Signals: Use Them, I’m not a Mind Reader

Signal: anything that serves to indicate, warn, direct, command, or the like, as a light, a gesture, an act, etc.*

As in, say, a blinker.

This is a really big deal to me because, it would appear, blinkers have become optional. Are they actually optional? Depends on your state.

Here’s the thing.

I am capable of many things, but reading YOUR mind isn’t one of them. I don’t even know you! Why are you putting on your brakes? Ohhhhhhhhhh….because you’re going to turn.

Do you want me to GUESS where you’re going?

And further, do you think turning on your blinker mid-turn is helpful? Thanks, but I’ve figured it out by then.

Aside from the fact that it is against the law (and unsafe) to turn, change lanes or merge into traffic without signaling in many states, it’s just plain rude.

It’s an easy, yet fundamental, rule of the road. It requires a mere flick of the wrist.

Word, dude.

I’ve actually gotten pretty good at predicting when someone is going to change lanes sans signal. They tend to move to the edge of the lane they’re in, closest to the one they’re going to move to. Seriously, watch for it. You’ll see what I mean.

The chances of getting ticketed for failing to signal are slim to none. So, few bother. Sadly, there just aren’t enough highway patrollers to handle all the bad stuff drivers are doing.

So, could you just do it out of plain old courtesy?