2.Changing lanes
3.Yielding the way
4.Making room in one's lane for someone
5.Tailgating and overtaking
6.Racing
The 3 Methods of Communication are:
Making Turns
Changing Lanes
Yielding the Way
Although Kristin Subia does not discuss those type of communications, I feel they are very important signals to use because eye contact allows other drivers and/or pedestrians know that you notice them, and hand signals are also another way of acknowledging another dirver and/or pedestrian. In this section, Kristin Subia does mention how a driver needs to look around intently and eagerly to see if another driver is coming before proceeding at a yield sign.
Making Room in One's Lane for Someone She tries to make the reader imagine that he/she is driving to work quite peacefully, until another driver sticks out their arm and gives a mean look to signal they want to cut in front. Therefore, since the other driver looked meanly, you allow him/her to cut in front of you. Since you allowed the car to cut in front of you, you are now late to work because you did not make the red light, but the car you allowed to cut in front of you did. I really don't know the purpose to her senario, but the communication among drivers I found was the hand gesture (sticking out the arm to cut lanes) and facial expressions of looking mean.
I feel drivers commnicate by also using their blinkers and looking towards the side and/or turning their heads to see if it is clear to cut.
Tailgating and Overtaking
In this section, I think Kristin is trying to explain that tailgating and overtaking is a form of communcation that drivers use to let other drivers know they are driving too slow.
Racing
However, I feel the type of communication she is trying to explain is the revving of the engine, eye contact between the drivers, speed, and changing of lanes .
Vehicular Communication
A Car is equipped with several forms of equipment drivers use to communicate with each other, such as blinkers, brake lights, and a horn. The blinkers are used to tell other drivers that you want to turn and/or change lanes, and in what direction you will be going it. The brakelights are used to communicate to other dirvers that you will be slowing down and/or stopping, and the horn is used to get someone's attention, for instance, if they are blocking traffic, are not proceeding when the light is green, and if they are swerving in your lane.
Kristin also explains other ways of vehicular communication, such as revving of the engine,swerving or driving close to a lane, and tailgating.
According to Kristin, revving of the engine indicates that a drivers wants to race another driver and/ or a driver is "showing off." Swerving or driving close to a lane indicates that a driver wants to change lanes or merge, and tailgating another driver communicates that the driver is in a rush, the driver is driving too slow and/or it's a way to get back at another driver when you feel they had disrespected you in any way.
Verbal Communication
Verbal communication among drivers do not appear to be as common as vehicular communication. According to Kristin, the only type of verbal communication she noticed among drivers was drivers cursing and/or protesting to other drivers. She did not give much details in this section of her report.
Gestures and Facial Expressions
Gestures, such as a hand movements acknowledges that you notice other drivers, pedestrians, and/or bicyclists. Handmovements such as a wave, is a way to say "thank-you" to other drivers. For example, a wave is used when drivers want to say "thank-you" for letting them into your lane.
Effectiveness
Kristin states that all the methods of cummunication (vehicular, gestures, and facial expressions) are effective, but she does not state why they are effective or why she feels they are effective. However, she does explain her experience of travelling to Europe, and how she noticed some types of communication among drivers seemed to be universal. She did not state what type of communication were universal, but, she did say that the "shaka sign" was not.
Andrew Shapiro did a mini-observational study on The Effectiveness of the Gestural Communications Invlolving Drivers Requesting the Right-of-Way. The purpose of his observational study was to determine what type of nonverbal communications, if any, were used by drivers at a four-way intersection. He was also interested in what type of gestures were the most effective at the four-way intersection.
Andrew Shapiro did his observational study at the intersection of Benjamin Holt Drive and Gettysburg Place in Stckton, California, and observed drivers for a period of two days between the hours of 3pm and 6pm. In the 3 hour period, he observed about 4,590 vehicles, but recorded 28 episodes of gestural communication between drivers.
