Pet Peeve of the Day ...

I'm very pleased that I had the opportunity to learn how to drive with a driver's education programme. Our instructors were great - they taught us well ... they laid the foundation that has kept me safe on the high-ways and bi-ways I have travelled in the over 21 years since I was given that little piece of paper by the Ontario Government and set free on the roads ...

I have had my moments ... a couple of unexpected trips into the ditch (my fault - usually driving too fast for the conditions), and an unexpected collisions with a couple of birds and a deer ... but otherwise, (knock wood) I've been a safe driver and have had no difficulties. I'm a lead foot, but thanks to my driver instructors back at ole Stratford Central, I'm a good driver ...

So, today's pet peeve is directed at the IDIOTS on the road who have no understanding of basic rules of the road ... For example - you can make a right turn on a red ONLY when it is SAFE to do so - doing it into oncoming traffic is not only unsafe, it is STUPID.

But my real pet peeve today is what I witness over and over and over while driving around Brandon. I wish this could be read by the yahoos who habitually run amber lights - but given how they drive, I doubt they can read, and I further doubt that they can operate a computer either ...

So, in the vain hope that maybe one of those IDIOTS who keep running amber lights, thereby putting the rest of us at risk, MIGHT have this read to them ... I offer this as my pet peeve of the day:

If you open the Manitoba Driver's hand book (click on the title to read this yourself) to page 25, you will find this remarkable entry:

An amber light (that's the YELLOW ONE), is a warning that the light is going to turn red, slow down and stop - NEVER ACCELERATE TO "MAKE THE LIGHT". If you are already in the intersection when the light turns amber, continue through.

So, when I'm waiting to make a left hand turn, let's say in front of the Wendy's on Park and 18th, and some bonehead in a red and grey Ford F-series Pick Up truck burns out of the Dairy Queen parking lot to the west and rockets through the AMBER light as I'm about to turn to clear the intersection, you are NOT only putting yourself at risk, but you are putting me and my family at risk too. So - to that brain dead moron - THANK YOU. You've allowed me to show my children why driving is a privilege NOT a right ... Your license should be taken away until you read and comprehend the words in the Driver's Manual ...

For the rest of us - let's drive safe ...