I know I have addressed this subject in the past but I feel
the need to review and repeat it. As you read, ask yourself, “Could
this be me?”
The art of operating a vehicle is more than passing a test
to obtain a license and buying a plate to install on the back
of a car. If you get an answer or two wrong on the drivers
test, the result will not be denial of a license. In fact,
when did you ever hear of anyone being refused the opportunity
to drive?
As I see it, times for refusal come after court action that
happens when a person displays a lack of ability or a failure
to follow the traffic laws.
Many drivers operate a vehicle in a careless manner and believe
it must be OK because they have not been ticketed or even pulled
over. They assume if there is a law they are breaking, it must
not apply to them.
Other careless driving activities may actually not be controlled
by laws. They have simply been left out of the law books because
they should be governed by common sense.
I
drive a few thousand miles a year under various conditions;
from remote side roads to five lane expressways with
heavy traffic. No matter where I drive, however,
it appears to
me there are too many drivers that act as if they
are privileged and don’t have to follow the laws
the rest of us observe while driving. Some drivers
unfortunately
have
or use no
common sense. Then there are those who drive as if
they OWN the road
and no one else should be using it.
One offensive action, (although perhaps not governed by law)
I encounter frequently is vehicles approaching from the rear
of my car at a high rate of speed. Even though they can observe
approaching traffic, they run right up close to the car ahead,
as close as a few feet, before they reduce their speed. They
are usually exceeding the posted speed limit. If the car ahead
should have to brake unexpectedly, the car behind will not
be able to stop. There is a reason during driver test they
suggest maintaining five car lengths between vehicles.
Too many drivers are heading down the highway using cell phones
or other devices which have been proven to contribute to serious
accidents. Many cites and states have declared it illegal to
use a cell phone while operating a vehicle but the laws are
ignored and abuses continue.
I observed a driver in a parking lot un-hook a car seat to
provide more room for packages. The child that had been in
the car seat was just set on the back seat with the packages.
The laws regarding child restraints have absolutely been proven
to save lives but that appears to be of little concern to some
drivers. Innocent children, not yet of an age to know what
to do or how to avoid being injured, are put at risk. No matter
how short the distance a child will travel, child restraints
should be applied.
Another
frequent violation is vehicles that pass over a double yellow
line. When I mentioned
it
to a driver
I observed
doing
it the response was, “I didn’t see anything coming.” I
responded, “Isn’t that why
the line is there, to advise you the distance
of visibility
is
limited and
therefore unsafe to pass in.”
Maybe
it’s just me, but it seems
even though there are many more vehicles
traveling
the roads
today, fewer
drivers are cautious behind the wheel
and many more exceed posted
limits.
They pass on both sides while swerving
in and out of lanes.
THIS WEEK THE YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES HIT THE ROADS. Be sure you
know and observe the laws governing encounters with a school
bus. We all need to use extra caution because small children
often run into the road to meet the bus.