"...running red lights"
Ya' know...
this is an interesting discussion to me
because...
running red lites has reached epidemic
proportions in my hometown of Stamford,
CT. coincident with it's becoming a "mini-
NYC" as a business center that others
commute into and out of every day.
Added to this is the fact that today's excellent modern machines are
being
WELL "overdriven" (speed) in terms of
posted limits. They "go" better, stop
better and handle better.
The damage consequences in these
instances are absolutely horrific...there
is no other way of putting it.
Now sometimes it's just an idiot running
a red light...no doubt about it. But look how the system conspires to
set this sort
of accident in motion.....
1. ......the "caution" or
"yellow" lite is NOT "timed" for the posted
limit in any case....the time frame for
the caution light is the same whether
the posted limit is 25 or 45. IMHO, it
should never be less than 5 seconds
but in many cases it is less than 2 secs.!
2. Further, there is no delay in "green"
for one, appearing after the light goes
"red" for the other. Is an additional 3
seconds unreasonable? Guess so!!?
Is the problem really with the average
guy accused of running the red? Well,
sometimes it is but......the "system"
could obviously use a LOT of improvement. Methinks there are a lot
of "unintentionals" as I have BTDT more
than once.
The present system does not take into
account "contamination" in terms
of the present ridiculously short "caution"
time frame, even AT the posted limit (or
slightly below, for that matter!).
Even if "slow for conditions", you could
damn well lose control in situations like
this wherein "running the red" is the only
reasonable course as you literally can't
stop safely in the time allowed...again,
BTDT myself, more than once.
I mean the present system (at least in
my area) definitely does it's part to
"set you up", for sure, no doubt about it.
One thing I absolutely agree with....
law notwithstanding......"green" means "cleared to go", not "go". And I
hate to
say this but, this is as "common" sense
as "looking both ways" (and continuing
to do so!) as you "walk" across, signals
notwithstanding. It is truly a matter of
headwork in terms of survival and is
comes under the heading of "situational
awareness" in terms of "defensive
driving".
Same thing if you pull out in front of
a car coming from your left ("over here"
where we drive on the "correct" side of
road!!:) who is signaling a right turn
into the road from which you are about
to exit. If he doesn't turn and you pull
out into his path as he "continues".....
well....(never mind "the law"...whaddya'
think?).
The driver of the large bread truck that ran me off I-95 2 years ago as
I was heading
for the airport that Sat. morning
was legally at fault for an "improper
pass" but the summoning officer advised
him his real problem was lack of situational awareness as in defensive
driving. The guy was driving with his
head "up & locked"...not checking his
"rear views" and thus unaware of those
behind him, all of whom were driving
within the limit, but slightly faster than
he, and slowly overtaking and passing him accordingly.
Cap'n. Bob (Ret'd)
'60 Frog
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