one of my pet peeves when it comes to driving is the lack of use of the turn signal by other drivers. turn signals should be viewed as communication devices. when you use the signals, you are communicating to the rest of the world what your intentions are. this gives others the ability to make good decisions. think about it: have you ever been cut off by someone who pulls in front of you without using turn signals? remember slamming on the brakes to keep from crunching your ride into his?

consider this excerpt from the tennessee driver’s study guide, page 30:

You should always use turn signals before:

• Changing lanes or making any movement of your vehicle to the right or left;
• Turning at an intersection or into a driveway, alley or parking lot;
• Entering or exiting the interstate or other controlled access roadway;
• Pulling away from a parked position along the curb;
• Pulling over to the curb or roadside;
• Slowing down or stop your vehicle suddenly.

changing lanes? of course, changing lanes. even if there is a dotted line? uh, yeah! even. here is my thought: if you want to get over, don’t expect me to read your mind. i can, however, read a turn signal. if i don’t see a signal, you want to stay where you are. am i crazy? apparently not. more from the book, same page:

Before making any turn, whether the turn is into another roadway, a parking lot, another traffic lane, or leaving a parked position, it is extremely important that you signal. Unless you signal, other drivers expect you to keep traveling the path of the roadway, using the lane in which your vehicle is positioned. Your signal lets other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians know your intentions to make a change in your vehicle’s path of travel and gives them time to react. However, signaling does NOT give you the right-of-way.

my sister once made a big deal about the last sentence in the above quote. i was not aware that it was actually in the book. signaling does not give you the right of way. driving defensively is what you will find early in the driver’s study guide. and before you give me the line “the best offense is a good defense,” let me again remind you: what do you want/expect from other drivers? how about this guide instead: “do to other as you would want them to do to you.”

the book points out also that one of the five most common faults when making turns is “not signaling long enough.” how much notice would you want? half a second? longer? how much time?

think, people!

Tags: rules // 2 Comments »