How Hard Can it Be?
Drivers need to learn how to share roadways and follow common sense in order to prevent accidents.
By Katherine Rowe
Drivers need to learn how to share roadways and follow common sense in order to prevent accidents.
By Katherine Rowe
People in California don’t know how to drive, and it’s honestly one of the most frustrating things I have encountered while on the road.
After seeing some of Service Learning’s “Project Ignition” posts, I really thought about how most people don’t know basic things about their car and safe driving in general.
Regardless of how many road signs advise against it and memorials to people who have died from it, drunk and high driving is still a common occurrence among Pioneer students, and it’s honestly disgusting. Personally, I feel anyone, especially minors who choose to drive drunk should have their licenses taken away by the state due to their actions, but that’s a whole different story from what I want to talk about today.
While aspiring drivers are required to do driver’s education and many also read the driver’s handbook, none of the practical experience is imparted to them, and they learn from their parents who are also sometimes terrible drivers themselves. My frustrations based on my experience on the road both in cars and out of them are all due to the lack of practical driver’s ed as well as just people not having common sense.
First of all, I need to address bicycles. As I rode my bike the three miles to school and back during parts of my sophomore and junior year, and now have my license, I feel like I have a good understanding of both sides. Anytime people are driving, they should be cautious of bicycles and respectful of their space. Bikers are less protected, and if hit would be injured much worse than anyone in the car who hit them. I can’t fathom why people are so bitter towards bicyclists, but honking at a bike in a Sharrow lane to go faster, or cutting them off in a bike lane to turn right is unacceptable. Everyone needs to be more mindful of bicyclists in order to make the roads a safer place and prevent casualties.
Now, bicyclists can’t go on freeways, which is where my biggest pet peeve occurs. People don’t know how to merge at all, and it’s frankly pathetic. Large traffic holdups can be caused by one person who just doesn’t know that they need to get to speed in order to safely get on the freeway, and it’s absolutely mind boggling that people will literally stop on entrance ramps when trying to join it. By stopping, you will definitely not be going the speed of traffic, and it’s less safe as people in the right lane will have to slow down to avoid hitting you.
In general, people need to be more aware when on the road and make less stupid decisions. To me it’s obvious to give bicyclists space, speed up when entering the freeway, and not drive drunk especially. I have no sympathy for anyone who wrecks their car or hurts themselves due to driving under the influence, even if they end up killing themselves. You can choose to be an idiot on the road, but then you might end up a dead one.
After seeing some of Service Learning’s “Project Ignition” posts, I really thought about how most people don’t know basic things about their car and safe driving in general.
Regardless of how many road signs advise against it and memorials to people who have died from it, drunk and high driving is still a common occurrence among Pioneer students, and it’s honestly disgusting. Personally, I feel anyone, especially minors who choose to drive drunk should have their licenses taken away by the state due to their actions, but that’s a whole different story from what I want to talk about today.
While aspiring drivers are required to do driver’s education and many also read the driver’s handbook, none of the practical experience is imparted to them, and they learn from their parents who are also sometimes terrible drivers themselves. My frustrations based on my experience on the road both in cars and out of them are all due to the lack of practical driver’s ed as well as just people not having common sense.
First of all, I need to address bicycles. As I rode my bike the three miles to school and back during parts of my sophomore and junior year, and now have my license, I feel like I have a good understanding of both sides. Anytime people are driving, they should be cautious of bicycles and respectful of their space. Bikers are less protected, and if hit would be injured much worse than anyone in the car who hit them. I can’t fathom why people are so bitter towards bicyclists, but honking at a bike in a Sharrow lane to go faster, or cutting them off in a bike lane to turn right is unacceptable. Everyone needs to be more mindful of bicyclists in order to make the roads a safer place and prevent casualties.
Now, bicyclists can’t go on freeways, which is where my biggest pet peeve occurs. People don’t know how to merge at all, and it’s frankly pathetic. Large traffic holdups can be caused by one person who just doesn’t know that they need to get to speed in order to safely get on the freeway, and it’s absolutely mind boggling that people will literally stop on entrance ramps when trying to join it. By stopping, you will definitely not be going the speed of traffic, and it’s less safe as people in the right lane will have to slow down to avoid hitting you.
In general, people need to be more aware when on the road and make less stupid decisions. To me it’s obvious to give bicyclists space, speed up when entering the freeway, and not drive drunk especially. I have no sympathy for anyone who wrecks their car or hurts themselves due to driving under the influence, even if they end up killing themselves. You can choose to be an idiot on the road, but then you might end up a dead one.