Hi Ashley, as a dedicated pedestrian & lifelong non-driver I do find your videos enormously helpful in understanding the rationale behind a lot of motoring decision making & practices. The recent debate you’ve started over the question of when to signal or not has had me puzzled on occasion & your logic is as usual impeccable however as you’ve previously pointed out nobody can be perfectly at the top of their game at all times & it is preferable to maintain ‘good habits’ rather than abandon them as it is still entirely possible that even the most observant motorist may miss seeing a pedestrian or vehicle obscured by trees/bushes, street furniture etc or other distractions & there are plenty of examples of drivers that are excessively over confident of their own skills.

My slogan for an indicator has always been, ITS NOT FOR YOU,ITS FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

My driving instructor always made sure to tell me that signalling isn't always necessary, but said ALWAYS do it on the driving test, even if there's no need. So I did, but when I'm driving now I don't always signal. It makes me think, and pay more attention. He taught me the way you're teaching now. He was a great instructor, great guy.

it's a question of mind sets. Ashley, you have the mindset that once a "routine driver" signals, they stop observing. However, it is just as likely that a "routine driver" will decide a signal isn't necessary, and stop observing. the takeaway needs to be that every signal you give another driver is an accurate and appropriate signal. because after all, how many crashes have been caused because everybody signaled correctly? I do always signal entering my driveway. partly because it is a physical reflex. I've tried to copy bad signalers, at times I've been utterly irritated at people doing "maneuver, signal, mirror" maneuvers and I find myself incapable of purposely signaling badly. on the other side of the coin, I live on a 55 MPH highway, with limited visibility, and so nearly every time I approach my driveway, the final decision whether to stop or sweep into the driveway is made in moments. because I can't see whether there will be someone to benefit from my signal until I am at the point where I decide to maneuver or wait. and if someone comes upon me from either direction, and I decide to wait, they will be able to see immediately, what my next maneuver will be. and yes, if you are following a lane, it means there isn't a need to signal. but that doesn't reduce the importance of communicating properly and clearly, even if you don't think anyone around you needs to know. so yes, I am still in the "if you use your indicator correctly, with nobody around to see it, it isn't unsafe" camp.

Your examples for not signalling in this video were much clearer but just to clear up some of your assumptions about people who were speaking against not signalling:

I used to be a driving instructor and always used 'Mirror (consider a) Signal, Manoever' the pupil invariably took a while to understand this, but I think it helped them to look at the situation and see if a signal would help both motorists and other road users. Great instructional video Ashley, thanks for being willing to spend the time and effort to produce these videos.

This lesson is essentially about the driver creating an external viewpoint narrative which unfolds constantly as the journey progresses. Like 'common sense', it's not innate and has to be learned... Ashley's outro about starting local, noticing one's own behaviour, and changing it to suit the moment is a great first step. Carrying that out on a general every-trip (near or far) basis takes time, requires concentration, and needs constant practise because no situation is ever the same as any another. And I confess I sometimes fail - e.g. when I'm tired, or I'm being harassed by a lorry tailgating me, etc.. It's good to have the Instructor's Rant as a reminder though (note to self - try harder to stay alert 100% of the time!) and I'm bookmarking this video to play again occasionally.

Another great video Ashley! Passed my test this morning with 2 minors! Thanks for sharing, your videos have been a huge help 😀

I think the mindset and concepts are the most important thing. You don't have to do it perfectly. You might signal when you really didn't need to. But all we do when driving, or just about anything else should be based on what you can (or cannot) observe. We don't shout 'coming through!' in the middle of a field with no one there. But we might if entering a door to a room beyond a closed door with painters and decorators, even if we're not sure whether they are there at that moment. If you're really in any doubt, do signal for anyone who might be invisible behind some corner. But don't forget the key is to observe.

Ashley I think you hit the nail on the head; many learners are being taught to pass the test not given the training to drive afterwards.

A half an hour lesson from Ashley!!!!! On signals. 😂 Is this his longest video on KZfaq? Who of you guys has been pissing Ashley off. 😂😂

Hi Ashley, I am a pdi and I found your video on giving signal really helpful and it's given me more understanding on when and when not to and using it as a begging signal when joining traffic. But I use your video in my teaching. Keep up the good work.

Love your videos very educational, I agree that when driving there needs to be more observation when driving, as for signalling I admit that I get stuck in a certain mindset when driving, also when I passed my driving test I was driving down a built up area with parked cars and I started to slow down, then the examiner asked why i slowed down i said because I saw someones feet in-between the parked cars I saw the feet further back.

I stick by the rule of indicate unless ambiguous, which in reality means I indicate as you did in this video. And I absolutely look at those flashing lights as a pedestrian to see whether I can cross a road that a car's already travelling along; I've definitely got very wet in the rain unnecessarily before when lots of oncoming cars suddenly disappear around a corner where a signal could've let me know that I could've gone!

Great video as always. I starting driving (in the olden days) where handsignals were the norm or semaphore indicators and back then you only really indicated if absolutely neccessary so much more attention had to be taken on what was happening around you.

On one of my driving lessons,. I was turning right at a junction and noticed there was no one around, I turned to my instructor and asked if I should indicate, he replied, 'will anyone benefit from it?'. This has stuck with me since then.

I've been trying this for about 6 months or so now, after watching an older Ashley video.

As to your point of not trying to do everything immediately, that's exactly how I've started working on it. I still put on my signal more often than I have to, but every time I do a maneuver that may or may not require a signal (and usuallyI do signal), I will evaluate the situation in my mind to determine if it was needed. I hope to build on my observational skill in this manner and to slowly transition into actually making that decision consciously.

Another great video Ashley, I'm try so hard to implement your suggestions on your videos even when I'm driving buses makes my passenger comfort whilst on my vehicle a safe and comfortable one so my passengers are benefiting from your videos even though they don't know it, so thanks Ashley.

I'm in Ashley's camp, partly because of the way I was taught and reinforced by years of cycling in a city. On a bike you can almost always indicate your intention by road position and speed - and having both hands available to steer and brake is often more useful.