was pleased to see the Press Release
from the RCIPSs we have published today. It is has, unfortunately,
the somewhat boring heading “RCIPS issues traffic advisory to road
users”. We have used it as a sub-heading, chnging the main heading
to “Police warn drivers they MUST indicate and other 'nuances' to
help traffic flow”.

I am hoping it will draw more
readership. Don't we all hate the bumper to bumper, stop and go crawl
every morning and evening to work and come back home?

The Release reminds motorists about
“Speeding in School Zones”, “Speeding”, “Unsafe Loads and
Passengers on the Back of Trucks”, and finally “Use of Indicators
and Inattention”.

This is the very first time I have read
any RCIPS traffic related release that highlights that drivers “must
use their indicators when approaching a roundabout and when making
turns on and off of the public roadways. During morning and evening
commute, officers have noticed that persons using the roundabouts are
not indicating to the lane they wish to exit and this in turn causes
a build-up of traffic to occur. Failing to indicate is an offense
which carries a traffic fine of $100.”

I have been preaching that over and
over again.

Continually ticketing people for over
tinting their windows does not cause accidents. Not signalling,
especially at roundabouts DOES!!!

That and speeding, combined with
over-the-limit drinking and driving, are the main causes. Plus
imaptience!!!

Just yesterday evening, as I was
waiting to enter the Linford Pierson Highway from a sideroad near
where I live, I was having difficulty judging the speed of the
vehicles going south down the two lane road. A car drew up behind me.
Three cars coming down the highway turned left into the road I was
waiting. Only one indicated. For a Friday evening (it was around
6:30pm) the traffic going south was unusually large. The driver of
the car behind me started to become impatient and began blasting his
horn at me. I counted to ten and did not give an appropriate hand
gesture tback. I did venture onto the highway and as usual marvelled
at how the approaching vehicles head lights were upon me so quickly
even though I had sped quickly up to the regulation 40mph. They
either flashed past me or at me as I proceeded on my way, past the
large roundabot that takes you to Jose's gas station and down to the
little roundabout at the end.

By this time, the car that had blasted
his horn at me was now two cars in front and as the road was now one
lane down and one lane up, and there was a line of approaching
traffic, he couldn't overtake.

The car in front of our impatient
driver was stuck behind a car at the little roundabout. Car after car
that turned left onto the Highway did not indicate they were doing so
making the driver waiting there take a long time before someone did
indicate and he was able to proceed. During all this time my
impatient tooting driver took up his cue and started blasting his
horn again!

When I arrived at the traffic lights at
the juction by the Cricket Ground my tooting 'friend' was now
alongside me in the second lane. The lights changed and he sped off,
weaving in and out of the lanes so he could be fiirst. When I got to
roundabout by A.L Thompson I actually passed him. He had weaved into
the wrong lane and was stuck. I smiled as I passed him by and I did
stop the urge to toot.

He was first, but after me!