OFF THE CUFF: Yes, I'm ranting again!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

— I wasn’t going to do it.

I wrote as much in the ‘Cuff several months ago.

I had vowed off writing about motorists who forget to turn on their lights when it’s raining or at other times some light is needed.

Monday morning changed my mind. My vow to keep silent has gone silent. My attempt at self control has been stifled. My ... well, whatever you want to call it ... has been stirred to action, again.

You who were out driving kids to school Monday morning, or going to work or just checking out whatever you check out on your way to breakfast at your local cafe will know exactly why I’m on another rant.

The fog was frighteningly thick. The vision was vicious. The traffic was traveling along uninterrupted. Lights were on. No one was speeding. It was a pleasant late August morning when everything was alright with the world. The whole atmosphere had been brightened by the refreshing, cooling, rejuvenating rain.

But there it came. Intermingled with the lights on cars and pickups on Highway 59, it appeared.

The smallish, light-blue car. No lights. It took a second look to realize it was really there. But there it was.

A couple of blocks later, the traffic had dissipated.

No vehicles were visible. But there another “it” was, just about a car length from me. Coming from the opposite direction, the black pickup suddenly appeared. Yep, that’s right. No lights.

I cruised on up to Main Street, parked and looked west. The fog there was not nearly as thick as it was just a few blocks away. Maybe that is whyI was able to see the twin headlights approaching from the west. Tiny specks of light that became visible as they reached midblock. Hooray. I’d almost bet it was a high school boy on his way to early football practice. Hooray for him or whoever it was.

I salute you.

A few blocks south on 59 - it’s almost certain - the car would have remained unseen by a car making a left hand turn.

It’s that simple how an accident can happen, particularly when one of the simplest rules of the road is forgotten, or ignored: Lights need to be on when visibility is impaired.

Please don’t forget my original rant of the past several years: When your windshield wipers go on, your lights should too. It’s a state safety law. A common sense one.

Let’s all do each other a favor and remember what common sense tells us to do.

Is a law really necessary?

Dodie Evans is editor emeritus of the Westside Eagle Obsever. He can be reached at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 08/29/2012