COVID has brought out the worst in Stanislaus County, Modesto residents’ driving habits

We’ve had to shift as a community in ways no one would have imagined just one year ago. Because COVID-19 is an international phenomenon, in some ways it can feel like there’s not much more we can do locally to make an impact, outside of supporting others, mask-wearing, social distancing, and now, getting vaccinated.

But there is another way we can make a difference.

It’s about our driving. Has anybody noticed a lot of our fellow Modesto and Stanislaus County residents have somehow forgotten how to drive?

Sure, we’ve seen bad and inconsiderate drivers. But as we are trying to protect ourselves and our neighbors from a deadly virus that originated on the other side of the world, locally, residents are driving like they don’t place the same value on human life when on the road.

Lately, it seems car manufacturers may have discontinued making blinkers. We should know intuitively if the Buick Broadside is turning left or right at the intersection. Guessing which direction the Chevy Subdivision is turning could be a dangerous miscalculation, right?

Raise your hand if you have seen reckless driving at dangerous speeds in our local cities or Highway 99. The Indy 500 drivers on 99 have made us very queasy. Just because you own a Dodge Dart doesn’t mean you should weave in and out of traffic at high speeds or ram someone with your Ram truck.

If you drive a Volvo Velocity or a Ford UnFocused, maybe you should focus on becoming a safer driver. If the only way you know how to drive your Toyota Tailgater is less than one car length at 80 mph, please take Uber instead. Seriously. We’d all appreciate it.

How to be courteous and drive safely

Let’s get back to basics. Check your steering column to confirm there are blinkers on it ... then try ‘em out! Turns out they can inform other motorists what direction you are going.

Test out your brakes, so you don’t blow through a red light or four-way stop. Next, try driving nearer to the speed limit. It’s more considerate to race your Ferrari on a racetrack than on the roads around Modesto. Wherever you have to go in such a hurry, it likely can wait. How do we know this? Because down the road, we may all be coming to a complete halt and wait as traffic comes to a crawl from an accident caused by reckless driving and maneuvering.

Let’s keep our streets safe for fellow motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and pets. If there’s anything we’ve learned this year, it’s that life is precious and to be valued. We share the same restaurants, office buildings, shopping centers, and our roadways. What one person does in these environs affects all of us.

Sharing the road properly is an important responsibility. We are in this together, even out on the open road.