Monday, February 18, 2013

"Red Means STOP!"

I just saw a driver turn left on red. The car turned up Locust Street from the red light at the intersection at Route 462.  Last week, I saw a car totally ignore a red light at Cherry Street and 462 - in the morning, when school kids were gathering on the Cherry Street sidewalk of Park Elementary.  The driver wasn't trying to make a yellow light that suddenly turned red. The light was already red and had been for at least 10 seconds. He just didn't want to stop and chose to drive right through the light as if it didn't exist and then "flew" out the highway.
From what I've seen over the past year (at least), these two incidents are not isolated. They're commonplace.  Drivers ignore red lights and blow through stop signs routinely. The practice has become epidemic around town. I hate to be a doomsayer, but if it continues, which it probably will, there's bound to a tragedy - sooner rather than later.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

can't anyone make a citizens arrest? call police and give them details-license plate, address/location of incident, time, etc....but i'm guessing u would then have to be subpoenaed to the hearing since u saw it. theres no reason for this, especially near the school.

on the other hand, i totally have had it with the light at 4th & Locust if u r traveling from with side of 4th St. and also the light at 5th & Locust if u r traveling up or down Locust St....IT'S RIDICULOUS. U CAN SIT THERE FOR 4 MINUTES !!!! YES, I SAID 4 MINUTES.

Anonymous said...

don't forget-council mtg next week-theres NO reason to HIRE a "sewer enforcement officer" but oh wait, now they r calling it something else..FIX OUR STREETS

Joe Lintner said...

I almost had my camera ready to take a clip of the driver at 5th & Locust. I saw what was about to happen, but the driver whipped into the turn too fast.
And yes, the light at that intersection - if you're waiting on Locust - is the longest light in town.