Driving rule from spouse’s dad remains a good life lesson

QWhy do I wait a couple of seconds at the green arrow? Because of all the crazy red-light runners I’ve seen. My father-in-law was a trucker, and I always remember his rule of the road. Never be the first into the intersection. … Anyone who doesn’t wait at least three seconds is a fool. — Bonnie Fullerton, Barbara L., and more

AA comment by Glen Walls of Antioch asking why drivers wait two to three seconds on a green light before proceeding into an intersection propelled the Roadshow email into first gear.

QWhen I worked for a local city, I was out in the field all day. I always counted to three and looked both ways into the intersection to make sure it was clear. One day while stopped at the light, I counted to three after the light turned green and slowly moved forward to check when someone coming up on my left in a 45 mph zone drove through their red light and just missed the front of my car. If I’d taken off a little earlier, the car would have hit me in the driver’s door.

After a second incident, I had a car cam recorder (installed) in any car I was driving. — Jim Reedy, Campbell

ASmart move.

QWith red-light running becoming something of a sport on congested streets, it is dangerous for the lead car to proceed immediately upon the change from red to green at any intersection in the Bay Area. For this reason, professional drivers are taught to delay three seconds before proceeding while they check in all directions to ensure that some maniac doesn’t barrel across the intersection in an attempt to beat the red light.

In fact, most agencies also train their drivers to not turn right against a red light but to wait for the green light instead and still count three seconds before proceeding. — Tom Harais, Vallejo

AInteresting

QI always hesitate before proceeding into

any intersection because of the frequency of red-light runners.

Recently I was turning left from Oka Road in Los Gatos onto Lark Avenue on a green arrow, and someone roaring down the hill sped by a couple of feet in front of me, forcing me to swerve from the inside lane into the turn lane. Luckily I was going slowly enough to brake in time and wasn’t rearended by the car behind me. — Mary Martin Los Gatos

AAnd …

QA long time ago in driver’s ed in high school I was taught to count to three before proceeding when a light turns green. Waiting a few seconds is better than being T-boned. — Jim Bodwin, Cupertino

AThat it is.