Red means stop
We commend the University for putting a lighted sign up on campus, facing Nicholasville Road, that says, "Red Means Stop."While many students live on campus, we all drive and we are all effected by other drivers. When people operating vehicles fail to do their part and routinely violate traffic laws, they place all motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists at risk.Failure to stop at red lights is not only a legal issue, but it also indicates a growing problem with the general public - a loss of common courtesy.
We understand that driving in cities can be extremely frustrating, especially when the traffic is so bad it takes an hour to travel a mile. After waiting in a line of cars for twenty minutes to get through, it's understandable to have an urge to sneak through a light that is now red, but was green three cars ago.
But even though it's tempting, consider what such an indulgent behavior could do to others. The list seems endless...
You could cause a traffic wreck because the drivers who really have a green light may not anticipate your red-light-running habit.
You could easily block an intersection, and consequently prevent an entire group of cars waiting at another light from moving when their light was green. This could make many people very angry and frustrated, which will cause them to run the next red light they come upon - a chain reaction.
You could injure a pedestrian because you are supposed to be appropriately, and completely, stopped by the time they see the "walk" sign, making it safe for them to cross.
You could injure a bicyclist who is adhering to the rules of the road.
Lexington may have irritating traffic problems, but come on. This is not exactly New York City. But it is starting to feel that way.
While some of the driving frustration can be blamed on poor city planning, most of it is attributable to a simple loss of manners amongst Lexington's drivers.
Consideration is something that should be on everyone's mind first and foremost all the time - even when you're encased in your motorized home-away-from-home.
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