by Diana Claude

Created on: September 15, 2009   Last Updated: September 21, 2009

I live in a fairly large city in New England, and I also operate a transit bus for a living. For the most part, the drivers in my town are pretty articulate; They have to be if they are ever going to get where they are going. Aside from the usual list of do-nots, such as talking on the phone, eating, kissing, and the all too familiar; Driving while laying back in the seat with one hand on the steering wheel as you are changing your c d player. I have seen drivers do some things that would make even a seasoned truck driver stifle a scream.

For instance; For some reason, people love to cut directly in front of a bus that is alighting a passenger and make a right turn, usually into Burger King or a shopping mall. This is very dangerous because people have been hit by cars as they are crossing the street by someone flying around the corner. Not only that, but if they bus pulls off, you may not see his signal as you may be in his blind spot, and hence an accident happens.

Trying to out-race someone to an intersection, and then making a quick left turn is also a receipt for disaster. The oncoming car may not have time to stop, if and when, he sees you. Being hit broad side by some one going 30mph is a terrible thing. Recently, two teenagers were killed by a police car racing to a call when they left turned in front of him.

Stopping in the middle of the street to let someone out of your car is a bad idea because the car behind you has no where to go. If the lane to his left is blocked, he can't go there, he can't go to the right if there is a person there, and if he stops, he could get rear ended and possibly pushed into the back of your car.

Backing up on any street, is a little crazy, but backing up on an interstate is suicide. People do it anyway. If you miss your exit please go to the next one and double back. It only takes a few minutes more and is by far, much safer.

Equally as bad is driving in the break-down lane when merging onto a highway and then proceeding for about two miles in order to get ahead of everybody else. You never know when you might actually encounter disabled car or worse a police officer in that lane, then you're really in trouble.

Don't drive through standing water during a storm, it's not worth the risk, you never really know how deep the water is until your in it. Be smart and go around it.

Finally, if you happen to be in my town and you see these things happening, please don't roll your window down and curse or make obscene gestures. People have been known to follow those that do this for miles just to get the last word.

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