Thank you for pulling this all together andruec. I think the salient point is about advanced drivers and the problem is that most drivers think they are above average, or even advanced. I consider myself as below average so that mathematically, some of you can be above average.
I wasn't advocating not checking your surroundings etc. but the plain truth is that somewhen you will miss seeing something. That is when you are likely to cause a crash (no such thing as accidents) and I think indicating may just avoid that.
Agreed, I also hate the term 'accident'. The vast majority of crashes are not accidents - they are the result of (mostly) poor driver decisions and to a lesser extent poor road design. This whole 'don't indicate if..' is poorly presented. It's not a rule, more a corollary that's all. If you are sure that no-one needs to know then you don't do it. Same as if you are sure it's not going to rain you don't take an umbrella.
On the subject of indicating though one of my pet peeves is people who don't indicate when leaving a roundabout and worst of all continue their initial indication because they are too lazy to cancel it. You can usually tell if someone is going to leave at an exit but it's only a fool would assume they were so all too often I have to wait to be sure. To me that's a symptom of automatic indicating. If they indicated in response to conditions they'd realise they needed to switch from right to left indication as they approached their exit.
I have found that 'over-indicating' can cause problems as well, on larger islands I used to indicate when I was going around an island and ( obviously when leaving, if there was anyone waiting who could be helped by my signals). I got fed up of number of times people cut onto islands in front of me and then caught up and 'got inside of me' so that I had a problem when I wanted to leave, now I only indicate before leaving and people tend not to cut in. Being a motorcycle rider I have eyes up my ar5e (you have to) and am well aware of what traffic is around and what it is doing. Many motorcycle accidents happen because it is harder to judge the speed of an oncoming bike, and they can gather speed at a phenomenal rate (and yes often they go too fast in the wrong circumstances).
I have noticed some lorries indicate and then just pull out even though you are alongside, I think 'professional drivers' can be pretty pushy just plain ignorant sometimes - I have a friend and his son took HGV training, the instructors words were 'ignore cars and most smaller vehicles 'they will get out of your way' - and that was an instructor speaking
I am very wary of indicators anyway, I never pull out unless I am seeing the car slow down and start the turn, been almost caught a few times by either indicators left on or maybe on for a turn just after the one I am waiting at at and someone indicated early.
Everyone should ride a PTW at some time, sharpens your road sense to get out of the old fug box sometimes and feel vulnerable instead of safe in a cage.
