Turning Arrows

As I was out driving yesterday, I came upon a stoplight. There was already a car in front of me. I sat there with my usual boredom when stopped by red lights, not expecting anything out of the ordianary. But then the light turned green. The driver in front of me, which was turning left, began to turn without a second thought. But the car on the other side of the intersection had a green light too, and began to move forward just as the car turning left began to move. I cringed. I thought I was about to be witness to a slow but nonetheless damaging crash. Luckily, the car across the intersection was payoing attention and was able to swerve out of the way of the idiot in the car in front of me. The driver who turned left continued on his way, never knowing what he had done wrong. He had foolishly assumed there was a turning arrow on this stoplight as there are on so many others. He was wrong. Luckily, the other driver was paying attention, as everyone has to make sure to do when driving. Its best not to be an idiot who thinks they own the road like this guy did.

Snow Crawlers

The recent excess of snow has presented an interesting conundrum for we Midwestern drivers who are not exactly used to driving in what to us seem like blizzards. Some drivers are reasonably cautious, driving a few MPH under the speed limit and keeping a safe distance behind the car in front of them. Some act as if nothing has changed, and drive ten over the speed limit everywhere they go, as so many drivers are wont to do. (These are the ones you see stranded in ditches on the side of the road.) Then there are the drivers who go above and beyond simple caution. You may have seen them. These snow crawlers are the ones who trudge along at the speed of a lame turtle, causing traffic jams, wrecks, and excesive frustration for everyone involved. There is nothing wrong with a little caution, but there is such a thing as being too cautious, as these dirvers most definitely are. Don't be a snow crawler.