I am a fairly new driver to the Fayette County area. I have found the roads to be dangerous and confusing because so many drivers in our county do not seem to understand the importance of “right of way.”
When I come to one of the many roundabouts in our community, I often see someone coming to a complete stop inside a roundabout in order to let other cars into the roundabout. They think that they are bring polite.
I have almost rear-ended or have been rear-ended because no one expects another car to stop inside the roundabout. The cars in the roundabout have the right of way.
Stopping inside the roundabout is not polite. It is dangerous and reckless. Please take your right of way when in a roundabout.
I have come to a four-way stops and have witnessed a motorist wave multiple vehicles through for no reason other than to “be polite.” It is not polite. It is confusing and dangerous.
When a person does not take their right of way at the four-way stop, they are creating confusion that at best slows down traffic, and at worst makes the intersection more dangerous. Please take your right of way at a four-way stop.
Then there are the drivers who will come to a full stop on a busy road to let someone out. I almost had a huge accident because of one of these “polite drivers.”
I was driving through Fayetteville and I was in the middle turn lane on Glynn Street. A “polite driver” in an SUV traveling in the opposite direction came to a stop and began waving me to cross in front of them and turn onto Johnson Avenue.
Being a young and inexperienced driver, I started to cross the two lanes of traffic. Thankfully, before entering the second lane, I slammed on the brakes as I saw a fast approaching car that had no intention of stopping.
If I would have kept going, as the “polite driver” recommended, I would have been hit and it would have been my fault. I would have no car and my insurance would have skyrocketed. All because of a “polite driver.”
I appreciate being let through three lanes of traffic on a busy day when the traffic is backed up at the square. I am very appreciative of polite drivers who let me ease out of the government complex, cross the three lanes of traffic, and take the side street behind the Twisted Taco. But when traffic is moving and a car stops to let me out of a side street, it is not a polite thing to do, it is reckless and dangerous.
It happens to me and other drivers in my family all the time. Someone is going to get hurt by these “polite drivers.” I dodged a bullet once.
Yielding your lawful and expected right of way is not polite. It is confusing and dangerous.
So please take your right of way so that young drivers like me will not get hurt.
Andrew Marchman
Tyrone, Ga.
