DANGEROUS HIGHWAY ETIQUETTE
WRECK-LESS DRIVING ©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist
DANGEROUS HIGHWAY ETIQUETTE
TIPTONVILLE, TN: Driving south on TN state route 78 there were 7 autos ahead of Wilma Dean. As she approached the left turn into the Reelfoot Lake State Inn all 7 began blinking the left turn signal. Wilma Dean thought it strange that so many vehicles were making that turn. The first auto turned and the others canceled the left blinker and went straight ahead.
At first one might think that this quaint local custom of signaling what the vehicle ahead intends to do is very nice. But on second thought it is also very dangerous. Drivers coming from the opposite direction would believe that all these autos intend to turn in front of them and would begin evasive action. If they knew that only the first car will turn in front of them they would have a different mindset about their speed than when anticipating that all will turn. The latter possibility would cause these on-coming vehicles to use much more braking force and might result in some rear-end crashes.
This may sound far fetched to you but it has happened. There is no need to signal the intentions of the vehicle ahead of you. In fact, in some states, including TN, it is unlawful to do so. Another danger is that the vehicle ahead fails to signal its intention to turn or change lanes. That, too, is unlawful.
GHD73 all rights reserved wellnessebooks.com/ebookstore.asp
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist
DANGEROUS HIGHWAY ETIQUETTE
TIPTONVILLE, TN: Driving south on TN state route 78 there were 7 autos ahead of Wilma Dean. As she approached the left turn into the Reelfoot Lake State Inn all 7 began blinking the left turn signal. Wilma Dean thought it strange that so many vehicles were making that turn. The first auto turned and the others canceled the left blinker and went straight ahead.
At first one might think that this quaint local custom of signaling what the vehicle ahead intends to do is very nice. But on second thought it is also very dangerous. Drivers coming from the opposite direction would believe that all these autos intend to turn in front of them and would begin evasive action. If they knew that only the first car will turn in front of them they would have a different mindset about their speed than when anticipating that all will turn. The latter possibility would cause these on-coming vehicles to use much more braking force and might result in some rear-end crashes.
This may sound far fetched to you but it has happened. There is no need to signal the intentions of the vehicle ahead of you. In fact, in some states, including TN, it is unlawful to do so. Another danger is that the vehicle ahead fails to signal its intention to turn or change lanes. That, too, is unlawful.
GHD73 all rights reserved wellnessebooks.com/ebookstore.asp
posted by WRECK-LESS at Saturday, June 25, 2005
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