Monday, January 2, 2012

Things that piss me off:
People who won't use their turn signals

You either know what I'm talking about, or you're one of them.

Doing the right thing is not hard. You're in the right lane and heading toward the road where you're going to turn right. Before you get to the point at which you have to turn, you first hit your turn signal to warn those behind you of your impending action. Or, you're in the middle lane and want to change to the left lane, so you again hit that signal well before you change lands. And so on.

If you're a good driver, before you take any such action, you engage that signal.

As near as I can tell, despite how easy this is, most people today have never learned to use their directional signals.

I have to admit that using them can be tricky when you're holding your mobile phone in one hand, your beverage in another, and the wheel between your knees. (Yes, I've done that, and I was wrong when I did.) I'll even grant that turn signals don't matter when you're alone on the road, though keeping in the habit and using them even then is a good idea.

Even people who aren't facing those driving challenges, however, don't bother with their directional signals these days. It's as if they simply can't be bothered to be aware that our roads are resources that we should all share with care.

They are risking the lives and property of other drivers with their thoughtless actions.

Each and every one of these jerks pisses me off.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree, and although I try to conscious of doing it, I'm not at 100% yet. After my annoyance at the ones who never use the turn signal at all, are the ones who have already applied the brakes before the turn signal. That's not really a courteous warning, just a lame afterthought. But how are they supposed to drive well when everything else matters more than the safety of others?

hdan said...

Amen, brother, testify! :)

Mark said...

Indeed, the signal should come first.

I also shoudl be clear that I am not at all perfect on this front. We all mess up, but most people seem never to use their signals.

Michelle said...

And then there are those that have it on for block upon block and you aren't sure when they are actually going to use it, if at all, so you crawl behind them. And don't get me started on the ones that switch lanes at the last minute only to make you slam on your brakes because they are turning left right in front of you. Makes me wish I drove a tank.

Griffin said...

I really adore the folks that signal _AS_ they make the maneuver. Stellar folks, them.

I don't know why people don't do as I was taught:

Look, signal, look, move.

Griffin said...

Oh, and I wore out the contact on the signal on my motorbike within 5000 miles.

Mark said...

Yeah, Griffin, that doesn't seem very hard--but most folks don't know how to do it.

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