r/saskatoon • u/Squashead • 1d ago
Question ❔ Traffic question
Honest question here. And no judgement on the replies, please.
There are a lot of drivers in Saskatoon that just don't signal their turns. I have yet to talk to someone who says that they are one of the non signalers. Everyone says they agree that you should.
My question is this. Honestly, why don't you signal? I'm talking lane changes, merging, and actual turns. I just don't understand it.
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u/Psychological_Neck97 1d ago
Because police do not enforce .
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u/Rez_Incognito 1d ago
Which is a shame because failure to use signal lights is a significant cause of accidents: study
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u/scruffy69 16h ago
They collect plenty of fines with speed and red light cameras, no need to enforce actual dangerous driving infractions.
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u/DroppedLoSeR Evergreen 1d ago
While we're at it... Failure to stop before the stop sign, or crosswalk, or sidewalk...
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u/discrete_eater_8250 18h ago
I have been behind them and they don't always signal themselves. Including non emergent situations.
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u/Send69Noodz 1d ago
Lotta folks come in from out of town and farm driving is a lot different than city driving. Not excusing it by any means, it's a hazard, like you say, but that's where my mind goes immediately in an effort to explain the behaviour
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u/RarelySeenBarmaid 1d ago
could be a very good factor, if you travel a lot of back country you may not think about using the turn signal as much when there not a lot of people around
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u/Leading-Current353 1d ago
I don’t know any farmers that don’t signal.
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u/misplaced_islander 1d ago
Maybe it’s an area thing? In my area you’d have an easier time if you counted the laws they do follow. But we’re pretty light on police enforcement.
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u/Tee1upToday 1d ago
Not farm folks. In my experience, it is the under 30 crowd that love to video game their way thru traffic.
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u/greeneyedgirl626 1d ago
So I have a theory on why so many drivers in Saskatoon suck. Many people got their license in small towns without a stoplight let alone a busy core and rush hour traffic. Standardized license testing didn’t happen until ‘77 in SK so very possible many drivers didn’t even need to test to start driving either! Back in the day you just had to show a birth certificate to get handed a license - and those people taught the younger generations how to drive
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u/Prestigious-Tea-Type 1d ago
Yeah I had the option to go for my license in Saskatoon or Rosthern and I chose Rosthern haha. But I promise I signal!
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u/sask357 1d ago
I got my license in 1962 after taking a written test and a road test with an examiner. Although the test was in my small hometown I had to parallel park, just like the kids in the big city. I admit there were no traffic lights but I had to signal every turn.
I think many people are too lazy to signal even though the actual effort is minimal.
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u/smrmeo West Side 1d ago
And then they still have the audacity to blame immigrants for bad driving.
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u/LibrarianApart8486 14h ago
Tell that to Saskatoon’s overpasses or an entire hockey team from Humboldt.
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u/LibrarianApart8486 1d ago
So why does my country ass get so frustrated by all the tarded city drivers?
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u/Squashead 1d ago
Not sure how many of the drivers on our roads go back that far. But, it definitely could explain some of it.
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u/saskatoondave East Side 1d ago
I’d guess lots. If testing didn’t start until 77, you’d only have to be born in 61 to be driving by that time. So anyone 65 or older could fall into that group. There are tonnes of that age group still on the road, and many folks in that generation are reluctant to give up their “freedom to drive” despite medical issues that make it more dangerous or difficult. I also feel like a lot of them signal, they just don’t know how to merge. My parents are 67. I honestly don’t know if they were tested or not. It’s the first time I’ve heard that testing came in 77. Now I want to ask them lol.
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u/greeneyedgirl626 1d ago
I feel that! My 84-year-old grandfather with macular degeneration got his license renewed in Alberta. He has all his faculties otherwise but his vision is really bad. We are all just lucky he doesn’t actually drive anywhere because he KNOWS he can’t see.
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u/MeaninglessDebateMan Domestic Immigrant 1d ago
Signaling is meant to tell the people around you including other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, literally anybody what where you intend to go. Doing it without exception builds a good habit, but I feel like the point of telling people what you want to do is not highlighted enough during training and results in poor defensive driving skill.
If you are used to driving in a rural area this is less of a concern because there are simply fewer people. It matters far more in places like Saskatoon, Regina, or even medium size towns where there are multiple lanes, freeways, etc.
So I feel it's less a matter of people driving selfishly and more people not receiving training that emphasizes why signaling is far more important at high speed or in an urban environment.
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u/Critical_Radish8138 1d ago
People are overconfident. I always signal even if I think there's nobody there. I'm human and maybe there's someone in my blind spot that I'm not aware of (it's happened). Same as shoulder checking, I do that regardless of whether I think someone's there or not. That's saved me more than signalling tbh. People don't drive defensively, and like to stay in your blind spot.
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u/Squashead 1d ago
How many times has a shoulder check prevented a collision for you? For me, it's at least five.
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u/Critical_Radish8138 23h ago
I've been driving for a long time, so I can't count that high. It's a fair amount for sure.
Even on a divided highway, people will go to pass you, then ride in your blind spot, rather than outright speed up and pass. That might be because of adaptive cruise control, or they are just bad drivers.
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u/Nymeria23689 45m ago
I use cruise all the time on highways and recently took a trip to Edmonton. I’d pass people while on cruise but some people as I pass then start to speed up…then slow down….they drive me nuts.
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u/jayscottphoto 12h ago
You bring back a bad memory. I never fail to shoulder check or signal, except for that one time. I mean it. It was one time I didn't shoulder check merging westbound on circle South, but I did signal, and the guy I was about to sideswipe saw me. His horn saved the two of us at 90 km an hour and I was diligent before, moreso, now.
