There’s no time for driving the speed limit, slowing down in school zones or taking corners at less than a break-neck speed. Or so it seems.
Speed demons in a hurry to be someplace else must really despise Saskatchewan Street where there are two school zones in proximity, not to mention that curve designed as a revenge goodbye from a long-ago city engineer who was leaving the city.
On that curve there is a stop sign to bring drivers to a stop before they decide which direction will get them to their destination in a few seconds less. Signal lights recommended but not mandatory!
Then just as a driver thinks he/she has the straight-away, there’s another sign indicating a playground coming up soon and reduced speed is the law.
As I made my way east on Saskatchewan Street the other night, it became easily evident that the driver behind me was in a hurry. If I had opened my trunk gate, he would have been able to drive right in. We might have had a good visit and gotten to be friends. Unlikely, especially after I explained the rules of the road to him.
He tailgated me from Seventh Avenue right through to my avenue where I slowed to make the turn to head home.
Zoom, he carried on with his journey, but not before hitting his horn in a fond farewell. I reciprocated.
Hopefully he got to his destination safely. While there he likely complained about the doddering drivers on city streets and bragging about how he showed one of them what’s what and who is in charge of rudeness.
At least I wasn’t driving Housemate’s car this time. I was driving his new vehicle one day, heading to a dinner engagement with family. As is the rule, I stopped at the red light at Ninth and Coteau. The fellow behind me did not. I said some bad words. Housemate muttered some similar phrases before getting out to check for damage
Thankfully there was no damage, the other fellow thought it was a laughable moment and he zoomed on his way once I moved away from his path. If I were a drinker, I might have begged a sip or two from our hosts. Instead I petted the dog and got over the shakes.
The message I’m hoping to convey is that it is dangerous out there if all drivers don’t take their responsibilities seriously. That dead animal beside the sidewalk could just as easily have been a young child. Several years ago a family friend was hit and killed while crossing at a pedestrian cross-walk. The driver was speeding.
It only takes a moment to have one’s life changed in serious and unthinkable ways. In Moose Jaw, it only takes a few minutes to get from Point A to Point B. Slow down, be kind to other drivers and make sure that horn is at high volume.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
