THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604240154
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
Ahh, spring. The birds are singing, the sun is shining and you're out cruising with your significant other when you come to a yellow light.
What the heck, you think, yellow means punch it, right?
Wrong.
Do you realize that two people died within a week of each other in this city in accidents involving red lights? It's true.
A 35-year-old woman and a 9-year-old boy died in separate accidents. That's two lives snuffed out because there's no law and order, no compassion for your fellow man, no fear and no patience among drivers.
The madness has got to stop. Sure, we're all frustrated by gridlock and endless traffic signals but those signals are there for a reason. We've got to heed them and start paying attention to what the heck we're doing out there.
Road's making a personal plea. Please, please, please be brave and take the unprecedented step of stopping at a yellow light. Who cares about the ticked-off people behind you?
Do the right thing.
Don't do the yellow and for gosh sakes don't do the red, either. It could be one of your friends or family members or, it could even be you, who gets broadsided next.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Susan Cintron, no address given. I'm concerned about all the people who run red lights all over the city. There's not a day that goes by that I don't see a person blatantly running through a red light. I was just wondering what we could do to stop this. Its got to be stopped because it's really getting out of hand.
RW: Yet another reason for our fine city to invest in a couple dozen cameras. Maybe with Big Brother watching people will be less likely to blow through the lights. That's only a ``maybe.''
The following wrote to Road:
K. Stewart, Linkhorn Shores. I have two ``observances'' to share with you. First of all, the corner of LYNNHAVEN PARKWAY and VIRGINIA BEACH BOULEVARD. Lynnhaven Parkway has three lanes feeding onto Virginia Beach Boulevard. The middle lane turns both right and left. When turning right onto Virginia Beach Boulevard, the people on the outside right turn lane always insist on drifting over to the inside lane or just drift all the way over as to be in the far left hand lane once on Virginia Beach Boulevard. Well, when I choose to use the inside lane, I always try to stay in my own lane until I have completed my turn. But the people who are in the outside lane, and switch halfway through their turn, almost always come close to hitting me! Road crews did a wonderful job recently repainting directional arrows and people still ignore them! I could be wrong but I believe this type of turn is considered changing lanes in the middle of an intersection and is against the law. This is definitely an accident waiting to happen.
Second is it my imagination or is it a new law I'm not yet aware of that anyone who is talking on a cellular phone while driving always has the right of way? I think I may need to consult my driver manual again.
RW: An accident has probably already happened. The only thing you can take solace in is that, yes, it is against the law to perform such a maneuver in the middle of an intersection. Plus, it's pretty stupid because if there is an accident you can bet the law-breaker will be the one who leaves with a ticket and who gets the bill for damages.
And about those cellular phones, Road believes only emergency personnel should be allowed to drive and talk on the phone at the same time. Even they should go through special training to perform the task.
B.J. Coski, Lake Smith Terrace. I have seen many really close calls at the corner of INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD and HAYGOOD/WISHART road five days a week around 4 p.m. Traffic turning left onto Haygood pulls into a left turn lane to make that turn. There are usually so many vehicles turning left that they also occupy the ``speed lane'' on Independence. Through vehicles in this ``speed lane'' pull into the right lane even when other vehicles are approaching at a good speed (probably because they can't see them approaching).
The answer to the problem is obvious. Double the length of the left turn lane (taking from the median strip) to accommodate this daily backup.
RW: The good news is that all that's going to change when the city comes in and gives dual left turn lanes to those heading north on Independence trying to turn west onto Haygood. The bad news is that that's not scheduled to start until 1998.
Donald Ohnemus, Selwood Drive. I have a question that has been bugging me for several months. When I drive to work in the morning, I go north on MILITARY HIGHWAY, turn west on VIRGINIA BEACH BOULEVARD, then north on RABY ROAD.
When I start to turn right on Raby Road, I am quite often cut off by approaching drivers turning left onto Raby Road. I don't mind this when they have a left turn arrow (which, to me, gives them the right of way), but when they are on a regular green light, they continue to do so. There is a ``left turn yield on green light'' sign above the left turn lane. There is no stop sign or other marker telling me to yield to anyone when I am in the right turn lane and the straight through lanes have a green light.
I think I have the right of way in this situation, but a lot of people, including a Norfolk policeman on one occasion, seem to think they do. Most of them use the ``if I don't look at you, I can do anything I want to'' technique of driving, so it is difficult for me to signal my displeasure at them.
I would appreciate your opinion, or the letter of the law if you know it, for this situation.
RW: Hey, the law's the easy part. No need to wonder anymore. You're in the right; they're in the wrong. ``Left turn yields on circular green'' means all left turners yield to oncoming and right turning traffic.
Since the other drivers seem to be using the ``don't look'' approach, Road suggests you use the ole horn approach and blast them into looking. It always works for Road. MEMO: Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get 'em off your
chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message, dial ROAD
(7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1 again to
sign off.
Or, write: The Road Warrior, Virginia Beach Beacon, 4565 Virginia
Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va., 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood. by CNB