Use your Turn Signals

Turn signals.  Why not?

Here I sit at the stop sign waiting for you to go past so I can go.  Oh, you are turning.  I could have gone.  Why didn’t I go? You did not have your turn signal on, so I had to waste my time and that of those behind me.  Oh it wasn’t so much time, true but you know how patient people are when they are driving.  How could this have been avoided?  Oh you could have put your turn signal on at a reasonable time.  Then I would have used that information to make a reasonable decision.

I am a consummate user of turn signals.  I use them at my driveway, why not?  I use them if I am alone in the middle of the world in the middle of the night.  There is never a reason not to.

Turn signals are not for your benefit.  They are always for the benefit of other drivers.  Perhaps people who do not use their turn signals should not be allowed to use the information others turn signals give them.  They have to sit there and think, oh I could have gone. Oh that would have been easier if I knew he was going to turn.

I use my signal when I want to change lanes in traffic.  People often adjust their driving for me so I can make the lane change.  Very nice.  I also know who is not about to let me in.  Someone I drive with a lot won’t put his turn signal on until he has found his spot, i.e. pretty much made the lane change; he gets let in less and annoys the drivers behind him who don’t know what he is doing.

Ok there are a couple times putting on your turn signal will make me crazy.  If you are in the turn lane and have been in the turn lane for a minute or so there is no point in putting your turn signal on as you turn the corner.  Actually there is never any point in turning on the turn signal as you turn the corner.  I can tell you are turning without the signal when your car is moving around a corner!  If you are turning on the turn signal as your hand goes by while you are turning the steering, don’t bother!!!!!!!  It is too late, too late to be any use to anyone.  And remember turn signals are not about you they are about information to others, information that helps traffic go smoother.

The point of turn signals is so that other drivers can tell what you are going to do and make their decisions appropriately.  Two people stopped at stop signs facing each other can both turn left at the same time without interfering with each other in any way.  If they both have their turn signals on, easy peasy, smooth and graceful.  No turn signals, they wait for the other, aim into the intersection wrong, get annoyed or bump.  No reason, a simple tick, tick, tick would avoid it all.  So, left turn signal makes it all better.

Now maybe you think no one needs to know if you are turning right.  Wrong.  Someone is sitting at the stop sign waiting to turn on or such.  Your right turn signal lets then know they have time to go.  They are not crossing your path anyhow it doesn’t hurt you if you tell them they have time to go.  Oh no one is there – use the turn signal anyhow.  Make it a habit, for every turn use a signal.

Why not use a turn signal?  Do you think the light bulb will burn out?  (It actually happens very seldom and is more often because of other issues.)  Do you think you will look stupid using a signal when no one is watching?  Well, no one is watching.  Does the ticking annoy you? Get over it.

So to end my rant, use your turn signals, use your turn signals, use your turn signals.