Within the United States (Pittsburgh), when merging onto a lane, which turn signal do you use?
While driving in Pennsylvania, specifically in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, I was merging from a side-street to a main road, as seen in the picture below. I had stopped at the stop-sign, checked for traffic, then proceeded on, whereupon a police officer started flashing his lights at me. He asked where I was coming from, and whether I'd had my turn signal on, stating that he hadn't seen one. I answered him honestly that I was coming from karaoke in Oakland, and that I had had it on, the left turn signal specifically. He did some checks on his laptop and then sent me on my way. In retrospect, since it was a little after 2 AM, he was probably randomly pulling people over, knowing that the odds were that he could find someone who was driving inebriated after leaving the closing bar, the turn signal being a flimsy excuse for probable cause. That said, it made me wonder, which turn signal should be on in this sort of situation?
One option is to have the left turn signal on, since you are merging left into traffic. On the other hand, I'd come to a complete stop, and a left turn signal might confuse people into thinking that I planned on a left turn (not feasible here, but possible in some other merging situations) and one does sort of have to turn right from the side street to get onto the main street. Reading through the PA traffic manual didn't help. Poking through the Kentucky and Ohio ones (they were convenient) didn't bring up any helpful laws for how to properly signal a merge. Is there a standard rule in Pittsburgh, in Allegheny County, in Pennsylvania, or in the United States in general, that I can rely on?
Best Answer
Based on Florida Drivers License Handbook
Signal your intent to merge onto the expressway
In this case, you'd switch between signals when merging -
So right signal when exiting until the stop sign, then left signal while merging.
Pennsylvania DOT agrees, but without pictures -
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Do you use turn signals when merging?
When two lanes merge into one, the vehicle in the through lane \u2013 the lane that is not ending \u2013 has the right-of-way. The merging car is required to yield to traffic.When two lanes merge what should you do?
One of the most important highway merging safety tips is to match the speed of the other drivers. You can do this by having a look at the other drivers and using the entrance ramp and acceleration lane to help increase your speed. The entrance ramp can assist in giving you time to match the current flow of traffic.What is the correct procedure when merging onto the freeway?
Here are the main steps.Accelerate to highway speeds when merging, officer explains
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Answer 2
This is the oakland zoo, just go. He was fishing for a DUI nothing more. You would use your right turn signal at the stop sign. Even though it's your only option. If there were an actual merge lane you would use your left signal to indicate a right lane to left lane merge, but there isn't. I was born and raised here in the Steelcity and work in Oakland.
Answer 3
In this particular case you should be using the RIGHT TURN Signal
You use the left turn signal only in the case where you merge or change from an acceleration lane such as the situation here:
In your particular case you where actually making a shallow right turn.
There are no actual rules printed as far as I can remember but you can check the driver's manual from various states it may be there.
Answer 4
The answer is simple you use your turn signals to indicate to other drivers what your intentions are. You were correct to indicate left as your vehicle must turn slightly/merge to enter the main road from the access road on the right hand side of road.
As a fellow Pittsburgher driving the very same roads I use my left signal at this entrance onto the Boulevard.
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