There is a fundamental rule that you all seem to be ignoring.
The rule is enshrined in the Road Traffic Act.
Supplementary information can be found in The Highway Code.
If you disobey this rule whilst taking your driving test you would automatically fail.
The rule exists to protect life and limb – not yours, the life and limbs of other road users.
As you seem to have forgotten (I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt with the use of the word ‘forgotten’ instead of using the phrase ‘too pig-ignorant or stupid to care’) I’d like to take this opportunity to refresh your collective memory.
When you are in the left-hand lane of a motorway or dual carriageway and you wish to change lane you must:
Mirror – check your near- and off-side mirrors and if your path is unobstructed
Signal – indicate your intention to change lane to the other road users, then
Mirror – a quick check to ensure that your path is still unobstructed and
Manoeuvre – carry out your lane change
OK?
How many of you carry out this process every time you change lanes?
Yeah, that’s right.
None of you.
You’re all fcuking twats.
All this ‘flashy-flashy’ of your near- and off-side indicators and flicking on and off of your hazard lights means absolutely nothing in the eyes of the law.
Look, I’ll put it another way.
These light-fascinated actions mean nothing in terms of your defence when you’re in court on a charge of manslaughter and of causing death by dangerous driving.
Let me make this really simple for you with one logical rule:
indicating a lane change three seconds before you pull out; forcing an overtaking vehicle to take immediate avoiding action rather than collide with you…
Both of these are highly illegal and dangerous actions for which – when prosecuted – you will lose your licence and therefore your livelihood.
OK?
B.
Here in the marvellous State of California, you don’t look first before signalling.
You want to change lane? So be it: signal. Let the world know!
Who cares if you have obviously no possibility of changing lane, therefore frightening the drivers around you who might think that you are about to pull out nevertheless?
No one.
They have bigger cars than you.
Once you’ve signalled, you can worry of checking whether or not you can actually change lanes (or turn).
They even have an acronym for that: SMOG (Signal, Mirrors, Over the shoulder, Go). What kind of a sick joke is it?
Well, in any case, lots of people apply it without realizing that “Go” means “Go if and only if you saw the way was clear”, so I really shouldn’t be too picky about the “look first” thing.
Yeah, things seem to be broadly similar over here. My problem is that driving to unacceptably low standards shouldn’t be permitted. These guys should be stopped at the roadside, details taken, called to court and have their licences removed for a couple of years…
Harsh but fair.
🙂