When did stopping at stop signs become optional | Letter

Published 11:30 am Friday, February 6, 2015

When did stopping at stop signs become optional? I have watched a disturbing trend over the past several years where drivers feel a left turn against a red light, or a failure to stop (or, in many instances, even slow down) when making a “right-turn on red” is perfectly acceptable – if they don’t get caught. This blatant disregard for the law has now begun to occur frequently at intersections with stop signs clearly posted. Unfortunately, police enforcement seems to be the only deterrent. Since there aren’t enough police officers to patrol every intersection, the ultimate deterrent becomes the resulting collision-causing unnecessary injury and damage to innocent parties.

Councilman Toby Nixon hits the nail on the head with his comment “…it seems like the issue to me is not so much the design of the roadway, as it is the drivers who just choose to exceed the speed limit.”

Until, and unless, motorists drive responsibly, observe the “rules-of-the-road” and show a little common courtesy to their fellow motorists, this unfortunate trend will continue and our roadways will become less safe.

Mike Main, Kirkland