Simple changes from all drivers can help ease traffic. For example, using the whole merge lane and maintaining speed when entering a roadway, not tailgating and letting cars merge, not sitting in the right lane if you’re not overtaking, and simply not adopting the mindset of 'I’m in the legal right here so I’ll be fine'.
But something that drives me up the wall (yes, pun intended), when I’m a passenger or observing other drivers, is the way many Australian drivers use their indicators. Instead of activating the indicator in the lead-up to making a turn, lane change or merge, Aussies seem to chuck it on at the last minute and expect others to react accordingly.
I’ll let you in on a little secret: the indicator isn’t there to absolve you of a legal liability; it’s there to signal intent.
Many times as a passenger, I've seen drivers who know they have to change lanes soon, but instead of indicating early to show their future intent, they wait until a gap comes up before they stick the indicator on.
There are a number of issues with this mindset. First off, put yourself in the perspective of the person you are changing lanes in front of – a quick flick of the indicator, and you’re suddenly in front of them. This could cause them to tap the brakes and lose momentum.
If you’re into the science of how traffic forms, you’d know that it acts as a shock wave. Like those moments when you’re travelling down a straight road and suddenly you’re hit with standstill traffic, only for it to clear up and there be no clear obstruction.
If you see the video above, all it takes is for one car to slow down, then a chain reaction of drivers not reacting or not knowing what is going on to slow down even more, until the wave moves back and people are at a complete standstill.
All of this happens in real life when someone doesn’t signal for long enough, and other drivers don’t have the time to process or notice what is going on.
Then we have the second issue: people in Australia don’t seem to indicate first before looking for a gap – they indicate when they find a gap.
As a Sydney resident, there are quite a few poorly designed roads that cause an exit road to become banked up. At the same time, the other lanes are free-flowing. People who jump in queues will slow down and look for a gap in the line without their indicator on, causing people behind them to have no idea what’s going on. Next thing you know, there are lines of traffic forming in that lane too.
I am an advocate for the 'zipper merge' technique that is taught in other countries. Instead of everyone queuing in the one lane, we should use two to cut the line in half and keep traffic flowing. The technique (view video below) requires participation from both the motorist in the lane and the motorist merging.
So let me ask you this: how is the motorist already in the lane going to know to let you in to merge if you do not have your indicator on? You are just causing more traffic for everyone around you.
The final poor-indicator habit many drivers employ is particularly diabolical. They're on a two-lane road, know they are turning right at a traffic light, but wait until the last second (after they have stopped or when the light goes green) to switch on their indicator to let others behind know they are turning.
It is quite possibly one of the least considerate things you can do while driving. I have stopped behind you because I thought you were going straight, and now I have to wait behind for you to turn while cars whiz past me in the left lane. Straight to jail.
The problem is that there’s no definitive amount of time we need to indicate before we need to change lanes – though, the last thing I want is to implement another fine for not indicating for the right number of seconds.
But seriously, if motorists just used their brains and stopped treating the indicator stalk as a means to not get a fine, then maybe there would be less traffic on the road.
As I spend my afternoon staring at the brake lights of a car coming to a complete stop to merge lanes, I have an epiphany. If we all stopped adopting a 'well, it doesn’t affect me personally' attitude on the road, the world would be a better place.
Zane Dobie comes from a background of motorcycle journalism, working for notable titles such as Australian Motorcycle News Magazine, Just Bikes and BikeReview. Despite his fresh age, Zane brings a lifetime of racing and hands-on experience. His passion now resides on four wheels as an avid car collector, restorer, drift car pilot and weekend go-kart racer.
