Menace to Society

I've finally gotten the courage to admit it: I'm a menace to society. I've been told that in so many words by family members and friends alike. I've got to improve my act, become a better human being, stop my slacking. Why?

I don't use my car's turn signal.

Well, at least not much. I mean what's the point? Say I'm driving down I-95 and I need to switch lanes. Of course I don't switch to the new lane right in front of a car. That would be dangerous. I wait until I can see the car clearly and fully in my rearview mirror before changing lanes. But by that time, I'm way ahead of the guy and he's not going to adjust what he's doing no matter what I do. So I don't signal.

Or say I'm sitting at a traffic light waiting to turn left. Around here nearly all our traffic lights have left-turn lanes. See that's the lane you get in when you want to turn left. Hence the name. But for me, the signal to other drivers that I'm about to turn left is the fact that I'm in the left turn lane. So, again, I don't signal.

Or say I'm driving down my short, little street. At the end of the street is a stop sign. Turn left and 100 ft. later I'm at a dead end. Turn right and I pick up the main street. Why bother to signal? No one would seriously think I'd drive to the end of that cul-de-sac from my house. It would be quicker to walk. Anyone behind me - and that almost never happens - would be foolish to think I'd be doing anything but turning right. So I don't signal.

I also don't use my turn signal if I'm making a turn and there is no one approaching or reasonably close behind me. What for? Who am I signaling to? If a man signals in the wilderness and there's no one there to see it...

While I do use my turn indicator if by my actions someone would be caught unaware, must brake, or alter their course. But from the comments I receive, particularly from my older son, you'd think I'm this close to being the mad rapist of Hamburg by not using my turn signal.

I should just move to Rhode Island. Turn signals are prohibited by law.
K-