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Notes -
I've noticed what I think is the strongest source of Russell conjugations in my life: road rage, specifically with regard to cutting off people. It's amazing how strongly I feel it, even after I've noted the hypocrisy in myself. It's just the first and most basic instinct I feel in any of these situations. And I've even noticed a gendered component of how I think, informed by the political climate.
I merge into the lane, because I need to get into that lane, but they're stubbornly not letting me in.
He cuts me off, because he's a selfish dick who thinks he's a better driver than me and thinks I suck as a driver.
She cuts me off because she thinks that I'm a patriarchal male who thinks he's entitled to the road, which ultimately leads to her acting like an entitled bitch.
I struggle to think of what the Russell conjugations could even be for things like not using the turn signal or driving slowly in the passing lane on a two-lane highway for miles. I experience virtually no road rage at all even when another driver does something exceedingly dangerous, because I can usually imagine an innocent explanation and I've made those mistakes myself on occasion. But inconsiderate actions which are not plausibly the result of some mistake or lapse of attention make my blood boil and, if my wife's not in the car, profanity fly.
Use your fucking turn signal.
Driving is one of the activities that erodes my faith in humanity. People just don't care, and there is no direct consequences to their behaviour, so they will be lazy. Changing lanes without indicating (even in a multi-lane round about), tailgating, petty refusal to let people merge in front of them etc.
I'm reminded of that old joke about 50% of the population being below average intelligence. Frankly I'm amazed at how many traffic accidents don't happen.
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I use it on a need-to-know basis -- many people seem to think 'changing into the lane in front of me' == 'cutting me off' and will accelerate to prevent that; those people don't need to know.
The problem is that you may not be a perfect judge of when someone needs to know your intention to turn. What if someone sees that your turn signal is off and thus assumes you intend to stay in your lane, so they think it's fine if they accelerate? Now you've just increased the risk of a collision if you happen to try to merge into his lane coincidentally simultaneously to his acceleration, as well as increasing the likelihood that both of you think the other guy is an asshole, doing your small part to further enshittify the driving culture wherever you live.
And lane changing wasn't even what I was thinking of when I mentioned the turn signal. I had in mind turns at intersections and going into and out of parking lots, driveways, etc.
They will be too late, because I've already accelerated and pulled in front of them. I don't, like do this randomly without looking -- drive long enough in this kind of traffic and you know exactly what that guy is up to.
If I'm turning right or left, traffic at upcoming intersections do need to know -- also roundabouts, which a lot of people miss. (annoyingly)
Traffic behind me may or may not need to know; left turns most likely, but unless you are pretty close behind me it's probably none of your business if I'm turning right.
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