Turn It Around

The word turn is on my mind. Turn up the music, turn the page, turn the other cheek, turning 40; it feels as if the word turn is present wherever I look. A turn signal, or lack thereof, took center stage on my drive to work today.

As I was driving my children to school I must admit I became quite annoyed at a driver who was not using her turn signal, a common problem throughout the streets of Evansville.  

The woman pulls into the intersection.  It is still not clear whether she will be traveling straight or turning.  She quickly jerks her car to the left, choosing to turn in front of a passing car who narrowly missed striking her vehicle.  

Which of course led to blaring horns and a few choice gestures I was privy to observe from the offended driver.

Turn signals may be the simplest tools in our cars to operate.  To most drivers, it seems pretty simple:  push a lever up or down, causing your turn signals to flash.  Proceed with the turn.  The signal turns off when the wheel is returned to the center position.

Yet despite the simplicity, turn signals may be the most underutilized device on a car.  As a driver, signaling is one of the most important actions you can take, warning other drivers of your impending moves to minimize hazardous surprises.  Failing to signal may ultimately harm others through accidents and incite road rage in others.

I am highly sensitive to this practice.  Once the victim of an accident where a driver did not properly use a turn signal, I am vigilant to show caution when others may be turning.  I do not take for granted that they are appropriately declaring their next turn and need to be defensive.

With further reflection, this may be a pet peeve of mine beyond driving.  When others do not use “turn signals” to let me know their paths are changing, it causes miscommunication and accidents. As in all situations, human beings are not mind-readers.  

It feels selfish, the act of not communicating a turn when it is socially accepted and lawful to do so.  The message is that one is above rules.  The message is that one cannot be bothered to think of others and put their safety and well-being first.

But then, I think of all the possible reasons someone may not in that moment use a turn signal.  And reflect on all the times when I have failed to do so.  

“in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done

and in what I have failed to do,”

And realize I have been, in many situations, the one to not use her turn signal.

Ironically, later in the day, I noticed an interesting bumper sticker while stuck in traffic on highway 41.  It read:

Jesus would have used his turn signal.