#107 Turn Signals

I do a lot of driving, mainly due to my proximity to the places I frequent. Therefore, I suppose it's only natural that most of my frustrations and annoyances come from something I do a lot (second probably to working).

In this country, most people begin learning how to drive in their mid-teens. However, we are all exposed to vehicles our entire lives. We are placed in cars from the moment we come home from the hospital after being born, so we should be observing and picking up on how to operate them properly from a very early age... right? Properly was the operative word in that last question.

I guess it just comes down to laziness, but people simply don't use their turn signals anymore. A lot of people actually do, but there are just not enough of them on the road. It seems hard to believe sometimes, but every vehicle on the road is equipped with them - you would never know this by observing all of the drivers who don't even acknowledge their existence. In fact, according to Wikipedia, turn signals have been around since as early as 1907. That's right, turn signals have been around for over a century and people STILL haven't figured out how to use them.

Everyone (including myself) is in such a hurry these days, if more people used their turn signals we would quite possibly reduce the amount of frustration AND traffic accidents on the road. Knowing where someone is headed (the purpose of a turn signal) can help everyone move their vehicle with greater confidence and everyone can maintain higher speeds or get to where they're going faster.

I can't tell you the countless times I pull into the same intersection wanting to turn left, when the person headed toward the instersection doesn't pass me but turns before the intersection coming from either direction. Had they used their turn signal, I could have pulled out already instead of waiting for them to not even pass in front of me.