Blinker - turning signal

[Hotrod25]

What is the general rule for how soon or fast you turn on your turning signal? My gramps told me that you had to have it on long enough to get 6 blinks and then you were fine. He used to be a bus driver. What is the actual rule?

 

[vroombaby]

I know in most states it is within about 100 hundred feet but I am not sure if that is every state or just some of them. I am going to check this out the next time I am in the car and count the blinks just to compare with what I find from my own state.

 

[Donnie]

From what I remember, it is long enough for any cars behind you to be able to stop in time. I don't think 100 feet is long enough. That's about the length of the lots on my streets, or so I think, and if a car is going fairly fast, that's not long enough as I see it.

 

[jason]

I thought it was at least 100 feet before turning in residential and 200 feet elsewhere. But it will vary from state to state. For example Florida you may see the blinker on 5 miles before the turn.

 

[vroombaby]

I do not think the six blinks works either, I counted mine today and six blinks was barely 3-4 car lengths when I was in a 45MPH zone and slowing down. It has to be more than that, it just has to otherwise I am going to be paranoid behind the wheel!

 

[smash]

I don't think 6 blinks will work either. You have to be careful though in town because you don't want to turn on your signal until there are no more streets in front of your turn. Does that make sense?

 

[mustangs&lightning]

I didn't know there was a hard and fast rule about this, because blinkers aren't even a legal requirement in my state; they're just a courtesy. However, I think the best bet is to turn them on far enough away from the turn that everyone behind you has a chance to slow down.

 

[Paul]

I just love those folks that slow down, start to turn and then put their signal on. I put mine on way in advance so the car behind me will know what I'm doing. It's a game of defense on the highway.