Beware the driver at the red light

The philosophy of anticipation really does pay off when driving. Being focused not only means alert to what the other driver is doing, but also to what he may do unexpectedly. This has saved my bacon on so many occasions that I am really thankful to have learnt this lesson long ago.

At crossroads with traffic lights, there is in addition to the lights a Stop sign on a pole, and a painted stop sign on the road. In case of a failure on the part of the lights, which take precedent over all, except a policeman in charge of directing traffic, then the stop sign on the pole should be adhered to.

Should the lights have failed to work; and in case the stop sign on a pole not be there because somebody knocked it down, then the painted sign on the road is the last authority.

If you sat through the Rules of the Spanish Road you would have learnt that. The problem is that not everybody driving in Spain today took an exam, including those who are driving without a permit. Therefore, at such a junction they may become confused, as did a man who was at the head of the line at a red light. When the light turned to green he moved off, then promptly stopped when he reached the stop sign on the pole.

That sort of thing really makes one clinch one's buttocks because you are just not expecting it. Fortunately, I had to shift into gear when he apparently had an automatic, so he stopped just as I started. I hit my horn hard, followed by a chorus behind me that led him to spin his wheels hard as he took off.

I'm sure this type of thing only happens once in a while, but because no-one expects it the potential for causing a real mess is great. As long as every driver is focused and patient the probability of a crash is lessened, but that depends on every driver doing his bit.

As for the super cautious driver, this is a classic case of causing a problem by being overly cautious.

Copyright (c) 2016
Eugene Carmichael