Thank you for not running into me...
This entry was posted on 3/22/2008 8:25 PM and is filed under uncategorized.
I'd like to thank the driver who passed me on the left while I was slowing to make a left turn off of Bartlett at Avon yesterday. Thank you for not running into the driver's side of my truck at around 2:00 pm Saturday when the roads were wet and it was snowing. I am sorry that my slowing down from about 25 mph to 15 mph in a residential area to make my left turn onto Avon could've delayed as long as 15 seconds, that surely wasn't my intent. Yes I was surprised to see you passing me in what I used to consider my neighborhood, until I realized I couldn't argue with physics and that Bartlett Boulevard between Shirley Hills and Shoreline belongs to those using it to get some place in a hurry. As I started my turn, there you were, like Richard Petty making that race winning pass. All I could do is stop in amazement and wonder, was that perhaps Jeff Gordon right here in Mound? A stock car racer once told me that their cars don't have rear-view mirrors, and it has something to do with never looking back. After I got over my shock at almost being in accident, I drove up to my house and tested my turn signal, thinking perhaps it was covered in that heavy wet snow that was falling or that it wasn't working? But that wasn't the case, it blinked OK. But all is well that ends well, and I am happy that you could continue on your way and know that you had saved yourself 15 seconds of travel time.
As I write this thank you to this unknown driver, I am reminded me of another near accident I was almost in. I was making a right turn off of Shoreline onto Chateau and was passed on the right. That taught me to block the break down lane of a road when making a
right turn. Signaling a right turn may not count for anything. Physically blocking the break down lane where someone may try to pass, seems the safer thing to do. Some might say I am supposed to use the break down lane along that stretch of Shoreline, East of the old Hardee's, when making a right turn. I might say that it's too narrow to be a right turn lane given the width of my truck. Its narrowness might make things more dangerous if I use it as a turning lane. The reason I think it's not marked as a turning lane is not to save on paint, but because the road isn't wide enough to have a turning lane.
Unfortunately, I can't think of anything to make making a left turn in Mound any safer? Maybe I just won't make left turns anymore. I suppose it's normal to have differing opinions between people who live somewhere and people and who just want to get through somewhere as fast a possible. I am happy I haven't inconvenienced anyone by having an accident with them, as that might make them late for wherever it is they are going.
The following was added on 2/15/09: I think that people who speed through our town, are not respecting us. Most of us want our town's roads to be safe. We think it's a reasonable expectation that we are able to use the Cross Walks safely, and more importantly, that our children and grandchildren can. We like our town and are sorry if it's an inconvience to you to have obey our traffic laws.
