If we could once in a while and depending on the situation abandon our rigid and iron-cast notions about what in traffic terms is called the “Right of Way” there would be far fewer accidents and the traffic on the road would be that much smoother.
Vehicles
Try to surrender your right of way to a vehicle emerging from a side lane. The highways are often busy with one batch of vehicles following another with
a little gap as successive signals turn green. The harried drivers in the side lane have to sometimes wait for up to ten minutes to join the highway as they look for an opportunity. Often they have a third of their bonnet protruding into the highway making it dangerous to negotiate around them. Why not put yourself in that driver’s seat and slow down so he could go ahead of you?
Lane-changers
We all have to change the lane once in a while due to change in our plan. There are drivers who would not allow another driver to do so despite the poor guy giving signal well in advance. Surrender your right of way and give him that think he looking for.
Cyclists
Cyclists have little protection in the face of the regular and busy traffic on a road and they almost always try to make sure they do not come in the way of a four-wheeler. One notices them at high noon during the height of summer plodding along dripping in sweat. The least we can do is to slow down and let them get ahead or cross over without inconveniencing them.
Pedestrians
It is not always practical and possible to necessarily cross a road right on the traffic signal or a zebra crossing. Sometimes it is hot, at other times a pedestrian might to carrying shopping bags or might be having a child in tow and thus might be looking for a shortcut to the alternative of having to walk 150 yards to the red signal. Yes, you have the right of way. But why can’t we show him some courtesy and let him pass?
Elderly and infirm
It goes without saying that the elderly and the infirm call for all the courtesy, sympathy and patience on our part. No matter how much of a hurry are you in, wait and let them pass no matter if they are going across when the signal is green, or even if it is not the point to cross the road.
Show courtesy, give way and you will feed gwellin your heart.