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Guest Column

Your resolutions could keep all of us happy; here's how

By JIM WHIDDEN
Published January 1, 2008

It's that time of year again when we all make New Year's resolutions. Go ahead and make the usual "better diet, more exercise, be a better spouse" vows. As I witness people in Pinellas County, here are a few resolutions maybe you should also make:

Those of you who smoke, please resolve to stop throwing butts out of your car. It's nothing more than littering. I am not sure why you think you can simply roll down your window and throw a butt out, but please stop.

Fellow drivers, we all occasionally find ourselves in the wrong lane. When this happens, accept the fact that you made a mistake. In 2008, resolve to stay temporarily in that lane and get into the correct lane safely. Though it may take you an extra minute and you may have to make a U-turn, quickly changing three lanes at 55 mph is going to kill someone. Possibly you are the one who comes to a complete stop in your incorrect lane and holds up dozens of travelers while we wait for "your" correct lane to become available. Today is a good day to accept your mistake and vow to safely correct it.

Parents of young children, when you take your child to a restaurant and he/she starts yelling at the top of his/her lungs, please stop ignoring him/her as you do at home. While you are waiting for your beautiful offspring to stop screaming, your kid is ruining dinner for the rest of us. Do the responsible thing. Pick up your child, leave the restaurant until he/she settles down and come back in and eat your cold dinner.

Young drivers, we know that you love your music and that the speakers in your trunk are your most valued possession, but please resolve to turn down the bass speaker when you are at a stoplight. You may think that loud, vulgar, ignorant rap music is great, but the drivers around you don't. The vibrations coming from your car actually make my Jimmy Buffett CD fall out of my CD player. Resolve to listen to your music at a volume you can enjoy, not that we can enjoy.

Learn about ATM/debit cards. There's no need to write a check and make everyone in line wait. You may not be in a hurry but this is not so for those behind you.

Good luck with your resolutions and have a great 2008!

Jim Whidden lives in Palm Harbor.

[Last modified December 31, 2007, 21:35:23]