Through his observations, Andrew Shapiro observed that less than 1% of drivers actually used an obvious gesture at a four-way intersection, therefore he concluded that many drivers used others ways of communicating the right to proceed first or yield. Another observation he found was that some drivers appeared to use their vehicles to demand their right-of-way. For example, He observed male drivers in "souped-up," "muscle" cars, or large trucks to be aggressive at a four-way intersection. The males would demand the right-of-way by approaching the intersection with a lot of speed before stopping or not make a complete stop at the intersection. However, he did observe that these aggressive drivers always seemed to get their way at the four-way intersection.
Another observation that was noted by Andrew Shapiro, was that some gestures used at the four-way intersection were not universally understood by all drivers, which caused confusion on who had the "right-of-way." For example, he states that he observed two males at the intersection who had a form of miscommunication, probably because they did not understand what the other driver was telling them, therefore, they repeatedly gestured to the other the right-of-way. This type of miscommunication caused "herky-jerky" movements between the vehicles according to Andrew Shapiro because one vehicle would start across the intersection while the other vehicle was also approaching.
Andrew Shapiro also observed negative forms of communication among drivers. Of the 28 nonverbal meetings he observed, 10 appeared to have negative notions. For example, the gestures observed were honking the horn, shaking a fist, a disgusted head shake, and/or "flipping the bird." The main reason these forms of gestures were used were because of a driver taking advantage of the other driver with respect of the right-of-way.
In conclusion, from his observations, Andrew Shapiro was quite shocked by the rude and obnoxious behaviors shared among drivers. Nonetheless, he feels his mini-observation went well because he did what he set out to do, and that was to find out what gestures drivers used and which were the most effective.
1.Vehicular communication
2.Verbal communication
3.Gestures and facial expressions
The Six Situations of How Drivers Communicate in Detail
According to Kristin Subia's report, the most common type of turning is at an intersection or into a driveway. The type of communication drivers use while turing are, using their blinker, eye contact, and/or hand gestures, such as a wave.
These type of non-verbal communication appears to be very important while driving because a blinker tells the other drivers that you want to turn, and in what direction you will be turning. Eye contact is also important becuase it is a non-verbal communication among drivers. Eye contact lets the driver know if they have the right of way at an intersection. For example, a driver may make eye contact with another driver at an intersection to let them know if he/she has the right of way to turn, or if the other driver has the right of way. Another way a driver communicates while driving is by using hand signals, such as a wave to signal to another driver that he/she can turn and or cut in front of them.
When a driver changes lanes, the use of blinkers is necessary. Majority of drivers communicate with each other by using their blinkers to let the other cars know what their intentions are. However, there are some drivers who feel they do not need to communicate with other drivers when changing lanes, and I find that to be disrespectful, because it requires only a little flick of the fingers to use the blinkers. Another way drivers communicate while changing lanes is by speeding up and/or slowing down. According to ,Kristin, speed is important because drivers assess the speed of other cars to determine if it's safe to change lanes.
Yielding to other drivers, bikers, and/or pedestrians also require some form of communication, such as, eye contactand/or hand signals.
In this section Kristin provides a hypothetical situation, however, I feel it does not relate well to how drivers commincate because it does not thoroughly explain the types of communication drivers may use while they are trying to change lanes.
In this section Kristin explains that tailgating and overtaking is not a bad to do if a driver is in a rush to get somewhere and if they do it safely and legally.
In this section Kristin describes her experience of cars racing on the freeway. Although her description of the race is quite clear, I do not feel she points out the type of communication the drivers used very well.
The 3 Methods of Communication in Detail
Facial expressions expresses a person's emotional state. It communicates to other driviers your mood, for example, a smile indicates to other drivers you are in a happy mood, a frown or a blank expression may communicate to drivers that you are not friendly and/or irritated. Another form of facial expression, is stares. According to Kristin stares communicate to other drivers that they have done something wrong to you. Kristin said that she uses that form of communication (stares) a lot when she drives.
A Synopsis of Andrew Shapiro's Report on The Effectiveness of Gestural Communications