I never could understand why the right turn on red was allowed so many years ago. I had thought it was initiated to alleviate gridlock in Manhattan, but upon further research, the ruling was passed during the gas crisis of the early 1970s to allow drivers to get home quicker, saving on gas consumption.

It made sense at the time, and most drivers abided by the law of coming to a stop at the red light, looking for road clearance, then proceeding into their turn. Well, I wish drivers today would still follow the law appropriately, but unfortunately most drivers now barely slow down before negotiating their turn at a red light, leading to narrow misses when vehicles making a legal left turn on an arrow come from the opposite direction.

The solution: stop, look, then proceed on a right turn on red.

Speaking of stopping, have we all forgotten what a stop sign is? So many people seem to think it only means you have to slow down and roll through the stop sign before continuing on your way. Some don’t even slow down at all.

For instance, he two stop signs on East Pattagansett Road in Niantic are ignored or not noticed by some drivers.

When is it permissible for two or three cars to proceed through a stop sign as a group? Just because there are no cars on the side street at the stop sign doesn’t mean you can link up and drive through with the car in front of you. Each car is supposed to stop, look, and then proceed past the stop sign.

I had one reader comment last year he was trained this “train” effect was acceptable in the state he learned to drive. I have never heard of such a thing before.

Solution: Stop at all stop signs! Count to 3 then proceed!

Tailgating woes

Another issue of aggressive driving I cannot tolerate is tailgating. What do they think they are accomplishing? Is putting the fear of someone running into you considered a good way to get a slower vehicle to move over so you can speed ahead, merely to start tailgating the next car?

These tailgaters are usually exceeding the speed limit in the first place, and in such a hurry to go somewhere, they put all the other drivers on the roads in danger just to meet their own agenda of getting to their destination as quickly as possible.

Tailgating is most prevalent on the highway, usually in the fast lane. Just the other day, I saw five cars in a row extremely close to the leading car, so close that if the lead car suddenly had to brake, all would have been involved in a horrific accident, especially with the tractor trailer behind all the cars also far too close.

Why do we have to tailgate? We are all driving too fast to begin with, rushing here and there, so why can’t we all start abiding by the laws of the highway?

Solution: Right lane is the travel lane; left lane is the passing lane. Keep right except to pass. Pass on the left. Pull back into the right lane after passing.

Left lane to pass

Too many drivers feel the left lanes of I-95 or I-395 are their own personal travel lanes. If you follow the rules, you make the highways safer.

And keep back at least three to four seconds behind the front vehicle. You remember how to determine this, yes? Pick a spot in the road. When the car in front of you passes this spot, it should take you three to four seconds to get to the same spot.

Functioning headlights, taillights and turn signal lights is another issue. Is it too much to ask someone to check these occasionally? Burned out headlights diminish the ability to see or be seen on the roads.

Also remember, it is the law in Connecticut to turn on your headlights when it is raining. This may seem ridiculous to some, but it isn’t intended to help you see ahead of you, it is for others to see you!

You are driving in the fast lane in a downpour when the tractor trailer ahead of you in the travel lane begins to pull over to pass a slower vehicle. Don’t you think it would be to your advantage to have your headlights on so the truck driver can see you? How are you going to slow down on the wet surface as the trailer moves in front of you?

Solution: Check your lights routinely and slow down!

Ambulance vs. bus

One situation I witnessed recently left me wondering about the rules of the road. As I was approaching Lawrence + Memorial Hospital a couple of weeks ago, an ambulance, lights flashing and siren wailing, pulled out onto Ocean Avenue ahead of me. Further up the road, a school bus was stopped with its red lights flashing as students were disembarking from the bus. This ambulance shot right past the school bus and proceeded on to its emergency. My first instinct was this was putting the children in danger, but the ambulance was rushing to an emergency.

Should the ambulance have passed the school bus, or are they required to stop, even when they are needed elsewhere now? I attempted to look up on the internet the answer because I could not determine what is proper in this situation.

According to one website I accessed, the ambulance should have stopped for the school bus. It claimed the emergency vehicle may not be responding to a severe emergency situation and stated the safety of the children outweighs the life of the person to whom the ambulance is responding.

I have had a difficult time locating the specific state law regarding this type of scenario. Maybe one of my readers can identify the proper protocol.

Write to me and tell me your thoughts on aggressive driving, or situations you have witnessed. I am always open to your comments and concerns. You can reach me at leeaedwards@atlanticbb.net.