Recently, very recently, I got a heads up about one of the things that I often comment on. That would be “failing to put on your turn signal when needed.” It’s funny the trivial things we forget to do while driving. Did I say trivial? Pausing instead of coming to a dead stop at one of those STOP signs, double parking in the downtown or anywhere, and speeding just a few miles over the limit. Just to name the ones that come to my head.
In Creston, we have to be a little more alert because we have the “blinking red traffic lights” to contend with. For the old timers like myself, we’ve gone through both two-way and one-way streets. While in my business, I got to watch as people transitioned from two to one way and then later, back from one to two-way streets. It was a mess for awhile. If I remember correctly, for those one-way days, there were actual red, green and yellow traffic lights that were fully functional. I think maybe they were better. Red meant stop until the green light came on and then go. All the while, we still had to stay alert. Its always been that way and continues today.
In the cities, they have cameras to patrol the traffic, and still people complain about unfair ticketing. In the rural areas, we had the “cop hiding behind the billboard” and people probably thought that was unfair. In my situation, I was just not thinking when I pulled up to stop at a stop sign, did so, and with no one else in sight, made a left turn without turning on my turn indicator. All of a sudden, there was police vehicle with a 1,000 flashing and colored lights right behind me, enough to wake up the neighborhood. I was lucky – I got off with a warning.
Speaking of back-seat drivers. I try to keep mine in the front seat next to me to remind me of upcoming hazards like stop signs and turn signals. She’s very good at it.