Driving Lessons

With all the beauty of spring, the season is, unfortunately, marred by the foolish drivers of winter who now have actual traction. It’s easy, after creeping along all winter, to want to kick up one’s heels, and squeal some tires. But there’s a fine line between spontaneous fun and disaster. And fun becomes very un-fun when disaster strikes. What I’m seeing on the streets isn’t fun, it’s scary.

Maybe drivers should have to take continuing education to renew their licenses, refresher courses to remind us all how to be on our best automobile operating behavior.

These courses could put us nostalgically back into the driver’s ed car with an instructor counting off a three-point complete stop. People seem to have forgotten that one. The stop sign has become a yield sign, requiring a stop only if traffic demands it. I hate to think what the yield sign has become--since the concept of yield itself seems to have become fuzzy.

I was travelling westward along a thoroughfare last week. A group of cyclists filled the other lane, moving east, toward me. A car approached, also travelling east, behind the group of cyclists. Instead of slowing until able to pass the bicycles, the car moved into my lane, forcing me to brake to avoid collision. The driver didn’t seem to give it a second thought--or a first.

Periodic driving tests might help people remember the basic rules of the road: right of way, respect for the center line (and the shoulder line, while we’re at it), and turn signal usage.

The thing is: most of the basic laws are a matter of safety. Yielding the right of way--letting the driver take his or her rightful turn--is designed to prevent accidents and to let traffic move in as smooth a manner as possible.

Yielding the right of way comes into play a lot at four-way stops. People act as if the objective is to come to the quickest possible stop, and then go. They miss that the stop is required to ensure everyone gets a a fair opportunity to advance--that the reason I stop is to let you go, and vice versa.

Another example of not yielding the right of way is often found inregards to turning right on a red light, where people stopped for a red light can turn right if there is no oncoming traffic. The operative phrase in that sentence is “if there is no oncoming traffic.” More and more, people do not yield to the oncoming traffic, but pull right on out into it, reminiscent of their behavior at the four-way stop.

Another rule people ignore is the one that requires drivers entering traffic to match the flow of traffic, the reason for freeway on-ramps, so the car has room enough to accelerate to "freeway" speed before entering the freeway. This means, when you run that stop sign to “make the break,” and avoid having to stop and wait for the oncoming cars, you’d better quit fiddling with your drink, step on it, and get up to speed.

Again, a safety issue: When you run the stop sign and proceed down the road at 25 miles per hour, in a 40-mile-per-hour zone, fumbling for your breath mints, the cars behind you all have to break their pace. If cars are travelling in a tight enough line, they may actually have to brake, which leads to many a rear-end accident.

And traffic laws, much like manners, are quite simply common courtesy (not to mention common sense).

Take that turn signal usage. Now, I certainly understand how it would be difficult to signal when your hands are full, like when you’re talking on the phone, lighting a cigarette, or drinking your coffee. And I’d hate to see you take your hand off the steering wheel, but--wait a minute . . . .

When you are behind the wheel of your car, your primary focus should be on commandeering your vehicle safely and efficiently down the road! The automobile is not an extension of your living room, it is a tool we all use to get places--places we all need to go, places equally important to each of us.

It seems so minor, that turn signal, but it is such a simple, effective agent of safety. It tells other drivers what you are doing, and more importantly, it tells other drivers that you know what you are doing--that you are focused on your driving, that you are in control and driving with a plan.

We all make honest mistakes, missing a turn, getting into the wrong lane, forgetting to look before backing up. But failure to use a turn signal is blatant disregard for law and decorum. It is inconsiderate, and downright rude.

Now, I know there are many very good drivers out there--and lest they take offense, I’d like to say: if the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t wear it.

But if the shoe does fit: Please! Get your head out of the clouds, put your mind on what you’re doing--and pay attention to the other idiots around you--you just can’t predict what they might do next--especially now that they have traction.