Thursday, June 4, 2009

Be Kind in 4 Ways, But Not at 4 Ways

This happens to me a lot...

I understand that you're only trying to be nice when you forfeit your right of way to let someone else go while driving, but this practice has got to stop. For example, at a 4 way stop, just take your turn. It creates too much confusion when you wave to the other person, saying "you go," then they gesture back, "no, you go... after all, it is your turn." then the other person waves back, perhaps a friendly "thank you," but you're not sure if they're saying "no you go," so you think to yourself, "I do have the right of way," and start to ease your way past the stop sign. At the same moment, the other driver puts his foot on the gas pedal. You nearly run into each other in the middle of the intersection, but brake just in time, leaving both drivers feeling frustrated and annoyed. I know you were just trying to be nice, but you nearly caused an accident by doing so.

Certainly, I am not suggesting that we never be kind to others. But when driving, take your turn... oh, and if you're in a crowded parking lot (such as after a concert or sporting event), do the every-other car merging thing. It works wonders.

So, I am listing 4 ways you can be kind, but not at a 4 way stop sign:

1. Invite your neighbors over for dinner
2. Leave a note with the top 100 reasons you love your significant other
3. Allow someone who only has a couple of items in her hand to go in front of you in the grocery store check out line
4. Rewind

2 comments:

Sra said...

Yes, people become morons at 4-way stops and round-a-bouts. I hate when a car stops at a 4-way, and sees that another car is also approaching the 4-way but has not yet stopped, and then they feel like they need to wait for that car to stop before they can go. No. You were there first, you did your stop, now get thee out my way!

Also, there's this rather breath-taking hill that I have to climb on my way home when I bike to work, and I usually like to take a rest at the top of it, lest my lungs explode. It also happens to be a 4-way stop, and while I'm sitting there next to the curb, drinking my water, very clearly not waiting for a turn to go, cars still stop at the stop sign and wait for me to go. Moron! Get out my way!

kimmalee said...

I'm with you there. I understand and appreciate people trying to be courteous but there is a system at work here that is thrown off by you people just trying to be nice. So stop it!