We all must share the road

Editorials

Discussion

COMMENTING ON STORIES:

Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.

Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.

Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.

RULES OF CONDUCT:

We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:

1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.

WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:

1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:

1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.

WE WELCOME:

1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.

MONITORING:

We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.

comments powered by Disqus

June 8, 2012

We all must share the road

Anonymous Daily Star The Daily Star Fri Jun 08, 2012, 03:25 AM EDT

In the winter months, motorists' biggest worries are usually the weather conditions and wildlife.

Now that spring is here, they need to turn to their attention to the other vehicles and people around them.

Learning how to share the road is especially important when the weather turns warmer and motorcycles, bicyclists and pedestrians take to the roadways.

Being aware of your surroundings is key when on the road _ not only for those in four-wheeled vehicles, but for those on three, two and no wheels at all.

On Saturday, motorcyclists and others will gather at the Oneonta Veterans Club to help push that message of awareness through the fourth annual Jason's Run.

While the event, which was started by Karen Vagliardo after her son died in a motorcycle accident in 2008, is geared mostly toward motorcycles, the message is valid for everyone on the road.

The bright yellow "Check Twice _ Save a Life. Motorcycles are Everywhere!!!" signs started to appear in the area about four years ago.

Proceeds from Jason's Run helped purchase "Check Twice" signs, and the effort has expanded to include the First Alert program, which involves stickers and medical cards.

That program, Vagliardo said, is geared toward many activities that involve a helmet.

The stickers may be placed on the helmet to indicate a medical alert card with information on emergency contacts, doctors and medical conditions, and may be found inside the helmet.

The First Alert cards may also be placed into golf bags, wallets and construction hard hats, she said.

The First Alert program is a great one if someone is in an accident, but ideally, it would be a program that would never need to be used.

To make that closer to reality, everyone needs to follow the rules of the road, avoid distractions and be observant.

Pedestrians should walk on the side of the road against traffic, and if they are listening to music or an audio book during their walk, jog or run, they need to have it low enough that they can hear what is going on around them.

Bicyclists should travel in the same direction as traffic, use hand signals, wear helmets and, like pedestrians, be able to hear their surroundings.

Motorcyclists should follow the same rules as automobiles by staying in the proper lane and should not weave in and out of traffic.

Since cars, trucks and tractor-trailers are larger than any of the others on the road, drivers need to be especially vigilant.

That means limited or eliminating distractions, such as phones, music and eating.

And, for all, taking to the road under the influence of drugs or alcohol is absolutely forbidden.

If we all do our part, we can keep our roadways safer for everyone.