The Mercedes + No Turn Signal = Asshatery
There are two simple rules I follow in life:
- Never taunt a guy with skin rolls on the back of his neck
- If you don’t use a turn signal on the highway, don’t expect me to let you in
I’m amazed at how difficult some people find it to move their finger one inch to activate a turn signal. And I find it even more amazing that these same people get upset when others don’t bend over backwards to let them change lanes when they fail to indicate a change in direction.
A turn signal is used to safely indicate a lane change and/or to warn others that your forward momentum will be coming to a halt in the immediate future. Turn signals help traffic run smoothly and helps people avoid accidents. If you give me a turn signal I’ll go out of my way to let you slide into my lane. If you don’t signal then don’t get upset because I’m acing you out of what I can only assume is the space you believe your entitled to.
Prime example of this in action was last Friday night. I’m in the exiting lane of a freeway and was coming up on a mercedes ahead of me in the left hand lane that was traveling slower than the surrounding traffic. No turn signal. No nuthin’. I pass him, and as I’m doing so he honks his horn and quickly pulls in behind me. In my rearview I can see his silhouetted form flipping me off.
I’m no mind reader. How could I have known that he wanted to change lanes in front of me? I fail to understand the logic of these people. I know we all occasionally do stupid things while zoning out during a long drive, but please understand that driving is not a spectator sport, and it’s not a game of chess. Little things like failing to use a turn indicator provides a tiny little window to your psyche, letting us see first hand how you tend to treat others privately and professionally. If you have so little respect for your fellow motorists, why should we respect you?
