Turn signals. They come standard on every vehicle, yet so many drivers seem oblivious to their existence. Still others are so hung up on using a turn signal that they overuse the mechanism. The use (or lack thereof) of that special blinking indicator is the cause for many on-road stresses, and honestly 95 percent of my complaints stem from matters of the turn signal. The following is dedicated to those who find catharsis in sarcastically yelling, “Nice signal, you ass!” on highways and main roads alike.
Just flat out lack of use
When I am driving on a three-to-six land interstate, and attempting to merge into the next lane over, how in the world am I supposed to know you want to merge into the same spot at the same time if you refuse to use some sort of signal to alert me of your intentions? If only there was some flashing yellow light you could use to clarify both intention and direction?
Overuse
I am all for using a turn signal, but if you are driving through am airport parking lot and the only thing you can do is make a left turn down the next row of cars, there is no need to signal that action. It’s like chess, I see that there is only one move for you to make in this situation, and signaling me of your intentions is, quite honestly, an insult to my intelligence.
Leaving your turn signal on after you have merged
For the love of all things holy just turn off your signal. If I have been watching your signal blinking relentlessly for the last six miles and still haven’t merged or turned off the signal, we have an issue.
Improper use of hazard lights
I didn’t even know I had an issue with this until I took a recent trip to New England. On my way to the airport for my flight home, I ran into a traffic jam. Instead of just hitting the brakes and slowing to a stop, some people were hitting the brakes and then putting on their hazard lights. It is completely unnecessary for you to put on your hazards when you have brake lights on your car that are already in full use. If no one paid attention enough to see your brake lights, they probably aren’t paying enough attention to see your hazards either.
Few things amp up a driver’s anxiety more than when another driver misuses or neglects to use a turn signal. Those wonderful flashing yellow lights are automotive science’s gift to the world, and the neglect and misuse of such a glorious gift is downright sacrilegious.
