Stop signs aren’t optional

To the editor:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but have I missed a recent election or something? Did the law change that requires vehicles to come to a complete stop at all stop signs?

We must have, because hardly anyone ever stops at them anymore. Was the law changed to read "stop only if you want to?" or maybe to "vehicle merely required to slow down and then proceed, but not necessarily with much caution?"

I drive the rush hour in Palmer every day, such as it is. And more often than not, instead of (heaven forbid) waiting at a stop sign for a right-of-way vehicle to pass, the one waiting on the side road will opt to roll through the stop sign so he or she might - what - be in front? Not sure why stopping for another vehicle seems to be such a difficult concept anymore.

While we're at it, can someone offer a quick course in the fundamentals of four-way stop intersections? That seems to be a hard one for some folks, too. Maybe we could also offer lessons in leaving enough room between vehicles to stop, if necessary, especially on the ice and snow? The list goes on.

Winter driving can take a toll on our patience, it's true, but let's not forget simple common courtesy.

Oh, maybe we need a crash course (no pun intended) in common courtesy as well.

Beverly DuBos

Palmer