Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Ask Dr. Delay

Buses offer kids reasonable rides

By LORRIE LYKINDS
Published May 7, 2006

The climbing cost of gas may add to parental stress this summer, affecting everything from plans for vacations to running the kids around town to various activities.

One money-saving option touted by PSTA is its Summer Haul Pass, which is good for unlimited bus rides for kids 18 and under from May 15 to Aug. 15. At $25, it's a pretty good deal. The usual fare for students is 75 cents per ride.

The pass allows for unlimited travel on all PSTA bus routes, including the Suncoast Beach Trolley. However, it excludes routes to Tampa. Passes may be purchased at all PSTA terminals: Park Street in Clearwater and Central Plaza and Williams Park in St. Petersburg. Visit PSTA online at www.psta.net for more information.

* * *

The new four-way stop at 46th Avenue and 46th Street N is taking some getting used to. Some motorists tooling along on 46th Avenue are not slowing in time to make the stop, and vehicles already stopped at the intersection are understandably hesitant to proceed through the intersection. This is especially concerning because pedestrians and school bus stops pepper the route.

The problem is that motorists using east-west 46th Avenue are not accustomed to stopping and tend to speed - probably the reason the four-way was installed - so the stop at 46th Street seems to catch many by surprise.

This has been a problematic intersection for quite some time, and motorists who use the former two-way stop at 46th Street may recall signs that warned that the traffic on 46th Avenue did not stop. That's all changed now that it's a four-way stop and orange flags have been fixed atop the stop signs on 46th Avenue to give motorists an extra heads-up. Let's hope they help.

* * *

Here's one for the Doc's wish list: a protected turn signal at 86th Avenue and 113th in Seminole. Traffic traveling east-west on 86th Avenue is out of luck if trying to make turns to head north or south on 113th, and cars are often caught in the middle of the intersection trying to make a turn.

* * *

Speaking of Seminole traffic, Park Boulevard between Seminole Boulevard and 113th Street-Duhme Road is a nightmare, especially during rush hour. Here's what happens: East-west traffic backs up so badly on Park that vehicles become caught between traffic signals outside of Seminole Mall. This then blocks traffic flow coming off Johnson Boulevard.

The results are not pretty. I wish some insightful traffic engineers would study the area and come up with a new plan to manage the traffic. What we have now seems to be worsening by the day.

* * *

Reader Bob Doyle of North Redington Beach wrote in recently regarding his concern about motorists who drive with disabled parking placards hanging from their rearview mirrors and the potential for obstruction of view while driving.

Florida's Disabled Person Parking Identification Permit is clearly marked on both sides with the warning: "Important: remove before driving vehicle.'' But many motorists ignore the warning and tool around with the blue tags dangling from their rearview mirrors.

Doyle is particularly disturbed by the trend because of the hit-and-run incident that occurred on Gulf Boulevard in November 2004 that resulted in the death of a 5-year-old child. Some witnesses said that they may have seen a disabled parking tag hanging from the rearview mirror of the vehicle that fled the scene. The incident haunts Doyle, who was on Gulf Boulevard that night and got caught in traffic after the accident.

"In the time since that child was killed, I have tried to contact everyone possible about the issue of improper items displayed in the front windshield of motor vehicles, especially the disabled parking permit. I hold the same tag, and never fail to remove it before starting my vehicle . ... perhaps you can affect awareness with your column, as it has been futile to try from a one-person standpoint.''

Thanks for writing, Bob.

* * *

Hopefully, most of us know that right turns on red lights are permitted; just come to a full stop first and be sure there are no signs forbidding such turns, because some intersections are marked that way.

Along those lines, reader Shirley M. Franklin sent in an interesting, or rather, alarming, question this week. She wrote: "Has the law changed regarding stopping at red lights? Recently, I have seen vehicles turning left on a red light.''

The answer in a word: No.

Until next week, happy and safe motoring!

Please share your traffic concerns, comments and questions with Dr. Delay via e-mail at docdelay@yahoo.com.

[Last modified May 7, 2006, 10:02:42]