Stress Free Living? Maybe. Maybe Not.

When it comes to making our lives better, some of the simplest things to correct are overlooked. I am not blaming anyone. I would like to point out issues that I feel, if corrected, can make our lives slightly more enjoyable/stress-free. Here are four issues related to our driving habits.

1. Dedicated left and RIGHT hand turning lanes at every MAJOR intersection.

• The amount of stress this would alleviate is huge and not speculation. We all understand the necessity of a left hand turning lane. The need for more right hand turning lanes is equally important whether we are in rush hour traffic or not. Waiting to make a right turn behind someone that is not turning, has become a truly unnecessary burden.

2. Removal of “No Turn On Red” signs near hospitals.

• Now, I am sure people think I have lost my mind to suggest this, but technology has removed this concern. Whenever an emergency vehicle in route with both siren and lights activated, they also activate a device that changes the red light signal. This device changes the red light signal sequence and illuminates a bright white light on top the signal. There is no need for a motorist to remain at a red light just in case an emergency vehicle is coming, because now, through technology, we know whether or not one is coming.

3. Lane striping that indicates where a motorist should stop to make a right hand turn.

• Stopping behind the red light or white stop line to make a right hand turn is not correct. Since red light cameras have become a part of our urban environment, some motorist are unclear about how they are ticketed. If you are in the intersection, and are either turning or driving through the intersection, and the light turns yellow, then red,  the red light camera or evaluating authorities will not issues tickets in these instances. To be ticketed you must drive OVER THE LARGE WHITE STOP LINE and continue through the intersection AFTER the signal turned red. (This in no way is an indication that I support red light cameras, because I do not.)

4. Parking parallel to another car on narrow streets. I think motorists that park parallel or adjacent to another car on a narrow street are inconsiderate drivers, then again I did say in the beginning that I do not blame anyone. Chicago’s South Suburbia is fortunate in that most of our roads are two-way streets, when a motorist parks directly across from another car he/she creates a bottleneck that impedes two-way traffic. There are two solutions to this this:

1. Make the street a one way (bad idea).  
2. Legislation that imposes parking only on one side of the street (I feel this is a better idea).

These are issues that Chicago Heights residents and the City Council should work toward removing or modifying to make our lives a little more enjoyable. Feel free to add things you recognize as stress adders.