Putting a fc Conlin signals SORRY for beating a dead horse, but it seems that I’m not the only one who doesn’t know when to stop. Precty clever pun, huh? Another = reader has expressed frustration when it comes to drivers who refuse to stop at a four-way-stop just outside of her home --- the intersection uf 19th and Chesterfield in | North Vancouver takes centre stage. fr is not at all complicated. Two streets meet, four stop signs regulate. But the word “stop” little too ambiguous some, _ Webster's defines thy word stop” as, among other ‘things, “to cease doing; desist trom; discontinue...” It’s a rather long list of definitions bur’ rest_ assured it notably lacks things like “to slow down a lor” and “to cease some-of-the-time.” Belaboring the point, am B [think nor. You see, stopping is the most) rudimentary driving skill and yet many drivers flaunt their lack of it or, more accurately, their ability to pre- tend it is not an important skill. What these boneheads don’t understand is that stop- ping a car is not only a way of parading one’s amazing dri- ving skills, it is also a way of communicating to others that —“ou know the rules of the road; that you have a hit of self-control; that you graduat- ed from kindergarten and have forever outgrown the “me, me, me” mentality. Let’s review the widely accepted rule of thumb that governs our behavior ata tour-way-stop. “First come, first serve” is the common practice. Now, bearing in mind that this reu- is a tor CORRECTION NOTICE “fhe North Shore News would like to apologize for an error in a recent Regency Auto Group ad. The North Shore News, due to a_ technical problem, inadvertently deleted one of the Ragericy Auto Group's dealerships from their ad that ran in the December “ist North Shore News Carol Book. The dealership that was missing was Regency Yoyota-Burnaby, located at 4278 Lougheed Hwy. 291-8122. The North Shore News apologizes for any confusion this may have caused. tue vote tote 46 — Friday, December 5, 1997 — North Shore News tine is not covered by the mighty Motor Vehicle Act, it is more appropriate to say “the first to discontinue motion is the rext to pro- ceed.” Any bonehead whe refuses to conic to. a complete stop or who shoots wav over the stop bar before vaguely stopping, or who races up to 2 stop sign at such a speed that it appears the cessation of motion. is unlikely is clearly unable to exercise, ComMON cOUTtEsY. Get it? Wo vou don't exhibit the most basic driving skill, how can you expect assume you have any others? You parage your own ineptitude by not stopping fully and completely. This attitude is all well and good if you're the type to dis- miss others opinions lightly, but what if vou meet a driver of similar ilk as you zoom through a four-way? What if vou meet a young kid who has ver to learn thar not everybody plays by the same rules? Whar if you meet a mom and her stroller or Grandpa and his cane who began a journey across the street long before you and your attitude were in sight? Hmoim? Whar if indeed. Folks, the stop signs at 19th and Chesterfield are not there to inhibit vour free: wheeling ideals. They are there to aid in the safe and efficient flow of trattic. While the word “cease” and the word “flow” are sometimes antonymous, they are not when used ina larger CONTENT. Everybody and his dog wants an unobstructed path to their destination. Yough. Every since the second horse-drawn carriage was created there has been conflict on the path berween Aand B. With millions of similar vehicles -— ders call them other to. north shore news — and “horseless carriages” millions of variations of SA and “B" itis only logical that the tlow of trattic be impeded upon accasion. An impeded flaw és still a flow in the grand scheme of things. All drivers are considered equal in the cyes of a stop sign. 985-2131). SPEED IS; KILLING Us. ohead FR Part of the Province :ai Road Safety Progra “j AAMCO Centres have certified technicians with state-of-the-art diagnostic tools. 969 Marine Drive, North Vancouver 86-33 Ve B.C.A.A. - Quality Work TALK IN Trustworthy Service ‘ELLOw Paces 7299-9000 985-7455 = 176 Pemberton, N. Van — MOTIVE SERVICE LTD. BRAKE SPECIALISTS _ -A. R.A. - 1.0.8.0. Approved = MECHANICAL REPAIRS Len Demers, new owner & operator is happy to announce that Aamco is now open Saturdays! ce3 LIFETIME WARRANTY on brake shoes & pads “Our 39th Year” FREE ESTIMATES & CONSU! TATION ALSO COMPLETE Guaranteed 1 year (5 biks south of Marine) # AUTO pot down on ft One cannoc artutrariiy decide that a stop sign has fess meaning on this or that par- ticular street or at a certain time of day. Sure, traffic is less likeiy some places sometimes. Sure, ue motion is occasionally point- less -- ne one’s around! However, a stop sign is HNN cessation of ereeted for the purpose of Mowing vou the time and the space to decide if it has wast ed vour time and space. Too bad for vou ifit has, lucky tor everyone else if it has’. Four-way stops are often referred to as “courtesy stops” and we stop at them not simply because a law book Skip’s truck SKIP Whitfield looked at more than 200 classic Chevrolet trucks before settling on this 1947 1/2 Thriitmaster. The North Van man paid $3,000 for the truck in Marysville, Washington, where it was used as a farm vehicle. (If you have a special relationship with your vehicle, call the North Shore News photography department at t 10, 895 or’ 169 eyes Honda Suzuki 87.3% 86.2% N °15,795 or*210ne ‘North Vancouver Suzuki:983- 1695 Marine Drive, North: Vancouver 88.3% ur-way siops says we mase but to show to evervbody and his horse that we are counizant of the con- cept of common courtesy. And .05% of the time we may save a lite — how much more courteous can you get? 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