How can people not know their turn signal is on?

Question

In all the cars I have ever owned, the turn signal has made an annoying loud clicking noise that can be heard even over the radio. Are there any cars out there for which this is not the case? There was this SUV on the freeway this morning with their turn signal on for miles. It reminded me of all the times I have seen this. I hate these people, they are so dangerous, because the surrounding cars don't know what to do and get all confused. Just when you think the signal is on by mistake, they could jerk in front of you and cause an accident. But given that it was on for miles this time, I think it was a mistake. But how on earth is that possible? Are deaf people allowed to drive?

Answer 1

Yes! It is so aggravating when that happens! However I have been guilty of doing it when I had the radio to loud (yes over the clicking noise) or was really distracted i.e. on the phone....two things that i shouldn't have been doing in the first place!

Answer 2

Well first of all not all turn signals are that loud in the older cars. Second, their radio could be so loud you can't hear it. The last part is that most senior citizens can not hear that good and refuse to get a hearing aid. I have been wearing a aid for over 40 years but  most seniors it's a disgrace to wear one. I'm 63.

Answer 3

their cars could be broken

Answer 4

Probably blasting music and not paying attention

Answer 5

To loud of music could be one reason.  Another chatting on cell phone.  Both no nos in my book but that is a few things Ive observed.  Peace out.............

Answer 6

I know that if the radio is up too loud you can't hear my signal clicking but...if you put it on and didn't make a complete turn I haven't a clue how you could forgt to disengage it...

Answer 7

Some people are deaf and some are stupid and some 'indicators' (as we call em in the UK) make no sound!!

Answer 8

Sometimes the little springs inside the steering column that cancel the turn signal can break so you have to remember to switch it off yourself . Or the driver could be drunk , stoned , yakking on the phone or just an idiot .

Answer 9

One, sometimes people just aren't paying attention and have other things on their minds. This is a scary thought in itself.

Second, some cars, if you have the radio loud you can't hear the clicking. Mine is noticeable when the radio is low, but when I have it blaring I can't hear it at all. Although I tend to check that it goes off after I make a turn.

Answer 10

Scary, isn't it, that people are so clueless. What ELSE are they not paying attention to?

Yes, deaf people can drive.

Get away from these lousy drivers as soon as possible.

I report them, too.

Be safe out there.

Answer 11

The one that annoys me the most is when they "forget" to turn off their emergency flashers (turning signals for both sides). Man, the really gets me going.

Answer 12

Oh dear .... Karma being what it is you have now complained about this distracted driver who was probably multi tasking, kids in car radio playing etc etc etc.  NOT saying it is not annoying but you have set yourself up taking the I never do that stance... so watch it you will cut someone off in a parking lot, run a red light, get caught speeding something.  We none of us are perfect and anyone can make a big mistake at least the turn signal  thing is visible and one can just give them space to make that wild turn when they get around to it.  But some things are.... well you will know when you do it.  It always happens when we are critical of others we make an even bigger dumber mistake.  Good luck Karma Lady.

Answer 13

HA! I think its so funny you asked about this. It is my biggest pet peeve!! I have no idea how they can not know that its on, the clicking noise alone drives me crazy in the car!!

Answer 14

These people r dangerous simply b/c they aren't paying attention. They're probably talking on the phone or something... Completely pre-occupied and not paying attention to the road or their blinker. It's annoying... And usually the people who aren't annoyed by it r the ones doing it.

Answer 15

If someone is elderly, you can certainly understand that one. Being elderly or just being in a new situation could cause someone to concentrate so much on something else that they tone out the signal and forget about it. I can understand someone being so overwhelmed that they left their signal on until they didn't have to be hyper alert to their own survival on the road. I've done that, but only a few times. Or, if you are one of those really "important" people who need to take phone calls and send emails while you are driving, you might not realize the danger you could be putting everyone else on the road in.

You really have to assume that the everyone else on the road doesn't know how to drive.

Answer 16

On a motorcycle they don't go off automatically, you always need to do it yourself. I've caught myself a couple of times leaving them on after crossing a chaotic crossroad or some other situation where I needed to pay a lot of attention on the road. But yes, I hate it too when people leave them on.

