I don’t understand people sometimes.

I almost got into an accident this morning because a white car cut RIGHT in front of me on the way to work.

Only extreme luck prevented me and/or someone else from ending up in the hospital and I am very grateful for that.

I was driving 50mph in the right-hand lane when out of nowhere a white car cuts directly in front of me.

And when something unexpected happens when you’re driving that fast, you don’t have a lot of time to think or react.

I could have slammed on my brakes, but I didn’t think that would prevent me from hitting the car – they cut that close in front of me.

The left-hand lane was empty so I moved over, thinking once the white car sped up, I could move back to the right-hand lane.

But apparently the white car’s ultimate intention (I wouldn’t know – they did not ever use a turn signal) was to be in the left-hand lane, so as I moved over to get out of their way, they moved over, too.

At this point I panicked because I was still about to hit them, so I moved into the turning lane.

Meanwhile, there was a bend in the road.

Panicking more, I compensated too much turning the wheel to the right, and ended up turning my car 180 degrees before I managed to stop.

This left me half in the turning lane and half in the left-hand lane, facing the wrong direction and at a complete stop in the 50-mph zone.

Lucky for me there was not a lot of traffic and the one car in the left-hand lane managed to move over.

And once a row of about three cars passed the way was free for me to get turned around again and continue on my way.

But it could easily have gone a different way.

For about 30 seconds (or less, I don’t know, it’s hard to track time in these situations) I was quite sure I was going to die or end up severely injured in the hospital.

I am quite fortunate to have avoided an accident and made it to work in one piece.

All because a driver couldn’t be bothered to use a turn signal.

You know, that signal which sits directly beside your hand on the steering wheel.

The one it would take less than 1 second to turn on.

Less than 1 second and I would have been able to realize the white car was trying to get into the left-hand lane and would have hit my brakes instead of moving over to make room for them.

Turning signals (among other things) were developed precisely because it is extremely difficult – if not impossible – to accurately anticipate what another driver is going to do and how to respond accordingly when driving at high speeds.

Why do drivers neglect to use turn signals?

I cannot understand it.

If something which takes almost zero effort on your part could save not only your life, but the lives of those around you, why wouldn’t you do it?

Most of the time I love people, but I cannot wrap my head around how selfish, arrogant, or just plain stupid someone has to be to not use a turn signal in a situation like this.

We all make mistakes; I get that.

But this is a rampant problem among Texas drivers, and even though I didn’t drive that much back East, I can’t believe it was as prolific there.

Hardly any drivers seem to use their turn signals EVER. Yes, the roads are wider and straighter here than most other places, but the drivers around you are not mind-readers.

Please, if you have any level of concern at all for your own life or the life of anyone around you, follow the most basic of driving regulations.

Use a fucking turn signal.

You could save someone’s life.

Seriously.