The Demise of the Turn Signal
I rarely drive a motor vehicle anymore, but today I happened to do so. Much to my consternation, I noted that the turn signal must have died. I did not realize that what was once a technological achievement has been relegated to the archives of antiquity.
I had seen nothing about this event on CNN. Understanding that it is easy to criticize journalists for a bias or omission, it would seem to me that this particular story would have been deserving of national attention, to include an expensive and worthless congressional hearing on the matter. Had such an outcry occurred, we the ordinary people would have been empowered by our elected representatives, so that they could have acted out the aforementioned hearings and cared even less about receiving their staggering salaries and bribes. We have most assuredly lost a grand opportunity to put even more of our money in the pockets of those who least deserve to have it. I digress - back to the humble and lowly death of the virtually never-used turn signal.
Some years back, I noticed that Cadillac and perhaps others had built in a chime so that errant drivers who had left their turn signals on were alerted to such a condition. Made sense. Who would want to follow a vehicle for miles with the right turn signal perpetually flashing, always wondering whether the driver intended to turn off the signal after the last slow, onerous and hazardous turn? Those concerns may be now dropped into the trash heap.
No one seems to use a turn signal. The lever sticking out of the steering column must now only serve to actuate the windshield wipers and switch to high beam (which is also forgotten that the switch works both ways).
In my youth, I had noticed that Corvettes have no turn signals, at least none that are used - I always wanted a Corvette, have never had one - but knew that if I could ever afford one, then I could forget about turn signals. Often I've thought that perhaps these drivers think their Corvette, being so distinctive and desirable, are so noticed that the turn signals are really not necessary.
This has spread to drivers of other vehicles, I guess, because it appears that I am supposed to be so enamored with the idiot driving a minivan that I should be psychic enough to predict when and where the driver of that vehicle will turn - or not.
Turn signals are an amazing and helpful invention. Remember when people had to stick their arms out the window to signal their intentions? Remember when people actually cared enough to signal their intentions in the first place? No more. That attitude has gone the way of generally having manners and concern for the people around one.
When a person is so focused on his/her world that he/she can arbitrarily ignore all others in the universe, then he/she is basically worthless. Oh, just don't have time to hit a lever to tell other drivers that you are moving a 3,000+ pound vehicle in another direction?
I did note an exception today. Big rig drivers - they always signal. Good for them. Wish I had a Kenworth so that when some car darted in front of me without any signal, I could just hit them.
A lesson from experienced and still alive motorcyclists: forget turn signals from other drivers. Even if the signals are on, they probably do not represent a driver's intent. Look instead at the driver's head movement, the movement of the steering wheel and especially the front tire movement of the other vehicle.
Since no one uses turn signals, why should I have to pay for them when I buy my next vehicle? Perhaps I need a Corvette.
I had seen nothing about this event on CNN. Understanding that it is easy to criticize journalists for a bias or omission, it would seem to me that this particular story would have been deserving of national attention, to include an expensive and worthless congressional hearing on the matter. Had such an outcry occurred, we the ordinary people would have been empowered by our elected representatives, so that they could have acted out the aforementioned hearings and cared even less about receiving their staggering salaries and bribes. We have most assuredly lost a grand opportunity to put even more of our money in the pockets of those who least deserve to have it. I digress - back to the humble and lowly death of the virtually never-used turn signal.
Some years back, I noticed that Cadillac and perhaps others had built in a chime so that errant drivers who had left their turn signals on were alerted to such a condition. Made sense. Who would want to follow a vehicle for miles with the right turn signal perpetually flashing, always wondering whether the driver intended to turn off the signal after the last slow, onerous and hazardous turn? Those concerns may be now dropped into the trash heap.
No one seems to use a turn signal. The lever sticking out of the steering column must now only serve to actuate the windshield wipers and switch to high beam (which is also forgotten that the switch works both ways).
In my youth, I had noticed that Corvettes have no turn signals, at least none that are used - I always wanted a Corvette, have never had one - but knew that if I could ever afford one, then I could forget about turn signals. Often I've thought that perhaps these drivers think their Corvette, being so distinctive and desirable, are so noticed that the turn signals are really not necessary.
This has spread to drivers of other vehicles, I guess, because it appears that I am supposed to be so enamored with the idiot driving a minivan that I should be psychic enough to predict when and where the driver of that vehicle will turn - or not.
Turn signals are an amazing and helpful invention. Remember when people had to stick their arms out the window to signal their intentions? Remember when people actually cared enough to signal their intentions in the first place? No more. That attitude has gone the way of generally having manners and concern for the people around one.
When a person is so focused on his/her world that he/she can arbitrarily ignore all others in the universe, then he/she is basically worthless. Oh, just don't have time to hit a lever to tell other drivers that you are moving a 3,000+ pound vehicle in another direction?
I did note an exception today. Big rig drivers - they always signal. Good for them. Wish I had a Kenworth so that when some car darted in front of me without any signal, I could just hit them.
A lesson from experienced and still alive motorcyclists: forget turn signals from other drivers. Even if the signals are on, they probably do not represent a driver's intent. Look instead at the driver's head movement, the movement of the steering wheel and especially the front tire movement of the other vehicle.
Since no one uses turn signals, why should I have to pay for them when I buy my next vehicle? Perhaps I need a Corvette.
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