Proceeding backward, the moral of the story is, with as many laws as we have, people who don’t care to play by the rules aren’t going to obey the new laws, and those who try must shelve common sense. Sometimes, it would be nice if we were expected to behave courteously and rationally.
Today, I saw a motorist left-turn in front of an ambulance on an emergency run. The ambulance had to swerve, and the motorist just cruised into his subdivision. An EMT and I used to joke about the way people drove in Madison County. We said it was a game for bragging rights at the dinner table. The one who had the most cars behind them won, and emergency vehicles counted as three cars.
I’ve never been a fan of move-over laws. I tend to steer clear of vehicles parked on the roadside ever since a friend of mine was right behind a car that ran over a man getting off his truck. Even so, I’ve more than once felt I was about to get into an accident as aggressive drivers, jockeying to keep their position, defy those in the right lanes to keep the law.
So, today the move-over law was extended. At first, it required drivers to vacate the lane nearest an emergency vehicle at the side of the road or slow and prepare to stop if another lane of traffic going the same way was not available. Now, the law will apply to road crews and roadside public service vehicles with flashing lights of any color. Violators who don’t want to plea-bargain or hire a lawyer will be subject to a $250 fine plus court costs.
