'No turn on red' is essential to safety

In response to Robert Ashbrook’s letter:

Go back a few years before the “no turn on red” signs went up.

Put yourself in the shoes of the person driving the freight truck, the logging truck or the school bus.

You are eastbound on Cedar Street approaching the light at Fifth and Cedar.  You want to make a left turn to go north on Fifth. You get a green light and start making your turn to enter the left-hand northbound lane. Across from you is a person, probably running late to an appointment, who wants to turn north into the same lane you want to use. It makes no difference to them that they are supposed to turn into the right-hand lane before moving over into the left. They are turning on red because it is permitted “when safe to do so.” You have to brake to avoid a collision; stopping every bit of traffic following you trying to make a legal left-hand turn.

I do not have space to quote one of Murphy’s laws, but suffice it to say that if you are running late, leave a little earlier.

I experienced this scenario when I was driving school bus. I have seen it happen to others. It is still happening because people disobey the law and turn on red when the sign says “no turn on red” but it doesn’t  happen as often.

Keep the “no turn on red.”

LARRY O. SMITH

Sandpoint