April 28 2025
By: Traci D. Long
It's good to see that some people are still very considerate. Opening doors and allowing you to pass are niceties that we don't always experience anymore. But for safety's sake, politeness should end where rules begin.
Exiting the parking lot of the local grocery store, I stopped before turning onto the side road. Directly across from me was another vehicle exiting the parking lot on the other side of the street. He was there first but waved for me to go ahead. Due to previous experience in this exact situation that led to an accident, I absolutely refused and demanded he go first. Maybe he just wasn't ready, but the fact is he didn't have my view. It's possible he didn't see the other vehicle coming, or people crossing the road. HE had the right of way, and the last time I ignored that I was hit. I've heard dozens of similar incidents from friends and family.
"He's just trying to be nice" my passenger said. Yes, which is great until it leads to an accident. You simply cannot politely ignore the rules without increasing risk.
"Shortcuts break rules, and broken rules break bones."
Traci D Long is the Director of Operations for ProAct Safety. With more than 20 years of experience, she assists with statistical analyses of safety management data, provides project oversight and management for client and internal projects, and assists with the development of quality assurance efforts.
