Turn Signal Conundrum

I think I've finally figured out why so many people fail to use their turn signals properly.

Money.

There was a time, if your tail light burned out you could buy a replacement bulb almost anywhere. Hardware store, grocery store, department store, etc. And the bulbs were cheap - something like a buck and a half for two bulbs.  You could pop open the trunk, undo the light socket and replace the bulb in a minute or two.  Almost the same with pickup trucks - usually two or three screws, undo the socket and replace the bulb.

Then some genius re-designed the tail light, after what, 60 plus years of simple do-it-yourself bulb replacement.

Now cars have a tail light "assembly", and good luck getting it out to replace a bulb.  There's a good chance you can't replace the bulb yourself. It might be next to impossible except for the dealer, and now that whole tail light assembly can cost $80-$100, if not more, if one 75 cent light bulb goes out.

Some recent model years have switched from incandescent bulbs to LEDs - and LEDs don't burn out as easily as a light bulb. Since LEDs should last much longer than bulbs - that's a good move.

So  I think the reason so many people fail to use their turn signal properly all comes down to money. They fear using it may burn it out quicker and who really wants to pay $80 to replace a burned out tail light?

And then you've got those maroons who have a burned out tail light and have no intention of getting it repaired.  I've known of people who could well afford to replace a burned out tail light - $80 is just a drop in the bucket, but they don't get the light replaced on the principle of the cost.  Why shell out $80 when all that's wrong is a 75 cent light bulb burned out?  Never mind that it's the law to have a working turn signal and use it properly. Never mind that a family's safety could hinge on that burned out tail light and that family could be yours. Never mind it's the right thing to do.

Get the tail light replaced. Use the turn signals properly. Pretend you have at least an ounce of intelligence in all that gray matter between your ears.

So it goes.