Guess I'm not the only one who gives such rolling commentary :)

Tends to piss people off being called out on their piss poor driving though.

Sometimes digital technology must be engaged!

Actually, a lot don't bother to signal until they start their turn.
So, to them, the signal means "I am turning (or braking)."

I think some of this results from the way they're taught:
"If you're turning left, push down (just the way the steering
wheel moves by the lever); if you're turning right, push up
(just the way the wheel moves by the lever)."  People then
get in the habit of not hitting the turn signal lever until they
actually start moving the steering wheel.  And driving
instructors don't routinely correct this tendency.

What happened to your System? People who brake before
signalling are obeying the law and are therefore following the
System, so they are making an effort to contribute to the
Proper Flow of Traffic. That was your line of reasoning when
you were defending LLBs.

Or does the System only apply to laws that you feel like
applying it to?

    One of my pet peeves:  add this behavior to people who feel the need to
slow nearly to a stop *before* moving into a turn lane.

- Sharon
"Gravity...  is a harsh mistress!"

Unfortunately, it seems like people around these parts use that to
change lanes. They look in the mirror and see an empty spot in another
lane a ways back, so they put on their blinker and brake until that
empty spot gets there, then get in that spot. Of course, a normal
action of seeing someone ahead of you brake inexplicably is to get into
the other lane and go around, so often that empty spot they saw way
back gets filled, causing them to slow down even more to wait on
another one. Of course, when they finally do get that spot, they are
moving so slowly that oncoming traffic in that lane tries to change
lanes to get around, so some will slow down and break, waiting for
empty spots, and so on...

I've actually seen people come to dead stops to change lanes.

Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelations@hotmail.com> said in
rec.autos.driving:

Your teacher was a nincompoop.

Let's suppose you're in the right lane going 30 MPH and you want to
merge left to make a left turn at the next intersection. Let's further
suppose that all the vehicles around you are also going 30 MPH, and
that the left lane is clear ahead of you except for one car whose
front bumper is even with your front door. Let's examine what happens
when you a) Mirror, Signal, Brake, and Maneuver and b) Mirror, Signal,
Speed Up, and Maneuver.

In scenario a, your braking causes you to slow to 25 MPH. The car that
was next to you continues at 30 MPH, and passes you. The car behind
him, also moving at 30 MPH, also passes you. This continues until
either a JLEDI comes along or you get so close to your turn that you
are afraid you'll miss it, so you brake again and slow down even more,
causing the other cars to pass you even faster. Eventually you come to
a complete stop, and sit there waiting pathetically for someone to let
you in. Meanwhile, during all of this, the cars in the right lane
behind you are either stuck behind your stupid Sloth a.s, or are
getting fed up with your lack of driving skill and whipping out into
the left lane to pass you. This only increases your delay, and the
people who you so inconsiderately delayed now become one of the conga
line of vehicles that are delaying YOU. It becomes a vicious circle,
feeding upon itself and creating many vehicle-minutes of needless
delay.

In scenario b, you blip the throttle, clear the car next to you, make
your lane change, and NOBODY IS DELAYED.

Only an idiot thinks scenario a is better.

Lane discipline seems to be especially bad in the USA.

Graham

I guess...

Cant they imagine the danger they create by slowing down without
signaling? I could be tempted to start to pass them while they're
starting
to  turn left.

I've also been behind people who brake and then accelerate again. And
keep doing that for no reason. Usually these are old drivers.

I was referring to people turning right or left into a side street.

You would seem to have summarised my own driving there neatly. Most certainly
not slow at times. There's no point however trying to be pushy when there's
'no way through'.

When the road's really busy I often retreat to our left lane ( your right )
and plod along with the trucks who at least keep going at a solid pace without
stupid ripple braking and usually get there just as fast ( if not quicker ! )

Graham