A couple of weeks ago, I had one of the worst feelings you can have while driving.
Yes, those red and blue lights in the rear-view mirror were for me. And I knew why. I knew it was going to be close when the light changed from green to yellow at the intersection of Routes 3 and 352. I still believe the light was yellow - at least when I entered the intersection. Clearly the Westtown-East Goshen officer disagreed. And I have the $170 ticket to prove it.
But he got his point across. Maybe I'm paranoid, but ever since it seems like every green light I come up on flips over to yellow just as I approach.
Which leaves you with the classic decision. I know what the book says. The yellow light means to stop and wait for the next green. That's not the way real life usually works, however. Most people view a yellow light as saying, "Stab it and you can probably make it through."
At a minimum, you have a split decision to either go for it, or hit the brakes.
Last night it happened again - at almost the same intersection. When you go out Route 352 from Granite Run toward Route 3, there are actually two lights that make up the intersection. First you take a left onto Route 3, then if you want to continue on Route 352, you have to take a quick right. There are two separate lights. I got my ticket at the second one.
Last night as I approached the first light, it again flipped to yellow, and in my new driver awareness mode (which is what writing out a $170 check will do to you) I dutifully hit the brakes and prepared to stop.
Which was good except for one thing. I did not take into account the woman in the white SUV behind me. Actually, I had noticed her back at Granite Run. She was right on my tail the whole way and seemed in a huge hurry to get where she was going.
The second I tapped the brakes to stop, I glanced in the rear-view mirror. It's clear this woman had expected me to do what most people do - stab the gas and try to make the light. That's what she did. Only problem was I was in front of her.
My heart sank as I figured she was about to wind up in my back seat. What she did next surprised even me. This wasn't real close. There was no I was going to make this light, let alone her.
Undeterred, she veered back into the right-hand lane, and stabbed the gas. The light was already red. Luckily, no cars on Route 3 had decided to "jump" the light. She blew through and went merrily on her way.
I looked all around. The night I got my ticket, an officer just happened to be sitting at the light when I went through. I was kind of hoping someone would have been around last night.
No such luck.
I sat at the light muttering to myself as I waited for it to turn green.
It took all of a couple minutes.
I can live with that.
But I still with I had that $170 bucks back.
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