People who drive have largely given up on using their indicators
and it’s driving me mad.
On every street in every city there's a nobody who won't tell us about their next manoeuvre.
I’ve learned to enunciate my swear words very clearly so
that these drivers can clearly lip read my displeasure as they swing across in front
of me without any prior hint of their intentions. For sure, they know a lot
more about my emotional state then I know about where they intend to go next.
Even worse than the hoards of cretins who never use their
indicators are those who switch on their flashing light when they are already
half-way around the corner. What earthly use is that to anyone? I’ve already
had to stomp on my brakes to avoid you. What’s the point of telling my you’re
going to turn after you’ve already gone and done it?
It’s always been a thing but now it’s become more and more
and more and more. People are buzzing all over the gaff and not giving a
solitary damn about who might benefit from knowing about it.
Neither does this ill
behaviour break down usefully in terms age or wealth or gender or anything else
easy like that. Old and young, male and female, rich and poor, all are making
their right hand turns with no regard for anyone but themselves.
Ironically enough, it’s indicative of something, this lack
of indication.
We have all become increasingly self-interested and inward
looking. If it doesn’t directly help us, we don’t bother doing it.
Occasionally, we are guilted into some communal action by the news or by some little
girl on the news. Then we flick those metaphorical flashers for a moment and
feel great about how thoughtful and community-driven we all are.
Bollocks.
The unused indicator is all the indication we need. We have
become a world of crude metaphorical cartoon ostriches, our heads either up our
own asses or up the ass of the ostrich in front of us. We rarely think of
anybody else and if we do, it’s invariably too late when it finally occurs.
The use of the indicator on your car is an outward-thinking gesture.
It shows some awareness of the people who share the world around you, who are
only trying to make their way safely home.
The use of the indicator doesn’t mean you have to stop and
bring these people home and feed them and show them something on Netflix. None
of that. It just means you care a little that they get there safely. That you
are willing to do a tiny bit to make their existence a little more navigable, a
little more bearable.
The use of your indicator shows that you still care a tiny
bit about somebody or something other than your own ridiculous self.
So put your indicator on.
You prick.