In praise of German engineering

I've got something to say about drivers here in Northern California.  Okay.  I've got  A LOT to say about drivers here.  But my biggest pet peeve about most drivers, general lack of common sense aside, is the blatant disregard for the power of the turn signal.  Puh-leeze!  It's not rocket science.  It doesn't require anyone to do any complicated manuevers.  It's pretty easy to do, people!  So why do sooooooooo many drivers not employ this one simple courteous act of driving?

In particular, more than any other driver I've observed, is the one behind the wheel of a Mercedes Benz.  Ahhh...German engineering at it's (supposed) finest.  My apologies to BMW owners, as well as those who tool around in their Volkswagens, Audis, and Porsches.  Most of those other cars appear to have actual working turn signals.  But what happened to the Mercedes?  Now, it has been a while since I sat behind the wheel of a Mercedes, but I do recall the last time I was IN one.  And the driver pointed out to me that they are actually equipped with a turn signal lever. 

"So," I asked her, "why do I see so many Mercedes on the road and they never signal?"

No answer.  Long pause.  Defeat admitted.  "Hmmm...I don't know."

Well, at least now we know that the German auto designers didn't forget to install the turn signal.  Could it be that the instruction manual fails to mention it?  Did we somehow lose those pages in translating the owners manual?  Does the manual go from turning on the headlights to how to use the windshield wipers? 

Or could it be the drivers themselves?  I'm pretty sure not all Mercedes drivers are inconsiderate and incompetent drivers.  I know a few.  They're nice people.  But how do you explain the driver I was driving behind on Highway 99 (that'd be THE 99, for all y'all from SoCal) yesterday who drove for TEN miles with his right turn signal on?  Yeah, I was shocked to see a Mercedes with it's turn signal on.  But as I drove behnd him, in the left hand lane, he only shifted to the right twice...ALL the time with his turn signal on...even when he came back to the left. 

I drove past him at one point, confirming that, yes, a person was in there, and yes, it was indeed a male driver.  As I shifted one lane to my right (yes, I signaled!) and he drove past me again, I did notice the turn signal was no longer blinking.  Did he finally realize it was on and turn it off, or did the bulb just burn out?  I'm sure I'll never really know.  But pay attention while you're on the road.  See how many Mercedes you are on the road with that don't signal.  And if they DO, does it stay on? 

You'll know me when you see me...I'm that driver that signals when I'm turning into a parking space!  Or pulling away from the curb.  Heck - I even signal when I'm turning into my driveway!  I think everyone on the road with me deserves to know which way I'm going!