Tales from the Corners

We all know that talking and/or texting while driving is a forbidden. So, what’s a busy mobile phone user to do? Obviously, there have been a smorgasbord of hands-free products out there that have been making it possible to use the mobile phone while the automobile operator has two hands on the wheel. I’ve always been on the fence about hands-free devices like the Bluetooth, mobile speakerphones and plug-in mobile phones that make “driving while talking” possible. Sometimes hands-free devices have been OK for me and sometimes they have been a distraction. I have come to some conclusions about  using hands-free devices. If one is having a light-hearted conversation while driving, well — that seems to work. After all, if one is “just chatting,” then chances are the mind does not have to take down pertinent information at that moment thus taking the driver’s eyes off of the roadway. Provided that a light-hearted conversation is solely on the phone while the radio, TV and/or GPS is ...

There’s a big part of me that says the so-called “slow-poke bill” makes a lot of sense. For those not in the know, Georgia House Bill 459 otherwise known as the “slow poke bill,” will allow authorities to ticket those who engage in “lurking in the left lane.” Most of us who have been driving a long time know that is has been road etiquette for ages to assume that slower drivers travel in the right lanes and those who drive faster stay in the far left lanes on the Peach State’s highways. Certainly there are good intentions with HB 459 which makes it a misdemeanor for those who do not get out of the way. Still the bill has a few problems. It’s a bit tough for authorities to enforce. How does a patrol officer accurately and honestly witness a left lane lurker?  Sure there are situations where it’s a no-brainer, but in most cases, it will be tough to determine. Heck, it’s tough for city, county police or state patrol to issue tickets for distracted driving let alone determining who ...

A teen is badly hurt crossing traffic on a county road. An unknown male is killed trying to cross a street. The teen in the first incident walked into the roadway as he was heading towards his school. In the second, there was no crosswalk in the vicinity for that roadway victim. These are just a few of the tragic stories that regularly unfold on our highways and byways. Indeed responsibility rests with all pedestrians who ought to be aware of his or her situation. But in many cases, life for a full-time, part-time or occasional pedestrian in the Atlanta metro region is difficult. Our so-called neighborhoods, thoroughfares, suburbs, downtown and rural areas were not fully designed with pedestrians in mind. Perhaps there is a set of sidewalks along the road and maybe the teen chose not to use them. Possibly the unknown individual in Norcross could have crossed in a safer area, but he chose to negotiate the road in a more dangerous spot. Still, these are tragedies which can be...