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Thursday, December 16, 2004
Driving, pt 1
You JUST know there are going to be more than 1 of these about people driving.
Let's start with the small issues shall we?
signaling.
/rant
That little lever on the left side of the steering wheel (left is the side facing the door for most of you morons) is for signaling to other drivers that you will be turning. It's not for hanging incense or some of those stupid anime characters that don't fit on your dash. It's not for collecting rubber bands or paper clips.
It was specifically designed so that when you approach an intersection and MAY notice (should your attention span actually allow this to trickle home to roost) another vehicle stopped with a little light blinking that you would actually use YOUR signal to indicate to the other driver (me) that it is safe to proceed.
Don't get me wrong, I *love* sitting there waiting for you. It gives me plenty of time to admire your clean vehicle while you putz along at 3/4 of the speed limit. I realize, of course, that just because you're travelling at that speed, that I should wait for you because you may suddenly "floor it" to make up for lost time.
Perhaps you think that you'll wear the freaking thing out if you use it more than once a day (yes, I'm still talking about the turning signal). People: it's a twenty-five cent part. Use the freaking thing a bit and other drivers won't "honk to say hello with one finger" quite as often.
Don't just use it to move into an empty lane. I can't tell you how many people I yell at for signaling to change lanes, realizing that someone is there, and then turn off the signal light. Does this mean that they don't want to change lanes any more? Or do they just want to signal to an empty lane that they're moving in? What??? Leave the damn thing on. I'll make room for you if I see you signaling. It's the people who signal than turn it off 'cause they see someone there (shoulder checking. That's another future topic) that make me want to block them in.
Maybe I should directed this rant at "attention spans", but that would open the door for another rant about cell phones (best left for another day).
/rant off
sigh.
Now. Where did that small globe that hangs from that little arm thingie on the left side of the steering column drop to? It's got all my rubber bands wrapped around it and I need one to shoot at another driver.
Let's start with the small issues shall we?
signaling.
/rant
That little lever on the left side of the steering wheel (left is the side facing the door for most of you morons) is for signaling to other drivers that you will be turning. It's not for hanging incense or some of those stupid anime characters that don't fit on your dash. It's not for collecting rubber bands or paper clips.
It was specifically designed so that when you approach an intersection and MAY notice (should your attention span actually allow this to trickle home to roost) another vehicle stopped with a little light blinking that you would actually use YOUR signal to indicate to the other driver (me) that it is safe to proceed.
Don't get me wrong, I *love* sitting there waiting for you. It gives me plenty of time to admire your clean vehicle while you putz along at 3/4 of the speed limit. I realize, of course, that just because you're travelling at that speed, that I should wait for you because you may suddenly "floor it" to make up for lost time.
Perhaps you think that you'll wear the freaking thing out if you use it more than once a day (yes, I'm still talking about the turning signal). People: it's a twenty-five cent part. Use the freaking thing a bit and other drivers won't "honk to say hello with one finger" quite as often.
Don't just use it to move into an empty lane. I can't tell you how many people I yell at for signaling to change lanes, realizing that someone is there, and then turn off the signal light. Does this mean that they don't want to change lanes any more? Or do they just want to signal to an empty lane that they're moving in? What??? Leave the damn thing on. I'll make room for you if I see you signaling. It's the people who signal than turn it off 'cause they see someone there (shoulder checking. That's another future topic) that make me want to block them in.
Maybe I should directed this rant at "attention spans", but that would open the door for another rant about cell phones (best left for another day).
/rant off
sigh.
Now. Where did that small globe that hangs from that little arm thingie on the left side of the steering column drop to? It's got all my rubber bands wrapped around it and I need one to shoot at another driver.
