Welcome to a brand new, never-been-used, fresh, full of promise Year! And so many topics to dish on, complain about, consider with outrageous judgement…I am excited are you?
First up, let’s talk about New Year’s resolutions shall we? I mean, I have my personal stand-bys; more exercise, eat healthier, less procrastination, less yelling at my kids, more ‘using my words’ blah, blah, blah. However, as I end another conversation with a good friend who has related yet another scary driving story that they barely escaped with their lives, I wonder if I might offer some resolutions for ‘those’ motorists! See if you agree…
Please resolve to recognise and incorporate into your daily driving repertoire that kooky thing called the STOP sign.
– stop means, STOP! Not coast into the intersection and blast across as an on-coming car approaches, not speed on the yellow- light to roar through the four-way intersection before the approaching left-hand turning car can get clear of the intersection and never, never… (and this is my personal favorite) stop at an intersection if you don’t have a stop sign and motion for the person stopped at a stop sign to go first. I mean…what?! when did that become a thing? (seriously, this has happened to me more than once!)
Please resolve to stay in your own lane.
– from turning into your own lane from an adjacent street (that would be the one closest to you), to staying in your lane as you drive down the street and not drift into the neighbouring lane, to allowing the car who has the right-of-way to continue along in their lane if for some reason your own lane has been blocked by a delivery truck or a construction vehicle and you need to go around and enter the on-coming lane. The guy in his own, un-blocked lane gets to go first… please wait your turn.
Please resolve to park your car in a proper parking space to unload passengers.
– unfortunately this may mean you have to (wait for it) WALK a block or so to your destination, it is a small inconvenience compared to waiting for the ambulance to come pick up your precious school-ager or elderly parent whom you let disembark from the driver’s side of the vehicle and you haven’t actually parked but have merely stopped in the road or no-my-God at a STOP sign, to let your passenger out. Said passenger will be flat like a pancake when impatient rear driver(s) go ’round.
Please resolve to turn on your left-hand turning indicator before you turn left.
– and according to the ICBC Driving Guide that means at least half a block before your turn. Definitely not after the light turns green and you inch into the intersection and then stop to wait for a gap in traffic and complete your turn. That is definitely to late to let the motorists behind you make a decision to change lanes and go around so that they can carry on with their lives in a timely fashion and not be delayed by your pig-headed selfishness and bad driving habits. But, I digress.
Please resolve not to block the intersection.
– when stopped at a red light, in a long line of traffic, don’t block alley ways or other streets. Perhaps the car waiting at the stop sign from that street could take this opportunity to merge into the flow of traffic, or a pedestrian could cross while the traffic was at a stand still or heaven forbid an emergency vehicle might come by and need to enter into the street you have blocked with your stupid car. Sorry, that one really cheeses me off.
Please resolve to put down your *bleeping* phone!
– I don’t think any further elaboration is necessary here.
Since some of us now have driving aged kids, I find that I am even more conscious of the crazy drivers. I am also brushing up on ‘the rules of the road’ so as not to pass along my bad habits to our New driver in the family (or have him call me out for a driving infraction…Oh how I hate that). Anyway, it is my secret wish for this post to go viral and maybe we can shame some unthinking motorists into reforming their questionable driving habits…but somehow, I don’t think ‘those’ drivers would read self-improving blog posts from a smug and, let’s face it, admittedly not perfect driver. I just hope to make the roads safer for all of you next time you venture out.
Be careful out there! and have a great January.