WHEN TO START BLINKING
Blink at least 100 feet before a city turn and at least 200 feet before freeway exit. (This conforms to the law.) Recognize that people are not always looking directly at what you are doing, they drive distracted, they think about many things other than driving when they drive.
They need much more time, especially today, to register your intent. In the city, as long as there is no intervening street from the time you start blinking to your desired turn, a longer blinker does not hurt. The ubiquitous driveways and alleys do not have to be considered at all when deciding to blink.
ANNOUNCING YOUR FREEWAY ENTRANCE, EXIT
Put your blinker on at the top of the entrance ramp. This frees you to concentrate with your eyes for the merge. Blinker stays on until you are established on the freeway.
When you are exiting on “designated exit lanes only” use the blinker anyway because drivers behind you have, in the past, seen people suddenly change their direction to go back onto the freeway. Your blinker helps to assure them that, with you, this will not happen. Cancel the blinker shortly after you enter the off-ramp to clean the slate for your next blinder and so there will be no misinterpretation.
