How to be a Courteous Motorist this winter-5 tips
Date: 27-10-2020
The winter is officially here in our lovely little Country, which gives us wetter weather and darker days.
As such, here are five tips on how you can be a courteous motorist this time of year.
1. Give way to pedestrians
We all know how hard it is to commute when it's raining. Walking under the rain is one of the most challenging thing to do. Aside from trying to stay dry as mush as possible, you also need to maintain your balance due to the slippery roads and footpaths. With that in mind, motorists who are driving should give way to pedestrians who are patiently waiting to cross the street safely at pedestrian and Courtesy crossings. Unlike you, they don’t have enough protection from the rain. Giving way to them would be of great help. Moreover, it wouldn’t hurt that much if you stop and let them cross, right? You too are a pedestrian once you park up your vehicle.
2. Watch out for puddles of water
One of the dreadful sight for any pedestrian or cyclist when it's raining is a puddle of water. Other than the hassle of walking/cycling through a dirty puddle, pedestrians and cyclists are also afraid whenever there's a fast car/tractor/van approaching toward the puddle. You get the picture, huh? Reduce your speed when you spot one so that you won’t create a huge splash—pedestrians/ cyclists don’t want to have that kind of shower, believe me.
3. Use your cars indicator lights wisely
Your car’s indicator lights are designed to inform other motorists, even pedestrians/cyclists, on which direction you want to take. Are you going to the left, or right? As such, don’t turn on your car’s hazard lights when you’re driving under heavy rainfall. It’s not a smart thing to do and it confuses other motorists. Your car’s tail lights are visible enough when driving under the rain. On the other hand, using your car’s indicator lights wisely will enable pedestrians and other road users to know where you want to go.
4. Turn on your car's headlights
It is recommended to turn on your car’s headlights when you’re driving under sudden downpour or poor light conditions. This is to increase your car’s visibility, which would be for your own safety and for the good of other motorists. Don’t put on your high-beam as this would lessen your visibility because the light rays from your car's headlights will bounce back to you due to the rain. Most cars nowadays have automatic day time running lights , please be aware that’s this function only aluminates the front of your vehicle.
5. Inform others
Inform other motorists and road users if the road ahead is flooded. Yes, some may think that you’re just being too much of a good Samaritan when you do this. However, you could prevent accidents by informing others of the hazard ahead. Your fellow motorists can think of a new route upon knowing that road ahead is flooded, while pedestrians can sit out and wait for the rain and the flood to subside rather than approaching it head on.
It's no secret that it's more difficult to get to and from your destination-both motorists and pedestrians-during this type of weather. As such, let's not forget about the little things such as being courteous on the road.
Remember to give way to pedestrians and watch out for puddles of water. You should also use your indicator lights wisely, as well as turn on your car’s headlights, and inform others if there’s a hazard ahead.