Last summer, I did a lot of walking and riding my bicycle around Ketchum doing errands. I was almost hit by drivers four times. If I hadn't been watching what drivers were doing, I would have been dead or in the hospital.
This summer, things have started doing the same thing. I have already had three close calls and have reached the end of my rope. So now what? The only thing I could think of was a gun or a driving lesson. Let's start with the driving lesson.
American cars have the steering wheel on the left side of the car. That is the side closest to the window the driver is sitting at. The steering wheel is mounted on the steering column. On the left side of the steering column, that's the side closest to the window, is an arm that sticks out. When you pull that arm down a light on the left side of the instrument panel will be going blip, blip, blip, and on the left front and rear of the car a light will be going on/off, on/off, on/off.
When you push that arm up, a light on the right side of the instrument panel will be going blip, blip, blip and on the right front and rear of the car a light will be going on/off, on/off, on/off. What those lights do when they go on/off is tell the people around you that you are going to be making a turn in the direction of the flashing light.
It is now time for everyone to read and understand this lesson so when you are driving your car you can use that arm so the people around you will know what your going to do and they can be safer.
The sign that is red, has eight sides and the letters STOP written in white means to have your car not moving at the sign.
One other item—get off your cell phone when you're driving.
John Nycum
Ketchum
