News and Politics Forum

No, I'm not joking. I never heard of this before, and it has been a while since I have been to defensive driving/drivers ed. Like I said, the guy got pulled over, but it could have been for an expired inspection sticker or something. But it got me thinking.

T

you turn, you signal.
all the time.

mmkay.

:zuk:  it's in the rules.

kaiser wrote:

you turn, you signal.
all the time.

mmkay.

:zuk:  it's in the rules.

Actually, in MD you aren't legally required to signal when changing lanes.  For my part, I have a slightly more complicated thought process for deciding whether or not to signal a lane change.  If I'm overtaking a vehicle on the left and will be continuing to open space on them after the lane change then I generally don't signal.  In situations where the distance between vehicles will either remain static or will be decreasing then I will always signal.  Of course, there is always the city traffic stealth lane change, but it's a relative rarity.  In turn lanes I may or may not signal, depends on a variety of factors including how well differentiated the turn lane is, traffic volume and pattern and my general mood.

WHEN YOU TURN YOU SIGNAL.  IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT LANE YOU ARE IN.

does that make it a little clearer?

kaiser wrote:

you turn, you signal.
all the time.

mmkay.

:zuk:  it's in the rules.

lol kaiser  :thumbup:  :thumbup:

ChrisMD wrote:

Laws vary by state.  I honestly don't know what the law is in Maryland, but I agree with Kaiser.  If I'm turning, I signal.  Always.  Period.  End of story.

I think it should be necessary to signal because there are too many dumbasses out there that will get in a turn lane and then do some sort of ghetto move to swing back into a different lane.  It's just a mess.

Yes, well, in MD those bozos do that even while still signalling for a left turn, so requiring them to signal the left turn doesn't stop that behavior.

The signal is to indicate your intentions. Most times, that's becaeu it's not clear by your location what you might do next (change lanes, turn, etc). In a left turn lane, if you turn right or go straight, you're a moron regardless of signalling (and signalling left wouldn't have helped, now would it?) If you are in a turn lane and turn left, you've done the only thing you are legally allowed to do frm there. getting a ticket for not indicating the action you are legally obligated to do from that location seems rather petty...

I've been finding reference to signalling to get into the left turn lane, but no references to signalling once IN the left turn lane.

The biggest problem I have with the driver's ed process of ingraining the use of the turn signal is that it has instilled in people the idea that the use of said turn signal automatically grants them the right to change lanes/turn/etc.  I've had more than a few run-ins with people who have cut me off to the point of damn near causing an accident who have responded with some form of "I had my turn signal on."

Hey, if there's a bus in the right turn lane, and someone needs to turn right whie it's loading, is it legal to make the right turn in front of the bus? Common sense says no, but a lot of people my way don't believe the laws of earth apply to special people like they.

Is it legal :?:

je wrote:

Hey, if there's a bus in the right turn lane, and someone needs to turn right whie it's loading, is it legal to make the right turn in front of the bus? Common sense says no, but a lot of people my way don't believe the laws of earth apply to special people like they.

Is it legal :?:

Are we referring to a school bus?  It is illegal in every state I've been in to pass a school bus that is on your side of the road when it's signs are lit and it's loading/unloading children.

Here in VA, if the bus is in the opposite lane but there is some type of median (grass, concrete, etc) it is legal to pass the bus.  If there is just a painted line divided the opposing lanes then oncoming traffic must stop for the bus.