By Glenn Richards | Sun City West
Poor driving in the Sun Cities an understatement. What is concerning is the degree of poor driving people think is acceptable. Driving is a privilege, not a right. When you abuse it, you disrespect and endanger other drivers. But every day, I see people who are literally driving by the seat of their pants.
There are medical conditions people have such as poor peripheral vision/eyesight, neuropathy, Alzheimer’s or dementia. On any given day you can see: drivers with dogs in their lap, cellphones in their hand, eating, putting on makeup, reading, not using turn signals, improper lane changes, parking on the wrong side of the street and/or in front of fire hydrants, turning around in private driveways, improper right turns on red... the list goes on and on.
On top of this, some even drive to their mailbox, going the wrong way on the street, because they can’t walk to the mailbox. Should they even be driving?
Lastly, there are some drivers who think the road is their own personal ashtray — keep the butts and smoke to yourself!
Some people are afraid to blow a horn lest they get the middle finger or worse. Could the other driver be unstable, and have a gun they might pull on you? The horn should be used respectfully for safety; honking at another driver is often as ineffective as honking at a herd of cows.
Driving is serious business — pay 200% attention! Look up the driving rules online and follow them, for everyone’s safety. The DMV, licensing and registration, police, physicians, eye doctors, and car dealers, all could have a big influence on these issues — everybody needs to work together.
Unfortunately, as in most things, money is often at the root of the problems.
Editor’s note: This writer is using a pen name. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
