Why don't many people use their turn signals anymore??
One time I was in the left turn lane at a red light at the intersection of Northfield and Gregory, facing uphill after getting off 280. I see a woman pull up next to me in the center lane texting while waiting for the light to change. Her car starts rolling backwards. A car pulls up a close distance behind her not realizing she's backsliding. When she got within a foot of them I lite-honked to break her reverie and spare the innocent. The look of consternation I was rewarded for invading her space-out with was priceless.
Quick quiz here. There are three things you should do. Put them in the proper order.
A. Make your move
B. Look
C. Put turn signal on
Please put them in order using the numbers 1, 2, and 3. A great many people will get this wrong.
I'm holding my phone in my left hand, I'd hate to interrupt my call just to flip the turn signal. That would be so rude to the person on the other end of the line who has no idea why stopped yapping incessantly.
Tom_Reingold said:Quick quiz here. There are three things you should do. Put them in the proper order.
A. Make your move
B. Look
C. Put turn signal on
Please put them in order using the numbers 1, 2, and 3. A great many people will get this wrong.
Uh, Tom. You've offered options A, B or C, and asked people to choose 1, 2 or 3.
Tom_Reingold said:
Kinda like giving you a square-peg-round-hole puzzle.
That's what chisels are for.
This! Why do people do this? Drives me BSC!!!
hk45 said:
In addition to all of the above - I also hate when drivers have no clue as to who has the right of way - I've been behind drivers who are on a main street with the right of way and will stop at almost every intersection and let those cars with a stop sign go (and no, there is usually not much traffic on the main road that would keep the cars at the stop sign waiting long).
conandrob240 said:
Lack of turn signals is definitely a "Jersey thing".
That's only because a majority of NJ drivers aren't originally from NJ.
maresleg said:
conandrob240 said:
Lack of turn signals is definitely a "Jersey thing".
That's only because a majority of NJ drivers aren't originally from NJ.
Lack of turn signals is pretty much all over.
Some of the other stuff (notably those "Jersey Lefts" as I described them) are more unique. (Jug handles are somewhere in the middle.)
Sounds like your drivers would be right at home on the Gold Coast once they get used to driving on our side of the road.
And they can still park like 'tools' here too! Sigh.
I was almost hit today by two separate people who were texting,
-while pushing their shopping carts down the aisles in Home Depot.
It's a disease.
Surya said:
@Tom, C, B, A
That's what I would expect most people to say, but no, it's better to put your turn signal on before you look. That way, by the time you look, your signal has been running for a second or two, giving others advance warning of your intention.
Tom_Reingold said:
ctrzaska said:
That's what they said.Nope.
To be clear, best to:
1. signal
2. look
3. move
Unless I'm looking at it wrong that's what they did say. C,B,A, now your numbering 1,2,3. next time say X,Y,Z.
1. Employ correct turn signal.
2. Look at oncoming traffic, then left and right
3. Make your move.
Technically, you should look first to see if the turn is lawful.
Here's another test most in NJ would flunk
True or false:
1. Even though it's dark, I don't need to turn my lights on. All the other cars and streetlights are sufficient.
2. I should always park 3 feet from the curb.
3. My roaring, monstrous SUV is legally entitled to two parking spaces.
4. Most NJ drivers are morons.
5. Texting while driving enables me to stay connected. It's antisocial if I don't respond to texts right away.
6. My powerful, honking SUV entitles me to special privileges. Little people in their silly sedans should stay out of my way. I could hurt them if I decide to ram them.
7. Speeding to Whole Foods to get some organic chanterelles is lawful.
8. If the community pool doesn't offer lobster rolls this year, I am going to cancel my membership.
9. I heard they weren't planning to chill the condiments at the pool this year. What were they thinking? My children Winston (4) and Muffy (2) will only eat chilled, organic ketchup.
10. If there's no valet parking at the pool this year, I'm not going. A#%holes.
ligeti said:
Here's another test most in NJ would flunk
True or false:
1. Even though it's dark, I don't need to turn my lights on. All the other cars and streetlights are sufficient.
2. I should always park 3 feet from the curb.
3. My roaring, monstrous SUV is legally entitled to two parking spaces.
4. Most NJ drivers are morons.
Skip the NJ in number 4. If you think people drive well elsewhere I've got a bridge to sell you, after the traffic clears.
Only the last line is mine. I was quoting the rest
NJ drivers are definitely worse than average but there are bad drivers everywhere.
We call it the blinky stick - my spouse has a hard time remembering to use it, despite being ticketed for not using it. That the police do not use it - appalling
sac said:
NJ drivers are definitely worse than average but there are bad drivers everywhere.
I don't think NJ drivers are worse than other places. NJ roads are worse, which makes NJ drivers seem worse. But turn signals are apparently optional across the country. Brights are the new headlights (or no lights at all), and in most parts of the country, people's heads explode when they come to an all-way stop and there are other cars around.
NJ drivers just seem worse because you see a lot more of them.
The roads are horrible, the signage is worse. There's no space, and too many cars occupying it.
As for the "Jersey Left," I've noticed another kind of Jersey Left. That's when drivers turning left feel the need to allow 10 car lengths for every 10 MPH of speed. You might be stacked up 20 deep, but the cars ahead of you will move through in ultra-slow motion leaving huge gaps between them.
You might think, "well they're afraid other Jersey drivers will cut them off coming the other way." But it's actually just as bad at "T" intersections. Case in point, turning left from Wyoming onto South Orange Ave.
Devil's Advocate:
I can see some sense for making the left turn first at a stoplight. New Jersey is a very densely populated state and the roads reflect this problem. If a person wanting to make a left at the red light were to wait for oncoming traffic to pass, it might not be possible to make the turn at all, plus he will be holding up the parade of cars behind him. Thus as a matter of efficiency, and courtesy to the people behind him, the Jersey left was born. I personally do not get ticked off when someone makes this turn in front of me, I understand. Oh yes, it is most likely illegal also, but it seems to be as accepted as much as passing on the right has become on the highway.
Remember, I am playing Devil's Advocate, so don't pile on too high.
The New Guernsey Left, where I'm waiting to make a left turn and the impatient driver BEHIND me decides to cut around me and make a left before I get a chance to go is my biggest pet peeve.
What about the drivers who persist in going through after the light has changed, taking up your often-too-short allowance especially if you're trying to turn? And especially when when there's not enough room anyway, so they land up having to queue, forming long lines that block intersections and roundabouts, which are meant to be kept clear???!!! (And would be otherwise be OK for traffic moving in another direction but they've made that entire intersection useless for twice as long)
It's like people have posted often over the years: other drivers frequently can't think or refuse to think more than one vehicle ahead. Must be lousy chess players.
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I couldn't believe the guy next to us on the GSP a year or so ago - traffic was moving at the usual 75-80 mph and this man had the newspaper spread out in front of him, over his steering wheel, and he was reading it as he drove. I was so hoping he'd get pulled over for that one. How can people think it's OK to do this???