| Author | Message | ||
     Doughnut |
So, I am trying to control traffic during morning rush hour today because the contol lights were out. It is a pretty busy street. I have the folding stop signs out and the lights on my wagon going. I am standing in the middle of the street so that people can realize, "Hey, there is a cop in the middle of the road and oh, look, the traffic lights are not on." I am amazed at how may people really do not know that they are required to treat an intersection with down lights as a four-way stop. All traffic is stopped when a XBS passes stopped traffic on the left,(edit, my left, on the right side of traffic), and blows through the intersection some what close to me. I yell at him/her and they look back at me like "What!". If it were not for the fact that I was worried that there could be a serious accident I would have jumped in my wagon and given chase. I guess I expect better of motorcycle riders and kinda took it personal that it was a Buell. I was already a bit on edge with the situation because earlier I had to take the accident report where a cage rear-end one of our marked squads while it was at a complete stop (Officer was fine). I guess my message is that we need to be aware of our riding / driving. I bet that rider rode that way MANY times before and just assumed that the lights were there and functional and did not register that this time it was different. Don't let riding become so "routine" that you aren't really seeing where you are going.  (Message edited by Doughnut on June 27, 2008) | ||
| Djkaplan |
I always make sure to wave at police officers doing traffic duty at intersections. I encounter one everyday of the school year at a high school I ride by when I leave home in the mornings. The guys (and lady) appreciate it and always give the 'guy on the Buell' a big smile when I ride by. A lot of us really appreciate the work you guys do. I'd love to have a word with that XBS rider... | ||
| Oldog |
Don't let riding become so "routine" that you aren't really seeing where you are going. good point "osifer nutt"!, its a sad commentary on the short adult attention span / innattention while driving, last year we had an officer hit and mildly injured on an interstate stop, he got in his car and chased the offender down, the motorist had NO IDEA that they had hit the officer IIRC the penalty was stiff, a law has been passed that says in essence move over / slow down approaching a stopped PV Be safe out there! (Message edited by oldog on June 27, 2008) | ||
| Cudajohn |
In Mississippi you can go to jail for not moving over (if you have the opportunity) for an officer while doing a traffic stop. I have always tried to get over for officers, people with flat tires, whatever. I have been on the side of the road a time or two myself and know how scary it is. There are more bad drivers than good out there I'm afraid. Of course I'm the best.... | ||
| Irideabuell |
Good advice for certain. I was at a major intersection near home a few months ago in my car when a bike pulled up next to me in the left turn lane. The light was red all four ways at the time for pedestrian crossing purposes (there is a Jr. High and Elementary school on two corners of this intersection). This Squid next to me just guns it and blows through the intersection. I was so pissed that anyone would do such a thing with children present and was even more upset as the individual was on a bike. Giving us all a great reputation! | ||
| Glitch |
I am amazed at how may people really do not know that they are required to treat an intersection with down lights as a four-way stop. Ya rookie! | ||
| Ratyson |
We had a similar situation at a major intersection here last year. I was second behind this woman. The officer was directing traffic through the intersection. Things were moving slow, but he was doing the best he could. It was a 4 lane divided road, with a 2 lane intersecting it. The woman in front of me decided that she had enough of waiting and started pulling through as the officer was directing left turn traffic in front of us. The LEO stood in front of her car yelling at her to stop. This ignorant waste of air had the audacity to stick her head out the window and tell him to get out of her way. I could hear the discussion, and her excuse was thus: "I've been sitting here for half an hour, I could get out and direct traffic better than you can!" He asked her for her licence and insurance, then directed her to the side of the road to wait. He called for another officer to come, then went back to directing traffic. I have no idea how long she had to sit and wait... but I am guessing it was not a short amount of time. | ||
| Cudajohn |
That's funny. I guess she ended up being there for more than a 1/2 hour. Serves her right. | ||
| Azxb9r |
It is actually kind of scary when you begin to realize how many people have absolutely no clue about traffic laws. Then there are the ones that just can't be bothered, the "me first you're in my way" types. | ||
| Edstevens |
In Ft. Lauderdale in 1965 a woman thought it would be "Cool" to decorate her son's bedroom with traffic signs. She removed STOP signs from a 4-way intersection resulting in 2 fatalities. Also in Florida that year there was a person putting brown paper grocer bags in the road. They were filled with two cinder blocks each. I realize these acts could occur anywhere, I just happened to be living there when they occurred. | ||
| Irideabuell |
You can't fix stupid! | ||
| Firebolt32 |
Ed...remember the punks that were tossing the blocks off an overpass some years ago. Talk about stupid. Or the punks that tied the dog to a tree and used a weed eater on it. People should die the same way they kill. |
