A visual impairment, or reminder
I stopped at the corner of my street, looked both ways and waited. Even though we have a four way stop, pedestrians either learn to be cautious or they die. Simple rules of the road. To my dismay, the motorist to my right held his stationary position, giving me time to cross without stress or the need to run.
The answer? There was a police cruiser just behind him. Amazing how all the arcane bits of courtesy taught in driver education courses flood back when a marked car is in sight. Municipal budgets don’t allow for “wall to wall and treetop tall” police presence, so when the odd occasion for safety arises, I notice.
The police car then circled into a nearby parking lot and took up station with the best tool in his arsenal: RADAR. The proof of excessive speed, come court day, rests in the digital readout that can presented for public scrutiny. I didn’t have an opportunity to stand around and wait for lights, action, citation, but given the average speed on my local motorway it was likely worth the time in infractionary income.
Now that my sons are of driving age, I’m noticing more ads for parents. Tools that can measure the speed profile of a given trip, or that will limit access to things like the car stereo when seatbelts are left unattached. Better than a telltale heart (thank you, Mr. Poe). There hasn’t been much actual driving, yet, but when I got in the car and had to push the seat forward recently, I realized that a new era had begun.
