By E.J. Smith

Happy Fall Elizabethton!

In the past few weeks, I have heard from several people about traffic laws that some drivers apparently are not aware of. These are things you should have learned from your drivers manual when you were preparing to test for your drivers license. We forget things though, so today we will review some traffic rules that are very important for our safety.

Most drivers do not remember when there were no turn signals and drivers had to use hand signals. I have always had turn signals, so am assuming most of you have to. But think of what drivers had to do before then to turn off the road; stick or hang their arms out of their window on the left and make different gestures with you arms and hands. Thank Goodness we don’t have to do that. However, one reader says that she is so over people who do not use turn signals. It is so easy, folks! If you are one of those people, that little thingy on the left of your steering wheel is the turn signal and you push it up if you are turning right and down if you intend to turn left. Not a difficult thing to do and giving the correct signal at the right time will keep one safer when driving. Also, turn signals are only for turning or changing lanes on a highway. They are not to be used behind another car when he or she is turning in front of you. If you stay the correct length behind them, you will not need to confuse the drivers behind you.

What about all those lines? Once again, some drivers seem to pay  no attention to the lines on the road. They are put there to ensure safety and if you do not notice them, you could be in a heap of trouble. The white line is there to separate traffic going the same way on a road. If the white line is solid, stay in your lane. If it is broken, you may change lanes or pass another car when it is safe to do so. The yellow line is just as important. If solid, it separates traffic going in the opposite direction. If the yellow line is broken and on your side of the road, you may pass another vehicle when it is safe to do so. Double yellow lines signify that it cannot be crossed at any time.

Have you ever noticed that some folks pass other cars in the right lane; never do this unless it is totally necessary. For example, you have to move to the left lane to allow cars to enter the freeway and before you can move over to get back in the correct lane, other drivers pull out and pass you on the right. Please drivers! Let people get back in their lane before passing them, then you will be passing in the left lane, which is the only one you should use to pass other vehicles. If you are driving in the left lane for a short time and you notice a car gaining on you and you know he will need to get around you, move to the right lane and let them pass on the left. We all have seen drivers pass on double lines, cross solid lines, and blatantly  pass another car when there is a hill coming up. For your own safety,  brake and slow down so as not to be in an accident when this carelessness causes an accident.

One last thing that I have noticed is when turning onto the other side of a freeway, that drivers are not sure of where they should be while waiting to get to the other side (or turn left onto a side road). The law says to pass in front of any cars that are turning left from the opposing direction. That means, hang to the right and your vision will not be blocked.

If you are aggravated about things other drivers do or not do, let me know at burnsmybiscuit@gmail.com. All comments welcome.

You are in my prayers,

E.J.