Red light drivers
I today encountered my 10,000,000th bad driver! OK, I haven’t really been keeping track, but it sure feels that way.
There are three kinds of red light drivers:
- The always-drive-however-fast-I-want driver
- The drive-ridiculously-slowly-until-the-light-turns-yellow-and-then-push-the-accelerator-to-the-floor driver, and
- The keep-driving-absurdly-slowly-even-after-the-light-turns-red-but-coast-through-the-intersection-anyhow driver
Driving behind the first kind of red light driver is never annoying because they never slow you down, but you suspect they’ll wind up killing someone some day. Maybe they’ll kill you some day as you cross the street with the “walk” signal because they’re turning right on red without even slowing down. (This happens so often at certain intersections near our home that I’m fearful to cross those intersections, even with the light. These drivers behave as if “right on red” is written in the Constitution, rather than something you’re allowed to do IF you’ve stopped first and it’s completely safe.)
The latter two kinds of red light drivers are infuriating. Constantly tapping my brakes to keep from hitting them on downhills as they putter along, I calm myself by saying, “They’re just being extra cautious. Safety is the most important thing.” And it is. But some of these slow-pokes then accelerate through a red light, breaking the law, endangering themselves and others, and leaving a string of angry drivers piled up behind them.
No one should be driving through red lights. We should be stringing up automated cameras everywhere and severely fining everyone who enters an intersection after the light has turned red (and throwing frequent offenders in jail).
But these drivers who drive ridiculously slowly only to accelerate through red lights must be insane. Are you in a rush or are you out for a relaxing Sunday drive? Please make up your minds!
Posted by James on Wednesday, November 17, 2010