Red Lights

Originally posted Oct. 12, 2005 at www.threeforcesofevil.typepad.com

RED LIGHTS
By John Ross Harvey

If you’re going straight, you should stop for these.
If it’s the vehicle in front, you should brake
If you’re turning left, don’t go unless you’re already in the intersection
Never turn left without being in the intersection on a Red Light.
You’d be surprised how many Torontonians think they can
Follow the guy in the intersection, when they are not.
Apparently brains and logic do not reside with them.
These are the same people that Follow on Stop signs
Tailgating is their life
How many tailgaters do you consider as a friend?
You don’t obviously.
If you were driving behind your friend would you do that?
Then there are wide intersections
You turn left on green and face a red light
If you actually think about this, it’s perfectly normal
If you panic and stop, you aren’t thinking straight.
The intersection near my workplace is like this
So many motorists stop and wonder why they’re honked at.
And yes, accidents do occur there.
The common misconception is that Red is the only Stop Light.
Let’s just consider this for a moment.
Red means traffic is traveling across your direction, so stopping is required.
Yellow or Amber means you should prepare to Stop by slowing down.
Green does not mean Go.
Green means Proceed if the way is clear.
If someone is running the red, do you go?
No
If the intersection is blocked, do you go?
No
So, all three lights may require you to Stop.
You’d be surprised how much better traffic flows if you do.
Blocking intersections prevents traffic flow
Stopping and creating a gap allows traffic flow
Its really just Logic
Too many are unable to understand logic
But I’m a Bilingual Vulcan