The signal in my parent's car (Mitsubishi) doesn't make a lot of noise, I think it's just a relais. And I like it like that. I once drove a Citroën C3 that was driving me crazy when I had to blink (tik tok tik tok aaarrrggh) so I would never buy a car like that :p

Answer 17

such people are not deaf but they have other things at hand to do like listening to music and talking over cell phones and causing accidents for the innocent and geniune people who follow there indications

Answer 18

People are lucky to have good hearing and know when their turn signal  is still on. But some of us are hard of hearing and even with hearing aid, still can't pick out the clicking sound of the signal light from other sounds. I can only say that we try to do our best to blend in with the rest of society in our ventures and travels and hope people don't have to go through what we do with hearing lose.  It's a terrible disability to us and I say this for me and the rest who are handy capped with hard hearing. Please accept our apology.

Answer 19

Actually, I had a 92 cavalier and the turn signal was really hard to hear even if the radio was off.  And I assumed that lights on vehicles was to aid the deaf...

Answer 20

I have seen this all the time and I forgot to turn my signal off(only once in my 28 years of driving)thought i had turned it off. I guess some people are not concentrating while operating their vehicles.

Answer 21

Yes, deaf people are 'allowed' to drive.

Not all turn signals make a loud sound and it is easy to forget if you are concentrating on other things e.g. you are in an unfamiliar area and looking for landmarks.   I did this once with my moped and I realise that it is very dangerous but humans make mistakes.

Answer 22

Either there music is to loud, or they're def from they're music being to loud.

Answer 23

Most of the time the radio is on so you dont hear it. Or other times your just zoned out and start getting used to the 'clicking' and dont pay attention to it. I've never gone into a full on panic because the person's blinker in front of me was on.

Answer 24

people are human beings and WILL commit mistakes- even costly ones. There are different categories of people who will NOT realize that their turn signal is on.

1) Elderly - They forget easily and can contribute to major accidents.

2) Youngsters- They have a cd or a radio playing so loud that they dont realize their signal is on.

3) Insane drivers- They do it on purpose (Idiots!!!)

4) Jerks- They know that the signal is on because it is broken, yet they will not fix it for sometime.

5) Forgetful- Age is no bar for these people.

The lesson you learn from this: "Dont lose your cool, over a fool".

You should thank these people for teaching you to practice patience.

Answer 25

Yes deaf people are allowed to drive.  I had a deaf person in my driver's ed class (a long time ago).  It's probably an older person who's hard of hearing.  Sometimes if you don't make a very wide turn, or are just changing lanes, the signal won't go off on it's own.  If someone's thinking about something else they might not realize it didn't go off.  I hate having mine on like that so I'm careful with it, but my dad's done it before - he's hard of hearing.  Just get over it and pass them if you hate it so much.  Or try flicking your lights once, maybe it'll ge their attention.

Answer 26

It's so irritating isn't it!

Answer 27

my dad is deaf.  he cannot hear when someone calls him on his Onstar phone.

it is sad.

Answer 28

Not all cars have "clickers" loud enough to be heard over the sound of the engine or traffic.  Especially when the driver has the radio / CD / tape blaring to hear over the road noise, or a cell phone glued to their ear.  I've decided that the younger the driver, the louder the volume of the distractions in the vehicle.

And not all drivers pay much attention to their dashboard indicators to notice the turn signal flasher blinking.  

So the turn signals just keep blinking away ... accidents waiting to happen.

Answer 29

LOL. I know the exact feeling! I always wonder how they don't notice! Every car I have had makes a noise and the arrow flashes on the dash. Maybe some people are just dazed when they're driving.

Answer 30

As a matter of fact, yes, deaf people are allowed to drive.  I know a few and they have never had accidents.

I think, however, some people just don't hear the signal.  Maybe theirs isn't loud enough to get through to them if they are thinking of a million other things,  have kids in the car, radio on, etc.  It just might not register.  My signals turn off as soon as I make the turn but once in awhile, for some reason, they do not and I have to turn it off.  Maybe they just assume it's off.  I agree with it being dangerous as you have no idea what they will be doing. Just like the ones that don't use their signals at all.

I got some lady mad at me once. I followed her a long way down the street.  She was in and out without ever using her signals.  She happened to be going into the same parking lot I was - again not using her signals. She had one of those SUV Cadillacs.  I nicely told her that she had a beautiful car but she should have it looked at because her signals were not working.  She glared at me.  I just smiled and walked away.

I also shout out the window on occasion "nice signal".

Answer 31

I agree, that makes me so angry.  Not only does it make a irritating noise but it also has a blinking light that a blind person could see.