Show common courtesy on roads

I have lived in Riverdale most of my life. I have seen many changes, but one of the most notable is the congestion and why not? When a neighborhood like Riverdale is so conveniently located near Manhattan, New Jersey and Westchester and so close to the water, it’s a great reason for the population to grow. 

With the steady growth of the population, and the increased construction coming with that growth, more and more traffic has come. The traffic and parking issues have grown to epic proportions over the years and with it a rash of self-urgency and self-righteousness. This has necessitated the call for greater caution.

Believe it or not, turn signals come as standard equipment on all cars, so why don’t people use them? If you look at the street pavement throughout Riverdale you will see a 20 mph speed limit, so how come so many people are traveling at 30-plus mph some approaching 45 mph? Cars don’t stop at stop signs, or worse, they go right through red lights. Cars making turns don’t yield the right of way to cars heading straight. Driving on one side of the road when it is a two-way street should be expected, but many cars veer to drive down the middle of the street because the drivers don’t care. Oh, in case people in New York City didn’t know, right on red is not allowed unless indicated by a sign allowing it.

If the police were to position themselves at almost any stop sign in the neighborhood, they could write tickets all day for those cars driving straight through. I know there are many “traffic police cars” a.k.a. meter enforcement, but we would be better served if driving regulations like hands-free cell phone operation, illegal turns, driving on the right side of the road, texting while driving, careless driving, seatbelts that were not buckled and other driving rules were enforced. 

Drivers aren’t the only ones at fault; pedestrians jaywalk more and more and really don’t care if they cross against the light. Old and young, people of all ages cross the street where and when they wish with not a care in the world.