Turn Signals

So the more I drive, the more driver behavior confounds me. For example, what is people's aversion to using their turn signal. The whole point of the turn signal is to communicate with other drivers. Sure there are some jerks out there that will deliberately make life difficult, probably because they are overly concerned with other's perception of the dimensions of various bits of their anatomy. I actually think those people are, if not rare, at least a minority. Most people are more oblivious if not actually helpful.

However, this "defensive" driving technique of deliberately making it difficulty for other drivers to read one's intentions leads to some pretty hair raising  driving. I'm not perfect, but if I notice that someone has their signal on, (and they didn't pull some sort of jerk-move like whipping around a line of cars on the shoulder to jump the queue) I let them in if it is at all convenient to do so.

I had one woman today going absolutely ballistic behind her wheel at me because she wanted to make a left turn from a side road onto a busy road across my lane and she thought I cut her off. Given the level of back up I probably would have let her out in front of me if I had any clue that was what she was up to. But no signal. So she had a clear right turn (two lanes you see)  and was at her little intersection a long time.  I had left a small gap in front expecting she might signal left but when  the traffic in front of me moved, I moved. Crazy logic there. This lady really blew up, I don't if it possible to sarcastically put on a left turn signal, but if it's possible, she did it while staring me down. (Good luck lady, your brand of crazy isn't very impressive)

Just crazy.

I had someone this morning dive across three lanes of traffic on the highway - no signal.
Someone else drove half a block down the street on the wrong side to make a left turn...again no signal

ye gods people, not everything is a competition. Not everything has to be right now. Take a chill pill and learn what all those little levers do on your steering column.