A reminder for drivers: Stand away from the road after an accident | Street Scene
Q. Em La is worried and perplexed seeing people standing in the street after a car crash or breakdown, sometimes talking on their cellphone. It’s so dangerous, especially with all the distracted drivers we have. Em La asks Street Scene to please tell people to put their emergency flasher on then safely get out of the road to a protected spot to await help.
A. I’m with you Em La. Moreover, people leaning into a car, stopped in a lane of traffic, chatting with people in the car. Goodness gracious get out of the street and realize the driver of the oncoming truck might not be paying attention. As I tell my children — when they find themselves stupefied as to how little thought they put into a decision that now has them in utter surprise — first use your brain!
Safe driving: Reducing risks on the road: Tips for driving safely and responsibly | Mahoney
Rethink arrow request
Q. Carl is asking someone to install a green right turn arrow for Kerry Forest Parkway traffic entering northbound Thomasville Road. This is a very busy intersection and if we had a right turn arrow like other intersections we would know the other traffic is stopped allowing us to turn without having to concentrate on the multiple directions someone could jump out and crash into us.
A. Carl this is one of those requests I throw out the caveat "be careful what you wish for." I understand what you’re saying however this intersection is running smoothly with right turns on red, but as soon as a right turn signal goes-in some blankety-blank will want to hang a No Right Turn On Red sign next to it.
Don’t think so? Just drive out Miccosukee Road to Dempsey Mayo Road. Although no one pays any attention to it, it remains a regulatory message which will bring points against your driver license and increase insurance costs. Here’s the kicker; this is a ‘T’ intersection.
The NTOR sign is placed where there is no conflicting north to south traffic entering the intersection because there is no road. Nor is there a protected left turn — east to south movement. There was some feeble speak about school busses unable to turn left, but of course, if we are allowed to turn right on red we can get out of the way or won’t even be there when the busses arrive.
Maybe a school bus driver refresher is in order. With this sign in position we are encouraging our young drivers to ignore a regulatory message. Take it down.
Killarney Way bumps
Q. Chuck wrote to us in April of this year saying he is tired of bumping over the unfinished, uneven pavement on Thomasville Road at Killarney Way asking Street Scene when the city plans to complete construction?
A. Excuse our delay in responding to your excellent message, Chuck. I actually called about this, almost resolved, bumpy road when we first got your letter. There is still more to do there so we will both keep watch.
Not working
Q. Jim is amazed at the number of Men At Work, Flagman Ahead and Road Work Ahead signs left in place when there is no construction underway. I understand lunch breaks but what’s so hard about flipping them down at night and up again in the morning and during weekends and holidays. Some locations have not been under construction for weeks not to mention removing them when the project is done. Is it to write tickets?
A. No, Jim, it’s not sinister, it’s strictly sloppiness and or poor construction project management. Construction warning signs are not left in place for law enforcement to write “doubled” speeding fines. Speeding fines are doubled as part of a road - highway “condition.” Florida Statute 316.183 “when workers are present” is a condition as is under construction.
The major problem with this sloppy practice is the reduction of believability of all construction warning messages when we encounter signs left up when no construction is in progress. Then when there is an actual project underway we might be reluctant to take the warnings seriously.
As you found on your Nebraska trip, leaving warning signs in place when the potential hazard is no longer present is sadly a common practice. It rests with State Department of Transportation Officials to issue some type of notice to construction companies to cease and desist this seemingly acceptable, dangerous habit.
It’s in your lap construction companies of America, you lobbied hard for many years for this stiff penalty of which I was fully on board to prevent your crews from serious injury and death, but you now jeopardize the thing that protects you. Get your act together.
Pet condolences
Last week I received some sad news: two longtime K-9 family - compassionate companion walkers, had passed away. Bear, always a kind heart and ready to visit, and more recently Sarge, a quick en passant hello of the ‘I’m on a mission’ type. We also read in nextdoor of neighbors losing ‘four legged’ loved ones. To each of you grieving we send our blessings. May your heartbreak eventually find comfort.
Many refer to domesticated animals as pets but we are the pets of these irreplaceable Loving members of our immediate Families.
Philip Stuart is a retired Florida State Trooper, Traffic Operations Projects Engineer and Forensics Expert Witness. Write to crashsites@embarqmail.com.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Reminder for drivers: Stay away from road after crash, breakdown
