Failing to indicate properly can get you into big trouble

[springswood]

In 84 I was that cyclist. Coming up the inside of a stationary line of traffic someone let a car turn in front of me. I was OK but wrote off a brand new bike (remarkably I'd insured it). No action with either driver - even I didn't think of it. I'm still careful now.

[Jocko]

I witnessed a similar accident, in busy traffic, and was the only one to go to the cyclists aid. For months I had phone calls and correspondence, back and forward, with his insurers and lawyers. Never found out how it all panned out.

[John Ratsey]

Also don't forget that using indicators can help the pedestrians who are trying to find a gap in the traffic to get across a road. There's a roundabout near where I live which has 3 lanes going around it and, on part of it the outside lane is marked as being for a minor road and the next bigger road. Pedestrians have to figure out when it's safe to cross the minor road (there's an island in the middle which helps). There's a steady stream of traffic and to avoid some very long waits it's necessary to assume that a vehicle which isn't indicating to turn off is going to the next road. However, about the drivers of about 50% of the vehicles turning into the minor road don't bother to indicate their intention so pedestrians need to be ready to move quickly. There's also plenty of potential for harvesting a load of fines!