Turn Signals

I see it every….day. Every….day…someone in front of me doesn’t use their turn signals. I have a real displeasure towards people that don’t use their signals. There are several varieties of non-users that don’t meet my desired expectations. 

First are those that flat out don’t use them. I don’t get it. Turn signals have been a part of the automobile for 60 years. I can think of no reason for someone to NOT use them. They are either poor drivers or simply feel entitled, too important to stoop to the level of being kind and considerate of others. As a side note, and I have no evidence to prove this, but I’d almost bet when someone does this same thing to the inconsiderate jerks, there is all kinds of horn honking and cursing spewed out at those 'other' idiot drivers. 

Next on my list are those who use their signals only at the last minute…just soon enough that they can say they used them…but not soon enough to be of benefit to the vehicle behind or ahead of them. You know...the guy that needs to come over into your lane in front of you and uses his signal only after his car is already half way into your lane causing you to hit your brakes. Yeah, that guy. He’s also the guy that uses his signal at the last second as he turns at the intersection, just late enough that the guy who was wanting to pull out from that intersection now can’t because the jerk didn’t give him enough notice. 

In my younger years I probably responded to these non-users and delayed users with a flip of the finger. Then I progressed to giving them the 3 finger salute (index, middle, ring finger) and suggest to them that they read between the lines. Now I just shake my head…hoping they’ll see my disgust and feel bad about their actions and repent to never do it again. (I realize the unlikelihood of this, but maybe once in a while someone feels it). 

The final category of turn signal users…is the guy who DOES use his signal...but forgets to turn it off. Unfortunately, I caught myself being 'that guy' this summer. 

Twice a week, I play softball with about 15-20 other senior guys on the northwest side of town. It’s about a 10 mile drive from the field to my house and includes driving through town. Within a mile of the field, there is a slight right turn at one intersection. It’s the kind where the turn isn’t hard enough that it automatically turns the signal off as you spin the steering wheel back to center…so you have to physically turn your signal off. Well one day…I made the turn…and forgot to turn my signal off…and drove through town and almost home before I finally saw my signal was still blinking. I try real hard to NOT be the guys in the first categories, but for this one day, I was the old man who forgot he had his signal on. 

Turn signals. USE THEM! (Just make sure they turn off after you do).  

REMEMBER:

Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others out-weighing your concern for yourself.

Be talkin' to ya.

Dan