Here's your sign....

 

 

STOP

 

 

The color red means the same thing in all languages.

 

Hot and Stop.

 

Even Bridgie gets this as of late.

 

When we pull up to a stop she says "wed".

 

Then signs hot and tries to say STOP  in Bridgidese.

 

So, why is it so hard for people to understand and adhere to the sign stop?

 

 

 

I spend more of my free time looping Crofton Parkway either in my car, on my feet, or on my bike.

 

There are stop signs at every cross street so when I am looping the parkway for the umpteenth time I inevitably see my share of non-stopping offenders.

 

We are quick to point fingers at teenagers or maybe even the older generations.

 

And of course it really can be anybody.

 

I mean we are all guilty of traffic errors and poor judgment.

 

But when you live in a community like Crofton or more specifically around Crofton Parkway you know you are going to encounter pedestrians at any time of day.  So slow down, the speed limit is 25mph for a reason. 

 

STOP  at the stop sign, then proceed with

caution.

 

The places that usually tick me off have been quiet this summer...Eton Way and Harcourt, only for new ones to crop up.

 

There is indeed a STOP sign at the intersection of Pleasant Meadow and Mayfair.  STOP at it.  There are plenty of kids who ride their bikes along Mayfair to get to the pool.

 

SLOW DOWN.

 

On my bike last night, I had to stop for not one but two cars pulling out of Crofton Country Club from the exit closest to Prince of Peace Church.  Cars that park at CCC and take the bus in to work. 

 

This is always a problem area and there is no STOP sign here (which is ridiculous).  So two cars

proceeded to peel out in front of me as if they had the right of way, not even slowing to look for peds on foot on the sidewalk.

 

As I continued my ride, I began to wonder why there is no sign there.  Up ahead, just around the corner from Duke of Kent on the Parkway, I saw our friendly Crofton Cop and he was parked and getting out of the car.  I thought perfect I'll loop around and ask him.  However,  he was standing in the middle of the street waving over two cars that failed to stop at the previous intersection.

 

The moral of the story, I suppose, is biking has opened my eyes to a brand new set of driving blunders and potential catastrophes.  From parked cars, to cars pulling out of driveways, to cars honking for you to get out of the way, to cars trying to pass you when there are two giant moving trucks in the road.

 

So to all those Car Bully's out there, I say here's your sign.

 

 

 

Pictures from google image.