Is not using the turn signal a national problem, or is it just an issue in south Florida?

Driving home today, there was a good amount of traffic on the four lane road, and when one of the lanes became a right turn only lane, I deducted that there was a vehicle that did not want to remain in that lane.  First of all, the lane turns into an elementary school that had long ago dismissed and the parking lot was empty.  Secondly, the lady driving had a panicked look on her face as her eyes shifted from her side mirror to her windshield repetitively.  “Oh my gosh lady, turn on your turn signal!” I said, feeling a chuckle welling up and thinking, some people, hmm! 

In that moment, I felt that she was being stubborn, not turning on her turn signal to alert the other drivers that she needed out of her lane and into the only other one.  And no one let her in.  She got up to the school and stopped.  Other drivers honked, I assumed because no one knew what the heck this lady was doing.  Or maybe they did, just like I, but had an attitude of we’re not mind readers lady, you don’t tell us what you need, you don’t get our help.

Car after car passed her by while she sat stopped in that turn lane.  I directed my attention back to the windshield and stopped keeping tabs through my rear-view mirror.  So what’s the deal?  Does using the turn signal now signify some kind of status we shouldn’t be associated with?  I don’t get it.  But I do get that if you want to switch lanes, you have a much better chance of someone letting you in if you let them know you need in, and that can be accomplished by using your turn signal.