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13
Jan

Are you a Courteous Driver???

I have a very dim memory of taking the behind the wheel driving test and then it was for a different state. Only by moving to North Carolina and being required to take a dreaded updated written test did I realize that our cautiousness as early drivers has led to complacency and bad habits after many years of driving.  So I thought I would talk about some of those more discourteous driving behaviors I have seen lately and see if anyone agrees with me.

One bad behavior I notice on a daily basis is drivers’ unwillingness to move over or change lanes to let merging traffic on the freeway.  Not moving over not only causes people to take chances by “squeezing” in but some will come to a complete stop at the end of the on ramp which endangers and irritates the poor souls stuck behind them.  Both actions can be extremely dangerous. Having learned how to drive on the freeways of Southern California, I can tell you that if you stop at the end of an on ramp without there being a light, you are definitely going to find yourself the object of “road rage”  Not, a pleasant thing in any state.

Next up is the all too common complete disregard for using turn signals. This gets to me because it makes me realize that there are way too many drivers not paying attention and ignoring the traffic behind them.  Use of a turn signal helps those behind you stay back when you are turning or changing lanes, which means less chance of a rear end collision.  There is a reason why our turn signals are inspected each year.

Finally the last point and perhaps the most dangerous one, is the use of headlights during the sunset/sunrise hours as well as during inclement weather.  It is a law here in North Carolina that if you are using your windshield wipers then your headlights must be on.  As to the sunset to sunrise hours it is not so much you being able to see, it’s so that others can see you.  It is posted in the NC Driver’s handbook that you must use your lights as well during the sunrise-sunset hours.

I drive on Hwy 52 every night after 5pm and it is amazing the number of cars that I see without their headlights on.  I know that some people are in such a hurry to get home, but you shouldn’t be in too big a hurry to set aside safety precautions while operating your motor vehicle.

I just want to say thank you to all of the courteous drivers out there and to those who are not, well you know who you are and you know that the rest of us will be keeping our eyes out for you.

Happy Driving

Gina