Rules of the Road

When I was in high school, yea, those many, many years ago, we had something called Driver's Ed. We went to a semester long class, then had driver's training for something like 9 weeks. Then we got a permit that allowed us to drive with someone over 16. Then, on that blessed day when we turned 16, we got a real, genuine, driver's license. And we were official! No stopping us now! Cruising Main Street, here we come!

Now I know a lot of you are nodding your heads in agreement. You did too. But that was Fairfield. Apparently Olney doesn't have the same system. Maybe Olney didn't even have Driver's Ed. Maybe those poor, uneducated youth didn't even get the handy-dandy book called Rules of the Road. I sure did, and read mine. Cover to cover.

I've lived in Olney for 10 years now, and couldn't begin to count how many near-misses I have had with other motorists. (None my fault, naturally!) But I have noticed a blatant disregard for a large red, octagonal sign that merely suggests one stop. Luckily I am a defensive driver and when I see a car approaching an intersection at a high rate of speed, I slow down. I don't trust that idiot, ahem, other driver to actually stop. Or bicyclists who decide to totally disregard the Rule that says bikes are to follow the Rules of the Road, meaning you also ride with the flow of traffic, on the RIGHT side of the road, not down the middle, veering back and forth between lanes, or on the sidewalk.

4 way stops are a particularly sore spot with me. I avoid them if possible, but I must go through a large highway junction with a 4 way stop to get to work. I noticed this week the Stop sign was bent again, signifying yet another accident at this intersection. Why? It's a 4. Way. STOP! Why are there so many accidents here??? You stop. See if there are other vehicles. If not, proceed. If so, wait until they go. Sometimes there are more than one car and you all wait on the other, finally ending in a contest of who can wave the best for the other person to go. I've sat at this intersection many a time, allowing everyone to go before me. Hey, I'd rather arrive late than injured. My guess is that as there is a large amount of Semi traffic, cars try to sneak past a turning truck, only to get smacked when the approaching car is trying to do the same thing.

I witnessed an accident at this intersection a few years ago. I was coming down the hill, approaching the intersection and I noticed two cars, one driving north, the other driving east. I didn't  note which one got there first, they were both going to be gone by the time I got there. Or so I thought. As I was slowing the East-bound car T-boned the North-bound car. WHY?!? Did the dude assume the chick would stop? She was already half-way through the intersection! Was he high? Was he playing with his phone? I don't know. All I know was that it was freakin' cold that day and I had to stand outside giving assistance to the hysterical chick who had a 2-month old in the back, then give my statement to the butt-hole officer who arrived and made me feel like a moron. (He told me to proceed through the intersection, and when I did yelled at me and told me to turn around. Jerk face.)

Anyway, my simple lesson for today is : Stop means Stop. Yes you. It's not a suggestion. If you see my brake lights, it means that I'm going to stop. That doesn't mean you can pass me, honk at me, or ride my bumper. Speed limits are made for our safety. Yield means slow down and possibly stop, not speed up. One way means one way. Same for Do Not Enter.

It's not a hard thing. Just pay attention folks. Put down the cell phone, you're not that important. You know you're just gabbing to a friend anyway. Put down the Big Mac and pull over. Select your radio station before you put it in Drive. Discipline your kids when you reach your destination. And unless your dog also has a driver's license, don't have them in the driver's seat.