A Runt’s Rant: Indicate, ye Gods!

So I was off to work today and I was once again stuck at this dreaded four- way junction on Archers Road and Hill Lane in Southampton.

As I was standing there, minding my own business and listening to my daily commute (yes, I do walk to work) podcasts, waiting for the green light to flash, I saw a long line of cars waiting to turn right.

I further noticed that they were not indicating; not one of them. It would seem that they just assumed that people would be fully aware of their intention to turn right.

Suddenly, however, about five of those cars decided to turn left instead of right.

And, I mean, why wouldn’t they? It wasn’t like they had INDICATED to turn.

They could, therefore, do whatever they wanted to.

Now, I am not a driver but I could not help thinking to myself:

Thank God people are psychic and know exactly what those around them think- anytime, anywhere.

Except they’re not.

Prior to ranting on at full throttle, I would also like to mention that the other day I was trying to cross a three way junction and a stunning lady in a not- so- stunning Ford Ka decided that it was a brilliant idea to wink at me, using her indicators.

First, she indicated to turn right, then she indicated to turn left and, finally, deciding that turning was not her ‘thing’, she sped off straight on.

Why, oh why, is it so hard for people to indicate?

I mean, surely, their job, for instance, involves day- to- day activities that are way more complicated than indicating.

Think about it for a second: you adhere to those activities and see to them on a daily basis so that you can keep your JOB.

Why would you then not indicate? If you don’t, chances are that you might cause a road- traffic accident and:

• hurt yourself, which would mean that you might lose your job
• hurt someone else and be subject to a personal injury claim
• deal with the police and risk being charged with careless driving which might cost you your job

From a purely logical point of view, then, it is quite ludicrous and idiotic not to indicate.

Several counter- arguments might be presented:

• No- one else does it!

Wow, that would be a great defence when charged, would it not?

• I was in a hurry!

As we say back home: ‘In a hurry for where, the Underworld?’

• Time is money and I saved some.

Congratulations, you saved 4.5 seconds, a new world record, NOT.

• Big deal; nothing happened, right?

Yes? And what if it did?

To conclude, I would urge you all to indicate when you turn because road traffic accidents are the number one cause of deaths on the planet; a significant part of them occur because someone has decided to shave off a couple of seconds by not indicating properly.

Also, people who do not indicate tick me off; do not tick me off.