Why You Should Use Your Directionals

This week's subject was going to be about the hazards of driving, but while listing the multitude of problems we encounter during our time spent on the road, one point became painfully obvious: most drivers seem to feel that they're the only (or at least the most important) person on the road. At no time is this more apparent than when you have someone in front of you driving along normally, then start slowing down, slowing... slowing... then a quick turn off the road - all without signaling they were making a turn of any sort! They might as well be stopping without brake lights! I have no idea of what this person is doing or going to do and they can't take a second to let other drivers know? Are they too busy? Nothing angers me more and it's at those times that I understand road rage in all it's explosive glory. I feel as if I could strangle these people were I only to get my hands around their self-important necks.

To me, using your directional is (and for everyone, should be) as natural a reaction to wanting to turn as stepping on the brake when wanting to stop. I don't even have to think about it - it just happens. It would be not only inconsiderate and thoughtless of me not to use my turn signal, but extremely dangerous as well. How often have you yourself been wondering what this idiot in front of you was doing, only to realize after they've turned that they were taking a right. Or even worse, a left. When I'm behind one of these inconsiderate fools, I feel as if they're so important they can't be bothered to let us "common-folk" know what their intentions are - we'll all just have to wait and see. Besides, when you're that important who has the time to flip a switch?

But Ash, you say, sometimes people forget. But reader, I answer, do they also forget to depress the brake pedal when they want to stop their car? Do they forget their headlights when it gets dark? Do they forget to change the station when a lousy song comes on? Signaling should be an innate part of driving, something you never have to give a thought to. "I'm turning left," the directional is ON. It's not like you even have to remember to turn it off most of the time - the manufacturer took care of that for us. They know people are forgetful so it's built right in. Granted, sometimes the turn you take isn't enough to trip the mechanism and the indicator stays on. This I can forgive. It doesn't take long to realize that the person in front of you whose left directional has been on for the past mile simply forgot to flip it back. It's not an innate part of the driving experience and it happens to everyone, myself included, but what do we think of those people when we see them? "Idiot." It doesn't anger me to see this, but it does take some inner strength to not pull up beside them and say, "Hey, Idiot! Turn off your damned blinker!" I think what stops me is the realization that someday someone would pull up beside me yelling, "Hey, Idiot..."

I know we're not perfect drivers - not even me, just ask my wife. But I use my brake when I want to stop, I turn on my headlights when it gets dark and I use my directionals when I want to turn. It's not that hard. It's a habitual, subconscious action that I don't even give any thought to until I see someone on the road so wrapped up in their own head they can't be troubled to let us know what their intentions are. Be it in a little Volkswagen Golf or a monster Hummer, you must indicate your turn or you WILL be involved in an accident of your own creation. To those of us who do signal properly, let those who don't signal properly know our displeasure by giving them a honk. And maybe a finger. To those of you who don't signal, you're probably to busy to notice the rest of us anyway. But we're out here. And we hate you.