal until I'm passed the car, and right in front of where I'm turning, and in this simple scenario, we see one of the keys of good turn-signal etiquette.  The turn-signal is not for my benefit - it is to inform fellow drivers of my intentions!

Let's go back to the initial image.  With this new mindset, when should the driver have activated their turn-signal?  A thought:  one needs to brake before turning.  One needs to activate the turn-signal sometime.  Does "brake-then turn-signal" afford me, the trailing driver more information than "turn-signal then brake"?

I think the latter.

Therefore, to afford maximum information to fellow drivers, alert them of your intention to turn by activating your turn-signal BEFORE applying your brakes!

UNLESS ...

Activating your turn-signal before applying your brakes sends then wrong signal - as it would have in "Image 2" above!

But this sounds like there is no "hard-and-fast" rule.

Correct.

There is merely the new mindset: 

old paradigm:  "apply turn-signal 100 feet before turning".

new paradigm:  "apply turn-signal at such a time it sends maximum information to surrounding drivers of your intentions.

How might it apply on the highway, changing lanes?  Try it yourself and see what you come up with.  Here are some thoughts:

you realize, pretty quickly, if my goal is to provide information to surrounding drivers, the turn-signal is activated, and then there's a pause.  If you go right away, the signal did not good.  It's like asking a person a question, but not waiting for an answer.

But how long?

I've found two "blinks".

Now, to change lane.  Initially, I thought about four blinks to properly change lanes smoothly.  However, practicing with different speeds, I realized it differed with speed.  When I went 30, it was about 3 blinks.  50 mph?  5 blinks!  The rule seemed to be "for every 10 miles an hour, expect 1 blink of the signal".

Of course, if you're going 10 miles an hour, you see "1" does not work, so there's likely a minimum.  I've found 3 works well as a minimum.  There's also a maximum:  I've found it be 6.  That is, if I'm going 60 and I change lanes, the blinker blinks 6 times.  But if I'm going 75, it still only blinks 6 times.

So a common sense rule for lane-change-turn-signal-blinks:

2 + 1 per 10 MPH (with a minimum 3, maximum 6)

But remember, it's not a hard-and-fast rule!  If conditions merit changes, change! 

THE NEW PARADIGM! 

PROVIDE INFORMATION TO SURROUNDING DRIVERS! 

And it's easy to see this new "turn-signal" paradigm really applies to any aspect of driving, not just turn-signals!