Pet Peeves

 While I am not planning to join in the NaBloPoMo fun this year; I am hoping to use it as a prod to get myself to the keyboard more often.  We shall see how that goes....

Pet peeves - we all have them.  What might drive one of us crazy may not drive someone else crazy but even so, they are valid.

Nicole (HI NICOLE!) has well documented her despair over humanity about people leaving their shopping carts in the middle of the parking lot. Same, Nicole, same.  It IS an issue and, I think, speaks volumes about character.

But, I am not here to complain about shopping carts today.  No, today we are going to discuss turn signals and reckless disregard for rules of the road.  Not surprisingly, they are actually one GIANT issue not two separate nits that I currently am nursing.

We live on the very edge of one town, a town that whatever they do affects us.  Particularly when it comes to local traffic.  So because we don't actually live IN the town, we don't get a voice sadly.

This town is in the middle of a huge road construction project (the merits of which are debatable in these parts - is this work necessary; do we really need TWO round-abouts - not really.  Could the funds be better spent in other road projects that would actually increase safety, like medians and possibly one traffic light? Yes, without a doubt. At any rate, here we are; voice-less and stuck in construction hell). 

Now, despite my vehement feelings on the lack of merits about this particular construction project; what is currently getting my goat, so to speak, is not only the lack of use of turn signals (apparently, every single car in the three connected towns along this route do not come equipped with this technology) but the lack of reading comprehension and the inability to follow the "rules".

Right around three months ago, a GIANT sign was erected warning drivers NOT to turn left onto a particular road.  At one point, they even put up barrels to prevent people from turning left onto this road.  Now, keep in mind should the driver NOT turn left onto this road they can just go up a little further and can turn left AT A LIGHT (safety first, people) to arrive at their destination with little to no inconvenience.  Does ANYONE pay any attention to that GIANT sign?  No they do not.  Nor, are they using a turn signal as they make this illegal maneuver.  I have also witnessed (when the barrels were still in place; they've since been removed) people drive AROUND the barrier to make a left hand turn onto this particular road.  Do these people have an actual death wish?  Or are they that entitled that they assume none of this applies to them?  And what is even more wild?  It's not just one or two cars - but I will be in line behind MULTIPLE cars that just ignore the signs and cut across traffic as if it were their God given right.

My blood pressure reaches a boiling point every time I witness one of these nimrods pulling this kind of nonsense.  And seeing what they are doing when they are given explicit directions on what they should not do does not bode well for when the construction is gone and the useless round-abouts are in place and they are just set out into the wild without actual directions. 

I have a strong feeling that once it is all said and done; some (or all) of the people that were in charge of making this decision will come to regret their choices and wish they'd gone with the cheaper (medians) option instead.  But then, sadly, no one asked me for my opinion prior to this madness.