Let me begin by saying that I do not believe in psychics or any of that insense.

However, Mrs. Maxwell Buchanan has, over the years, developed skills that could easily be mistaken for psychicism.

In particular, as we approach a motorway exit, about 0.5 seconds before I am about to flip the indicator, she will say "don't forget to come off here."

This is not at all unreasonable (I have been known to miss exits) but, on the 92%* of times when I am about to take the relevant exit, it rankles. So, I have taken to indicating rather earlier than is strictly necessary. However, this does not solve the problem - I still get a reminder just as my motor cortex is beginning to stir into action.

I cannot believe I am alone in suffering from this problem. In fact, I have been known to do the same to Mrs. M.B. when she drives.

So.

In the interests of marital harmony (or, more generally, significant otherital harmony) MaxCo. is developing its new range of Car Indicator Indicators.

Models are available for most popular breeds of car, and can be installed in less time than it would take to install something that takes longer to install.

The indicator lever is replaced with one which has an intermediate position for both the left and the right turn indicators. Moving the indicator to the first position activates the internal blinking light but, cunningly, does not actually do anything to the indicator lights themselves. (A distinctive cadence will remind the negligible driver that the indicators are only operating internally.) Only when the lever is clicked to the next position do the external indicators start indicating externally.

So, you can now indicate to your co-pilot that you are aware of the upcoming exit, without causing offence within or outwith the vehicle.

Work on the "Yes I'm going to brake" light is ongoing.

(*actual results may vary)
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 05 2011

Back-seat driver auto-patronising device Back-seat_20driver_...atronising_20device
You need one of these [hippo, Apr 06 2011]

marine flag signals http://en.wikipedia...ritime_signal_flags
[not_morrison_rm, Apr 06 2011]

Libet, Do we have free will? http://www.centenar...09/libetjcs1999.pdf
[pocmloc, Apr 06 2011]

Brian Blessed does Tom Tom recording http://www.youtube....SQM&feature=related
[mitxela, Apr 06 2011]

"Don't forget to put your indicator indicator on, dear...."
-- Ling, Apr 06 2011


Infinite regress, leading to infinite regrets.
-- mouseposture, Apr 06 2011


How about an indicator lever extension that the passenger can use that has two prods forking off of it, so that whenever it is pushed upward or downwards the driver gets at least some prodding. As I have never ever driven a car except for go-karts, a forklift, and a car a handful of times, I'm not sure what side the signalling lever is on, or if in fact it always occurs as a lever.
-- rcarty, Apr 06 2011


A stupidly early "per-horn, horn" that blares really loudly (but only inside the car) would be useful too. (to avoid those "do you see that child chasing a ball/cat/cyclist/straying cow?") moments. [flicks croissant crumb in air +]
-- xenzag, Apr 06 2011


Good idea, although... what [Ling] said
-- hippo, Apr 06 2011


either get one of them things that can (allegedly) read your mind and show that you've already made the decision, but you don't know that yet. Put one on passenger and connect to indicator, at the point just before your significant other consciously decides to remind you to signal, it would do the signal.

or

Signal flags. Used by naval types since time immoral. Equip passenger with aforementioned flags and she can do the flag indicating on her side and you can do the signal bit your side, so both can be happy. Implausibly huge number of possible signals including one flag for " I am on fire and have dangerous cargo on board: keep well clear of me"...just how often does that happen it gets its own flag..the public have a right to know dammit!
-- not_morrison_rm, Apr 06 2011


//one of them things that can (allegedly) read your mind// - are you referring to those tiny fish made of a sort of red plastic film, which you put on the palm of your hand and see how they curl up?
-- hippo, Apr 06 2011


I need to know if there will be one for each seat in the vehicle, including back seat drivers?
-- xandram, Apr 06 2011


Chauffeur on strike, [MB]?
-- pocmloc, Apr 06 2011


//Chauffeur on strike, [MB]?//

No, but due to an administational oversight, they're both on holiday at the same time.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 06 2011


So, fire the administators.
-- pocmloc, Apr 06 2011


Alternatively you could get your own Brian Blessed to shout at you from the sat nav. This would unify the family by making everyone on the same side, against him.
-- mitxela, Apr 06 2011


//Once the distinctive cadence has finished, you might forget again//

Why not have the signal turn on automatically after say 5 seconds in the halfway state? You could still cancel the signal if the traffic stopped moving.

// One thing to consider here is reaction times through neural pathways. It is quite possible that the brain has become accustomed to some auditory commands and routes them straight through to the motor centre. The higher brain perceiving both events happening simultaneously naturally assumes it initiated one, but that might not be the case.//

This brings up the worry that after too much back seat driving, the driver is responds to his copilot instead of the road. For this reason, any reasonable way of making habitual back seat drivers shut their cakeholes is worth a bun.
-- Bad Jim, Apr 06 2011



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