Re: "Response to highway crash showed lack of empathy," letter, March 23, Airdrie City View
Dear editor,
I read Ms. Mosley’s letter to the editor with interest and abhorrence last week. I am sorry she had such a bad experience while already dealing with a stressful situation. However, I do not think this demonstration of rudeness is a unique situation, as I am continually astonished at the discourteous, illegal and lack of safe driving in and around this city.
For example, the drivers who use 8 Street as a raceway. Or, the driver who tried to run the rail gate that was being lowered on Yankee Valley Boulevard as the train was approaching. Looking over at his young passenger verified we weren’t the only terrified witnesses to this reckless action.
And then there's the drivers who make three lane changes to cut off others to exit onto the Queen Elizabeth II Highway from Yankee Valley Boulevard.
Let's not forget the drivers who find it necessary to cut off others to ensure they “beat the line” as they head south on 8 Street past Hillcrest on the way to the traffic circle on Highway 566 – which, by the way, many drivers still haven’t learned to use. With the recent change in the speed, many rude and impatient drivers have followed much too close thinking the speed is 80 kilometres an hour while still inside the Airdrie city boundary.
Speaking of said traffic circle, the issue also applies to the location by Home Hardware near Kingsview Market. Given many communities have – and will continue – to install roundabouts to manage traffic, a refresh on driving rules would be useful for many local motorists. What about some “on the roundabout” training courses, or at least helpful instructions on how to use them?
There's also the drivers who don’t clear their windows. We were almost hit by someone in a parking lot as they were reversing with snow fully covering their back window and just a small clearing in the front window.
There are many to comment on, however, I leave you with this most recent experience. While turning left with the advance light onto Yankee Valley at 8 Street recently, a southbound driver turning west needed to yield to us but did not. When we signalled that he was in the wrong, the driver responded by pulling out of the far west lane that was his intended direction, came across the intersection and three lanes to follow us into our neighbourhood, driving very closely behind with the intent to harass and intimidate us. He finally gave up after following us around neighbourhood streets for about 10 minutes, making a left on 24 Street to resume his travel west. Our refrain – unfortunately – is there's “never a cop when you need one.“
Why can’t we all just follow the law and be responsible drivers?
Les Macartney
Bayside
