It's time for a mild rant which is something in which I rarely indulge myself. When was it, exactly, that drivers stopped using their turn signals? When did it become too difficult or too much of a chore to flick a lever to indicate which direction their car was about to turn? Did I miss a nationwide mass implantation of nifty new psychic microchips that alert us automatically as to which way a driver plans to go? Does anyone else wonder about this?
These are rhetorical questions, of course; except for the last. Over the past several months I've noticed that more and more drivers have all but stopped using their turn signals. It's maddening, rude and more importantly, dangerous. One would think that these people have to actually roll down their window and use hand signals.
I'd also like to know why on earth folks are so reluctant to turn their headlights on when traveling during early morning hours when it's dark, foggy or rainy or all three? I leave for work early every day and I am amazed--and annoyed--by the number of cars with no lights on whatsoever. It's important to have them on so that other drivers can see them. They're necessary to make one's car more visable. What do people think they're saving by not using their cars' headlights? What they need to think about is saving lives from a potential accident by turning those headlights on! It also astounds me how many drivers think it's perfectly legal to drive with only parking lights on. It isn't.
If anyone recognizes themselves here, I hope I've given them a little food for thought. If anyone can shed some light on why signalling and using common sense when driving in the dark have disappeared, please do so. Shine some light on something! Just call me amazed, annoyed and astounded.
3 comments:
These are the very reasons that helped me give up my car. I had enough of driving like a nervous wreck.
Angela
It's my opinion that 90% of the people who drive believe they are the only ones on the road. They don't have any concept whatsoever that what THEY do affects everyone on the road around them. They just get behind the wheel and drive. Lisa :-]
I don't have as much of a problem with non blinkers as I do tailgaters. I had to take a driving class as part of my job called SMITH system driving and it was very informative. Did you know that you should always be at least three seconds behind the car in front of you? How do you tell? Wait for the car in front to pass a shadow, or a sign etc...from there count 1,2,3 in a normal count. Did it take you until you complete the "three" to reach that same point??? If not slow up a bit. Also you should watch 15-20 seconds ahead of you, it helps. Now of corse once you have your nice 3 sec. gap a car will try to fill it and I assure you a car will be behind you trying to be towed as well, but such is life! I have come to a level of zen driving that really helps. One I listen to good music, two when an ass driver cuts me off or passes me ( to get only one spot a head to realize MY GOD there is traffic!!), I give them the "way to Go" thumbs up rather than flipping them off...my mother fears I will be shot for this but it ammuses me to no end, and last I have realiezed that we should stop faulting the elderly for thier bad driving. Now of corse I feel that we need to retest these people and not just renew the licence (used to work at an alzhiemers facility...guess how many of them could legally drive...didn't matter that they didn't know what a car was anymore or thier own name!) but I have decided that they are oblivious to all other drivers and travel in any lane they want at varrying speeds as they might die before they get to where they are trying to go! Keep this in mind and it helps :) Have a nice day and please stay 3 second off my bumper....or else I'll make rude comments about you!!!
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