Pantagraph.com | Letters | New driver surprised by number of law breakers

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

I agree wrote on Oct 19, 2007 3:30 PM:

" Well spoken Jessica. For those people who speed up at yellow, the City has conveniently marked for you when you are able to safely slow down. Prior to reaching the stoplight the lines on the road go from dotted lines to a single solid line. If you are past where this line changes you are safe to proceed. If you are still in the dotted line, SLOW DOWN AND STOP!!! "

BILLY BOB wrote on Oct 17, 2007 11:27 PM:

" Great letter Jessica!!! I drive the speed limit, I do not speed on our streets. I stop at every stop sign, a full and complete stop. I always slow down and stop if I can when the light turns yellow. I have never been rear ended. I have however been honked at, given the finger, passed at the first opportunity, cut off, cut in front of, cussed at, and had more than one person pass me and then slam on their brakes in front of me. There is no excuse for breaking the law while driving. Thanks again for your refreshing reminder Jessica. "

FYI wrote on Oct 17, 2007 7:34 PM:

" I use my phone, but rarely speed. When I speed, it has nothing to do with the phone. Before there were phones, there were speeders and bad drivers. People's moods and the music on the radio have the most effect on speeding or other violations than phones. Bad driver to begin with = even worse driver with phone or anything else. "

gamer_chickie wrote on Oct 17, 2007 5:25 PM:

" No worries, Jessica. Don't let all the excuse makers out there fool you into thinking breaking the rules is ok. Just keep an eye out for other drivers and keep up being as good a driver as you can be. The best way to teach others is to be a good example yourself. :) "

Rules to drive by wrote on Oct 17, 2007 5:03 PM:

" Drive as if people don't see you or the stop signs/lights unless you see evidence that they do "

Meh wrote on Oct 17, 2007 3:24 PM:

" "Josh", I would have to leave 20 minutes early to take the Veteran's Pkwy route. I take other side roads which have speed limits of 35mph and arrive 20 minutes sooner. It sucks having to go through residential areas, but hey, I don't need an extra 40 minutes on my commute. "

35mph on Veterans wrote on Oct 17, 2007 2:36 PM:

" In addition to the driving horrors Jessica mentioned, I'd like to know where in the rules of the road it specifies that the Veterans Parkway speed limit decreases from 45 to 35 on weekends. I've seen people almost get in accidents over this. Please folks, drive the speed limit - not 10mph over OR under. And to Jessica - maintain your focus on what others are doing. Drive defensively. It could save your life. "

Josh wrote on Oct 17, 2007 2:07 PM:

" To MEH, why don't you leave a few minutes early to get where you're going? Or is that just too inconvenient for all of you who like to run red lights? "

To JTE wrote on Oct 17, 2007 1:42 PM:

" Not only drivers of town of normal vehicles break th law, but so do Unit 5 bus drivers. On at least three occacions over the past month or so, I have seen a but go thru a red light. Very disturbing. "

to stop on yellow wrote on Oct 17, 2007 1:23 PM:

" I thought I had read the most idiotic letter to date on this site, but yours beat them all. I hope I am never driving in front of you! "

to stop on yellow wrote on Oct 17, 2007 11:12 AM:

" concerning that story yesterday about the trucker who rear ended the driver and got away with it, there was something very fishy about that story. everyone knows that to rear end someone is automatically at fault. who knows what facts were left out of that story or how inept that family could have possibly have been to be bullied by some lawyers and not go to their insurance or the police. "

JTE wrote on Oct 17, 2007 10:30 AM:

" A silver Endeavor SUV today with municipal plates and a Town Of Normal sticker on the door was heading north on Wylie Drive around 8:30 AM today. The speed limit there is 35 MPH until just south of the former outlet mall where the limit increases to 45. The driver of a city vehichle was driving just shy of 50 until the speed limit increased where they went up to 60. And they slowed down, but didn't even try to stop for the stop sign at College. Setting a great example not only for how city employees should drive, but for their child who was in the car with them. "

To Jessica: wrote on Oct 17, 2007 9:14 AM:

" Well said. Couldn't have said it better myself. "

To: stop on yellow wrote on Oct 17, 2007 4:46 AM:

" You are the one that needs to read the rules of the road. Jessica never said to slam on your brakes when the light changed to yellow. In fact she indicated not to slam on the brakes if you were to close to the intersection. I'm sure Jessica is a much safer driver than you. "

Frodo Baggins wrote on Oct 17, 2007 12:41 AM:

" Try it blindfolded... have some fun and take a few risks! "

to: nothing new wrote on Oct 16, 2007 7:55 PM:

" Have you seen any married people come to a complete stop? "

RE To Stop On Yellow wrote on Oct 16, 2007 5:25 PM:

" I suggest you read the letter to the editor that is 4 letters before this one where Dr. Herbs daughter was rear ended by a renegade trucker and was forced to pay for her own medical bills, lost wages, and car damage. You really should read before you post. I so agree with the original poster and rules of the road clearly state yellow, means to slow down and proceed with caution. Not lock your brakes up. "

Chicken Bone wrote on Oct 16, 2007 4:14 PM:

" Geez, if I have time to stop when the light turns yellow, I do. That signal means "caution-this light will go red SOON". I put this here becasue it is evident to a few out there that have no clue. To use someone's logic, you would NEVER stop at a light no matter what color if you were going with the flow of traffic. The light changes which disrupts the flow of traffic. The only time I go through a yellow is if I cannot safely stop at one. Now, if you want to rear-end me, go for it. This is the 21st century and I get to sue. "

good letter wrote on Oct 16, 2007 3:31 PM:

" Good to hear this from a young driver. Good luck out there - you need it. It is scary driving anymore, no matter where you are! I was almost in a serious wreck last week at college and main. I was driving west on College and the light turned yellow as I was right at the stop line. I kept going at 30 MPH because I wouldn't have been able to stop in time. A woman turning left on green (she is supposed to yield) gunned it and flew into the intersection. I screeched on my breaks leaving tread on the pavement and snapping my seatbelt tight - glad to know that safety feature works. Left turns are supposed to yield on green, not gun it so they don't have to sit through another light. "

The other day~~ wrote on Oct 16, 2007 2:18 PM:

" I came up to a yield sign and suddenly realized I had to yield to let two cars go. I stopped and one went and then second started to go but a young girl behind the second car was (of course) yakking on the phone and had to stop behind him and it made her mad. She was yelling out the window at him while still holding the phone. He did nothing wrong but she had to stop and was probably distracted by that IMPORTANT phone call she had and probably almost rear ended him. Otherwise she had no reason to get mad. Stay off the dam phone people!!! You can't drive and pay attention to what your doing while your on it, you DO get distracted whether think you don't or not. I think Bloomington should pass a law against driving and talking on the phone. I would bet if checked that most accidents happen because of that SO IMPORTANT PHONE CALL about going out that night or whose boyfriend did what. Just remember the person you hurt doesn't want to be hurt. "

To: stop on yellow wrote on Oct 16, 2007 1:59 PM:

" Maybe you should try reading the rules of the road. Any time you rear end another vehicle you are the one at fault regardless of why or how fast the person in front of you stopped. I would LOVE to see you try explaining to a police officer that it was the other person's fault they got rear-ended because they stopped when the light turned yellow. Too funny! Here you are being "holier-than-thou" to a young person who just earned their license, and she knows more than you do! "

lainey wrote on Oct 16, 2007 1:45 PM:

" Jessica - don't be discouraged by these comments. Just stick to your driving education and be safe out there. B/N drivers are just as rude as Pantagraph commenters! "

To: To It's the Lights wrote on Oct 16, 2007 12:26 PM:

" Sorry, but I don't believe that ANYONE would sit at a light for 12 minutes. Exaggerating a bit, are we? "

Nothing new wrote on Oct 16, 2007 12:25 PM:

" I haven't seen one single person come to a complete stop at a stop sign for months...including myself. "

Well Jessica... wrote on Oct 16, 2007 12:24 PM:

" the world isn't all roses and candy. You are just getting a peak into the real world. "

To: its the lights wrote on Oct 16, 2007 10:12 AM:

" I agree, I was waiting for a left turn arrow on Veterans last week. It literally cycled through six green/red intervals for about twelve minutes before I got an arrow. "

Meh wrote on Oct 16, 2007 9:27 AM:

" Jessica, drive a few more months on Veteran's Pkwy and you'll understand why people blow the red. Try sitting 5 minutes at each of a dozen lights when you have some place to be. "

It's the lights! wrote on Oct 16, 2007 9:07 AM:

" I sat in a left lane wanting to turn left and the light never changed from red. This happened twice. I looked both ways, made sure the roads were really clear and then turned left even though the light was red. I believe there are exceptions to rules, but consideration and safety do need to come first. I truly believe the lights in Bloomington/Normal are messed up and need readjusting. "

on the lookout wrote on Oct 16, 2007 7:52 AM:

" I would like to see a driver that did not bend the rules, speed even if only a little, roll through stops and red lights, use poor signalling, cut in front of people etc. Someone who was simply a courteous and legal driver. I'll bet his car would be dented all over from all the other improper drivers and he would have horns in his ears constantly. I don't think drivers realize how poorly they do in general. "

stop on yellow? wrote on Oct 16, 2007 7:26 AM:

" what school taught you that? Try reading the rules of the road and when you get about 5 years or so experience come back and share your infinite wisdom with we less fortunate. Wayne dillow is a person who does not know how to drive and his letter and whinning prove it. Something they may have not taught you in drivers ed is that you run with the flow of traffic. So if you are the one who locks up your brakes when approaching a yellow light you will be rear ended. People driving too slow and too cautious contribute to as many if not more accidents than people who drive faster. Jessica in a few months I would bet anything you will be texting and paying attention to other things than your driving just like everyone else. One quick question Jessica, how can you be focusing on your driving so carefully when you are watching what other drivers are doing? "

william wrote on Oct 16, 2007 3:19 AM:

" I think because cell phones enable us to be in instant communcation with anyone, anywhere, we attempt to travel at the same speed. Combine this with a lack of consideration for others and you have our driving habits. "

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