Signs, signs everywhere.
What do they mean?
To most people they have relevance, to others it seems that they are meant for everybody else.
Think of any large city that you have driven in. I suspect that you recall many incidences where signs are ignored and it made your blood boil, road rage thoughts come out as well as expletives.
Ring any bells?
For the record, those sorts of incidents don’t happen in large cities alone. We have many of the incidents that I refer to right here in little old Penticton. No, they are not limited to new drivers; young drivers or seniors — but drivers of all ages. The following are a few noticeable incidents around our city.
1) Four-way stop and single stop intersections where cars proceed through the signs without stopping because there is no other vehicle in sight or at the stop signs. Sidenote: Do drivers who choose to cruise through a four-way stop do that when they come to a traffic light that turns red and no cars are there that they just breeze through the light?
2) Approaching a traffic signal whose light changes to red and cruising right through the red light to make a right turn without coming to a complete stop and looking.
3) Following another vehicle (tailgating) as though you can get the car ahead of you to speed up by exceeding the posted speed limit. Sidenote: classic example is going down a hill with another car right on your rear bumper tailgating.
4) When coming into town past Redwing and totally ignoring posted speed signs — in light of two large trucks and a one car accident due to speeding. Most vehicles maintain an excessive speed until they get to Doc’s Driving Range and then they start to slow down.
There are many others, however, these seem to be the most obvious. I guess the question that we should be asking is: how many of these have I been guilty of?
It’s quite easy to rationalize things by thinking that ‘I’ve never do any of those,’ and go on your way. However, have you given any thought to passengers riding with you as to what they might be thinking and feeling? This is especially true if you have youngsters with you and you exhibit any of these. What sort of message does it convey to them? It will be more or less a monkey see; monkey do scenario when they get the opportunity to drive.
I am sure that there are those out there that feel that these issues aren’t all that big. However, familiarity does breed contempt not so much where other people are concerned but for things such as the above mentioned.
We may get so used to doing these things that one day we will take things for granted and not be as cautious as we should be and who knows, wham, an accident.
Is it time for a self-check perhaps?
Ron Barillaro
Penticton