Driving today I noticed with frustration all the drivers that failed to turn on their headlights while driving in the rain. I was once told by a police officer friend that Tennessee state law requires the lights to be on under such circumstances.

Additionally, no one here ever signals when making a turn. If the police would enforce these requirements, maybe there would be less accidents in Chattanooga.

Additionally, it reminded me of all the left-lane drivers who sit in the left lane and drive slowly messing up traffic behind them. Most of those people are either on a cell phone or are oblivious to others on the road.

I now know why there are so many left-lane drivers. I was on Hixson Pike the other day when a Haman Driving School student was driving along slowly and casually in the left lane just about rush hour time. The "teacher" was besides him and let him do this. Obviously the teacher needs to be taught. If people realize that a car crossing lanes when a driver loses control could hit a car in the left lane going in the opposite direction much more easily than a car in the right lane maybe they would change the way they drive.

Alan Ruderman
Hixson

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Compared to the Atlanta or LA areas Chattanooga traffic is "cute". Yes, there are the usual dummies - people that stop in front of the stop bar at traffic lights and wonder why the light never changes, people that absent-mindedly drive slow in the left lane, drivers that ignore traffic gores and others. You cannot change them; they are blissfully ignorant of their transgressions and they are going to drive stupid for the rest of their lives.

Neville Trillby

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Permit me to respond to the article about slow drivers in the left lane and student drivers in particular. I am one of the lead driving instructors for Haman’s New Drivers and travel Hixson Pike quite often during rush hour traffic given our central office location in Northgate Mall. The driver offering comments and criticisms needs to consider the following:

1). There are posted speed limits. This is the maximum speed applicable to all drivers under the most favorable conditions. In other words, cars traveling the speed limit in the left lane do not need to move over even if others behind want to add wings to their vehicle and fly! The posted speed limit does not apply during rush hours given greater demands in traffic flow, congestion around major intersections, and uncertainties involving lane changes. We encounter aggressive drivers that imagine that the world is not big enough for the two of us to share. We deal with it.

2). Students are engaged in a process of skill development and application. Sometimes when traveling on a major highway we are working on lane change procedures. This has to be done safely and not present risk to other drivers in surrounding lanes. Admittedly, I will not allow a lane change around an intersection, without proper announcement of turn signal or without proper space allotment. If traffic conditions are uncertain - we maintain our lane until it is safe to move over.

3) Student drivers and this driving instructor are witness to any number of bad habits on display by adult drivers quite often that invite reckless and dangerous behavior patterns with possibilities of collision. The purpose for their driving instruction on the road is to learn how to share the road and how to make good decisions. Most importantly, how to bring the vehicle and all parties involved back home - safe and sound.

4) I require students to come to a complete stop at all stop signs and traffic signals that merit our attention. We hear horns on occasion trying to persuade us differently and we witness many drivers on their cell phone completely oblivious to the mental levels of concentration wanted when behind the wheel. In other words, my job is not easy because we as adults are not necessarily leading by example.

No doubt you will continue to see student drivers on major highways and practicing turns in neighborhoods. Be patient because we all want the same result - good drivers on the road and a significant reduction in injury and death among our teen population.

Today it may be a stranger behind the wheel, but tomorrow the student driver may be your son or daughter, grandchild, neighbor, etc. If anything, wish us well.

Dr. Roger Thompson
Haman’s New Drivers

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I couldn't agree more with Alan Ruderman's comments regarding the very poor driving habits of area drivers. They are a source of frustrations on an everyday basis leading to road rage and, I'm certain, accidents as well. It is not just the breaking of laws but violations of safety and courtesy towards others.

Unfortunately, not only does law enforcement officers not cite bad behavior of the type noted but many are guilty of the same infractions.

The folks at Haman are probably part of the solution, but formal drivers education is given little importance. If it was it would be available in our schools as some notable leaders have advocated. Until this happens we will continue too have Bubba who learned bad habits and inconsiderate actions from his dad now teaching Bubba Jr. and Bubbette. So why would we expect things to change?

Mike Lawrence

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Mr. Lawrence, it’s not that formal drivers education is of little importance. Certainly we can agree that it is extremely important to provide our young drivers with proper training so that they and all of us who share the road can travel more safely. The problem is that it can be financially out of reach for many families.

I agree with you; many parents with less-than-stellar driving habits are teaching their children to drive and, in doing so, are just continuing the practice of those bad habits into perpetuity. And the school system cannot afford (and hasn’t for around 25 years) the vehicles, insurance, maintenance, and faculty that a drivers ed program requires. Unfortunately, once programs are cut due to fiscal constraints, very seldom do they reappear.

However, there is affordable, quality drivers education available to city residents again. I encourage you to visit the city website, Mr. Lawrence (chattanooga.gov/Public_Works/70_Driversed.htm). A 5 week professional defensive driving course, taught by Haman’s, is now available to any city resident, ages 15-18, and offered at selected area recreation centers after school hours. The student pays only $50; normally these courses are almost $400.

This is the type of uniform, quality training that most insurance companies recognize as having a huge effect in accident reduction rates; therefore students who complete the course can enjoy (and you know their parents do) a significant discount on their car insurance.

The city’s establishment of this program is testament to the fact that we all want things to change. We all want our children to drive more responsibly and defensively. We all want to see crash rates plummet. Go to the website and read about it – it’s a tremendous opportunity to improve traffic safety.

Caroline Johnson
City of Chattanooga
Drivers Education Coordinator