Anyway, pedestrians and cyclists are not completely innocent either however. Riding a bike on the sidewalk as an adult in not legal as far as I know, and so many people do it. I should know because about 7 years ago I was riding on the extremely wide sidewalks along Baxter to avoid rush hour traffic when I was struck by a turning car whose driver didn’t make an effort to look both ways before gunning it to beat traffic. Much to my surprise, the officer placed me at fault. I accept the fact that I was in the wrong, knowingly or not, but I think there needs to be better education of the entire population as to what is legal and what is not for cars, peds and bikes. Just not sure how that could happen in an effective and transformational way.

It's amazing dually how many people don't use turn signals for whatever reason and it's also a little strange how often I see people driving for miles with a turn signal left on.

There are so many issues involved here: development, sidewalks, engineering, housing patterns, density, commuting… but one issue that doesn’t get discussed much (I’d tried to elicit a response in regard to cycling) is driving itself: skills, laws, patterns, habits, and attitudes.

When I first moved back to Louisville from Rochester NY, my first impression was that drivers here were a little more courteous, less aggressive, not relentlessly fast the way driving is in much of the Northeast… People will let you in, they don’t tailgate, and they don’t honk as as general rule.

But now I’m afraid I have to change my assessment a bit. About a year ago, out of frustration, I got a bumper sticker that says “Turn Signals: Use ‘em People.” From other forums I’ve gotten the impression that many here think not using turn signals is charming and quirky and folksy or something. It’s not. It’s rude, lazy, selfish and dangerous. (I could point out it’s supposed to be illegal, but that’s almost irrelevant. I’m sure cops never ticket for it. Hell, THEY don’t use turn signals!) And it’s emblematic of what’s really wrong with Louisville drivers. They are not really present, not really aware of the road, not aware of much of anything. They are talking on the phone (illegal in NY), texting, watching tv, having dinner, whatever. I get the impression that many drive as though they’re sitting around their living room channel-surfing. Every once in a while they notice their living room is moving.

What using your turn signal habitually does for you as a driver is take you out of the living room. It makes you think ahead – about your next moves, your destinations, your need to be in another lane AHEAD OF TIME. I’m sure there are other habits of mind that need to be changed, but this one is a start.

I walk four miles every morning. I cross a number of streets and I have to walk carefully in a few places where there are no sidewalks. I try to be totally aware of what drivers are doing and anticipate their moves. I can’t tell you how many times I have found a car I assumed was going straight come barreling right at me. I have only one finger to defend myself.

How many feints, guesses, false starts, double takes, slammed brakes, jerked wheels happen because people don’t signal?

And how many deaths?