It seems a lot of people do get upset about turn signal usage while other people really don't care but the problem is you really can't make it a blanket statement. When you're simply changing lanes on the roadway or the freeway then yes, all of the comments do apply and you should do it a little on the early side as opposed to the later side and especially not at the last minute. However, there is another time that some people lump into the same mentality which really doesn't matter and that's when you're driving along and one of the outermost lanes and a dedicated turn lane comes along.

There is really little point or need to have your turn signal on for five or six flashes before that lane comes into existence and you merge over into it. In fact, there's really no need at all for you to use your turn signal to enter that lane because if you're going with the flow of traffic to start with you simply move out of the way and the person behind you doesn't really care and they didn't need to know you were going to get over there.

Now, two ways that problems occur. The first would be when someone starts to slow down before they get to that lane which is not proper driving anyways. So at least if your turn signal was flashing they would know why you're slowing down but if you just drive appropriately and maintain the speed until that lane appears they wouldn't know nor would they care and they wouldn't need to see your turn signal because they don't need to know your intentions.

The second what actually be the other driver's fault anyways and this would be for someone would be going ahead and getting over into that lane themselves before the lane actually presents itself!

This is a real pet peeve of mine!!

It's not up to the front driver to signal their intentions that they're going to get over into that turn lane 200 ft before the turn lane so the person behind them who's also going to use the turn lane doesn't get over first but they would probably like it because that way may might not encroach on that person's face but it's really the person in the behinds fault.

Also, don't act like they need to know their intentions because people even do this on the on ramps to the freeway! They know that every car there is going to speed up and merge over onto the highway but STILL many people are so impatient that they will get over into the lane of freeway traffic crossing over the white striped lines and the cross hatched area way before they're supposed to and before the car in front of them does who is properly merging at the end of that on ramp approach lane. It's so bad that many of them will even speed up because obviously they're in a hurry anyways and often they will then Force the person who is already driving appropriately and merging onto the highway to now merge into them when they were originally behind that car!! It's absolutely ridiculous and I see it quite often.

It creates try to conundrum if there is an accident too because there's some technicalities because if they become a car in that lane of traffic regardless of how they got there, you're supposed to yield to them but it can all be about timing and without any proof or video of this it can be complicated and more than likely the person who was in front merging properly would be cited when the entire accident and situation was caused by a person behind who merged too early. Now note that none of this has anything to do with whether they use their turn signal early late or not at all. But when you're driving along and a dedicated turn lane approaches it's a moot point to use your turn signal unless some idiot who is behind you is trying to get into that lane before it begins inappropriately..