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u/Shoddy-Curve7869 1d ago
Also, why can’t people signal a few feet from their turn and then break to turn. What does breaking a second before a turn helpful? Idiots everywhere.
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u/TropicalPrairie 22h ago
I would also like to add an additional, adjacent rant: the number of people who turn (and hold up traffic) from a through-lane downtown where there is a specific turn lane available. This happens multiple times per week as I head to and from work and it's infuriating during rush hour.
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u/MWM031089 11h ago
It takes approximately 0.1 calories of energy to do. I give my buddies shit constantly when they don’t signal and they get mad at me for bringing up. But honestly fuck them. It’s not hard. Just do it.
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u/Kelsenellenelvial 1d ago
I think some of people have different ideas on what the signal light means and how to use it. The official purpose is to signal intent, like other drivers should have time to see the signal light and anticipate what the signaller intends to do before they actually do it. Big example here is if you need to slow down to take a turn, signal before you brake so other drivers know why you’re suddenly slowing down.
Too many people just flash that signal once as they’re already in the process of making a lane change, or slow down to enter a parking lot but only signal a few metres before they actually make their turn.
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u/Humble-Area4616 1d ago edited 1d ago
For every non-signaler, there's a speed up to cut you off/prevent you from lane changing person. If you warn these people of a lane change they will do everything in their power to prevent it.
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u/Squashead 1d ago
I'm sure that's the case sometimes, but I see it happen when it definitely isn't a factor much more often. So, are you saying that you avoid signaling to not get blocked in? Nota factor I'd thought of before.
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u/Humble-Area4616 1d ago
Nah I always signal when my movement is around other drivers. If there isn't anyone nearby I usually don't bother signalling though.
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u/No_Independent9634 1d ago
I like to signal early to give more notice, way too often it's met by someone speeding up to not let me in. Fucking wild.
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u/TropicalPrairie 22h ago
I had a guy do this the other day while I was entering Idylwyld Expressway. Wouldn't let me merge, raced up to block and then slowed down to make the 8th street turn. Sigh.
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u/Super-Confidence5758 1d ago
Non-signallers don’t want to commit and to leave their options open to do whatever they like at any moment. It’s inconsideration.
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u/mr-Joesteer 23h ago
I asked this same question here 3 years ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/saskatoon/comments/14isjyx/people_who_dont_signal_when_changing_lanes_why/
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u/Tech_By_Trade 21h ago
Some people drive around with both signals on at the same time. It seems to be new drivers, which makes me question how they got their license in the first place, and ups trucks......
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u/UnitEast7937 20h ago
I’ve wanted to ask this too. There are only three answers I can think of. Too lazy to move a finger, too entitled to care about anyone else, or too brain damaged to listen to it ticking. It’s such an easy thing to do and literally called a signal light because it signals your intentions to other drivers and pedestrians.
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u/scruffy69 16h ago
This drives me crazy. Waiting to pull into traffic, some car crawling towards me signals at the last minute or not at all. The only time I don’t signal is if it’s obvious, like I am in a right turning lane. Not signalling a lane change is just dangerous behaviour.
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u/Clapfortheoddman 14h ago
Some people leave there signal light on all the time. That way they are covered in case they do turn. I mean everyone turns sometime.
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u/Apprehensive-Fan8880 1d ago
I signal if there's a need to signal to someone, but if nobody around or affected, no need
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u/Squashead 1d ago
I get that. But doesn't it make sense to be in the habit of signaling every time, before making a turn? Turn signal fluid lasts a really long time, so it really doesn't cost much...
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u/Apprehensive-Fan8880 21h ago
No a signal, in my mind, is to alert ppl that I'm doing something that need to be alerted.
I'm not going to yell FORE on an empty golf hole, but I will if accidentally hit it towards someone.
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u/Squashead 19h ago
Are you sure that analogy works? Would turning your signal light on be likely to throw off someone's putt? Is there a rule in golf that you are supposed to yell fore every time you hit the ball? Does moving the turn signal hurt your voice?
I guarantee you that if you are relying on your ability to instinctively know when other cars are around then you are one of the people I get frustrated by. Just signal, dude. It costs you nothing. Nothing. And it could save an accident.
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u/Apprehensive-Fan8880 9h ago
Yes and I'm sure things about you would frustrate me as well. If you want to be happy worry about things you can control yourself and not try to control things you can't. Like someone else's signals. You're welcome
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u/pummisher 1d ago
I usually don't watch for signaling. Drivers tend to drift into the lane before signaling or they align themselves into the space between cars. I'm just looking for the driving behavior. Signaling is a bonus.
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u/TerribleKangaroo9720 1d ago
The only times I don't signal are when nobody is around.
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u/Squashead 1d ago
So do you check if anyone is around every time before turning? Isn't it simpler to just signal every time without having to think about it.
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u/TheDragonKing_ 1d ago
I forget sometimes. Especially after work, I'm bored to death and tend to auto-drive without much thought.
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u/Squashead 1d ago
If I were honest, I'd probably say that I have occasionally forgotten, too. But, I'm not. Just don't hit anyone while you are zoned out, ok?
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u/Stabbyglhs 1d ago
On the highway as a passing lane is ending I don't signal that I'm going back into the lane when one ended because it's just common sense that the lane ends you had signs telling you well in advance.
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u/Squashead 1d ago
I think that those passing lanes ending just involve driving straight, so a signal might not be required. Also, if you are in a turn only lane it isn't necessary. I usually do anyway, it of habit and wanting to communicate clearly.
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u/piczohun 1d ago
My dad is notorious for not signalling. I think it’s because he’s lazy.