How many people do you know would know what to do if an ambulance or police car comes up behind them while driving? I have seen many people do nothing. They don’t pull over. They don’t give the right of way to the emergency vehicle.
How many people know that when the sunlight fades, at dusk, or when you drive through a tunnel you are supposed to turn on your lights? Turning on the lights is not so you can see it is so others can see you, which basically helps you too so oncoming traffic knows you are there.
How many people know you are not supposed to block a pedestrian crosswalk? Very few because I see it done a lot. Someone will pull up to a red light, viewing it as an inconvenience that they have to stop, and block the crosswalk forcing pedestrians to walk outside of the protection of the crosswalk and into the drive lanes of oncoming traffic. The person in the car doesn’t give a damn.
How many people know you are supposed to obey speed limit signs? Sounds like a foolish question, right? A question with an obvious answer? So let me rephrase it. How many people actually obey speed limit signs? Very few. Why is this? Do these people think they know better than the experts who are paid to determine the safe speed for a given neighborhood or traffic zone? Do they not realize that these are the same experts that are paid for by our tax dollars? So, to sum this up, we pay the experts to determine the safest speed, we pay them to post that speed, and then we ignore them. Where are we going that we have to get there as fast as possible? Do these people think that if the ‘coast is clear’ they can travel at any speed they want? Those speed limit signs aren’t posted just so a policeman has a guideline by which to give you a ticket for speeding.
How many people know the safe traveling distance behind the vehicle in front of you? Very few. Does anyone out there understand what a ‘cushion of safety’ is? If the person in front of you has to stop quickly and you cannot stop in time to prevent running into that person then you did not have a ‘cushion of safety’ between the two of you and you are the only one who can create that safety zone. Does anyone realize that by tailgating someone you are actually committing an act of terror? Yes, terror! Again if that person in front has to stop quickly you are endangering the safety of the occupants of that vehicle in front of you because you will not be able to stop in time. Nobody knows when someone else may have to stop quickly, why do you drive so fast that you take away the safety zone from people around you? Maybe a tire blows out, maybe something happens to the car in front of the car in front of you that you cannot see, maybe the brake lights don’t work on the vehicle in front of you and you don’t know until it is too late.
How many people know that turn signals are placed on vehicles to give other people warning about your intensions? Using a turn signal when you are already making the turn is really pretty useless. Not using your turn signal until after you apply your brakes is really inconsiderate to those people behind you. How about turning on your turn signal before you put on your brakes so people know why you are applying your brakes and so that they can go around you on the other side? When you put on your brakes the person behind you has to slow down because something might be happening in front of you that means it is best for them to slow down too. When you put on your turn signal first, only then is it a true warning signal, then the person behind you can begin shifting to the other side of you in order to pass you. Why make everyone slow down just because you want to turn?
While I’m talking about turning, how about getting into the turn lane before you begin slowing down? That is what it is there for, to maintain an steady flow of traffic. So many people begin slowing down in the travel lane forcing everyone else to slow down too. Get out of the travel lane without slowing anyone else down and then begin slowing down. This way there is less danger of you being rear-ended. So you see it is really better off for everyone concerned to slow down properly.
And when turning in a double turn lane situation, why do people get in the left most lane to turn left knowing damn good and well that as soon as they make the turn they are going to turn right? Why not just stay in the right lane to begin with. This is just rude to people you now have to cut in front of (because nobody goes the extra block to turn around if they miss their turn, oh no, that would be too much trouble) and it is also rude to the people behind you that now are forced to slow down while you wait for an opening so you can make your turn.
I think we should have mandatory drivers safety and education courses and we should have to pass our drivers test every 4-6 years. Maybe the frequency could be based on how many traffic tickets a person gets. Some people might think that lower insurance rates might result from this, but realistically, insurance companies will only raise their rates so they don’t miss out on any income.
The reason I support mandatory safety education is because everyone has horror stories to tell of rude drivers or of near collisions. If everyone was made aware of their own bad driving habits I believe our roadways would be safer.
I am one of those lucky few who does not have to drive very often. When I do drive I try to maintain the speed limit and I am almost constantly terrorized by other drivers who come up on my tail, too quickly, and stay there as if I am not moving fast enough for them. I see improper use of turn signals, making them meaningless. I have had people pull in front of me to turn left from the opposite direction after a traffic light turns green and they just can’t wait for me to cross the intersection.
I have had people turn in front of me when they are on their cell phone.
Bad habits and just plain rude behavior need to be eliminated and education is the best method to do so.
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