You Are in Soooo Much Trouble!
Seniors Choice Newsmagazine, February 2006
Lian Couper
Older drivers are just too darn nice. At any given intersection when they see another driver in need of direction or encouragement they readily lend a hand. Usually it will be to a driver across the intersection from them, most likely one who is attempting a left hand turn but is hesitating. It may be in a gated community where there are no traffic signs to give guidance. It could be at a two-way, three-way or even the most challenging -a four way stop.
Why would a senior driver, or any driver, take on the formidable chore of directing these powerful road machines? Because they are nice! With hand gestures that rival semaphore, these experienced drivers will blithely send other drivers merrily off in all directions. When all goes well the generous driver has felt that they have done a good deed, until one day?
Our ubiquitous driver has arrived last at a four-way stop where three other cars are present and waiting. Being the last to arrive he/she (we have to be fair here) is surprised to find they are now part of a vehicular stand off. No one is moving. Now our driver knows, having been on the road for several decades, that they must yield to the car on the right when arriving at uncontrolled intersections. But good gracious! With this stalemate every car is on every other car's right. No one is moving. This is where Good Motoring Samaritans comes into their own. With hand raised, eyes glistening and power surging through every corpuscle, our driver motions the car on the right to proceed, at which point the driver across and to the left, thinking the motion is meant for them enter the intersection, after all they each are also on the right if you think about it. The result is chaos at best and a collision at worst.
According to police our helpful driver who took it upon themselves to direct traffic has "committed an infraction" punishable by law. Accordingly insurance companies will hold the signaler "at fault" for the crash. Add to this the absolute, soul searing shock of having caused a crash, where someone might be seriously injured, I can not for the life of me understand why a driver, any driver would not keep their hands on their steering wheel and their minds on the own driving.
At a four- way standoff one car will eventually enter the intersection, usually within five seconds. Once one car has moved forward, the car opposite them will move forward as well. When those two cars have cleared the intersection, the others will follow and the problem will be resolved.
Here is a good rule for all intersections (get a free driver's manual) -Know the rules, Show your intention to turn by using your direction signal, move Slowly into the intersection and once in it, the driver must Go through.
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