Pay attention to road signs, drivers

This past week I have been reintroduced to driving in the south under, let’s just say, less than ideal circumstances.

In a word: ugh.

I have had one issue for some time going on before the weather of this past week even hit. Too many people do not know how to use the traffic circle at Llano Estacado and Norris. They stay in the right lane even if they are going all the way around, they stop in the circle, stop before the circle, use the left lane for the first turn; on and on and on.

Read the signs.

The right lane is for the first right turn.

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The right and the left are for the second right turn.

If someone is to the right of you, do not stop and get behind them, go ahead and turn from the left.

The third right turn is meant to be from the left-hand lane.

Again, do not stop in the circle and get behind the person in the right lane. Each of the right turns in that circle have two lanes to turn into.

Yes the northbound Norris lanes merge into one, but there are two there to begin with for this sole purpose.

Finally when you do make the right turn to leave the traffic circle, turn into the lane that you are in the circle from; i.e. left lane in the circle, left lane on the road.

And please do not stop in the traffic circle. It only makes things worse.

Why is it that so many feel like they are going to just get on the road and do the speed limit they feel like? By this I mean if the speed limit is 55 they will do 45 but if the speed limit is 35 they will still do 45?

PAY ATTENTION TO THE SCHOOL ZONES!

The other day I purposely turned out onto the road in front of a car that was ignoring the school zone just to make sure they slowed down. At 15 mph there was no chance of a car hitting me when I did it. At 45 there still wasn’t but I was going to make a point. No tolerance from me on that one.

Is it a New Mexico law that if you are going to go 20-plus mph slower than the speed limit that you are to do it from the left-hand lane? Twice Monday on snow-packed roads on Norris, cars were in the left-hand lane doing 15 to 20 mph where the speed limit is normally 45.

Granted, I agree you should drive slower, and be more careful on snow-packed roads, but unless I am mistaken you do not do it from the left-hand lane.

A huge part of being safe on the roads is to pay attention, and be mindful of those around you.

If you are going that much slower, you are actually increasing the risk of an accident, not reducing it. On the highways, if you are going that much slower than everyone, typically you put your flashers on to indicate slower driver. Maybe you should do the same here under these circumstances for your safety and the rest of ours as well.

I get it; circumstances like these are infrequent. Be safe out there, but also be mindful of the situation around you as well.

Robert Arrowsmith is publisher of Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:

[email protected]