BE A PLAYER

Traffic safety is very serious business. People are killed and injured on the road every day. We have to be alert and cautious.

But, I believe in fun. If something is not fun, it is not being done right. So, there's a game that I want to encourage people to play, while driving. It is called, "Who Can I Help, Next?"

Just by being helpful - leaving room for lane-changers, not blocking intersections and driveways, looking for folks trying to unpark, and any other way we can be thoughtful of others will increase the mellow quotient in traffic. That's how the game is played. If you choose to become a player, you will be rewarded with warm fuzzies, and a relaxed feeling that will do your heart good. It will ease stress on all of us, and make driving more fun.

You can help support gridlocksmith, just by shopping here. There are many shops in the Zazzle Mall, including: Disney, Discovery Channel, and many more.

LINKS!

Congratulations! You have reached the links page. More will be added...

Rather than duplicate the fine collections of links to be found elsewhere, gridlocksmith has chosen some of the best collections of established agencies, foundations, etc.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (well organized and comprehensive)

Governors Highway Safety Association (well organized by issues)

Truck Safety Coalition (links to State DOTs, Federal Agencies, and more)

These are the top three, at the moment. If you believe that your link page can ace out any of the above, please email gls@gridlocksmith.com with the subject, "better link page."

There are a number of forums and discussion boards, out there, but, I have not seen anything else quite like this "Think Tank." (Full disclosure: I set it up in 1998, and we had some good discussions, for a while. Things have slowed, and it needs some fresh blood... yours, perhaps?)

Click to check out CareAboutTraffSafety

Below are links to GRTSAs (Grass Roots Traffic Safety Activists), along with some others who may not be considered "activists," but may be useful, nonetheless.
If you belong here, but are not, email gls@gridlocksmith.com with the subject, "new grtsa."


America Walks online support network for local pedestrian advocacy groups

apbp professionals and advocates working in the field of non-motorized transportation

bikewalk.org - National Center for Bicycling & Walking - program of the Bicycle Federation of America, their mission is to create bicycle-friendly and walkable communities.

Cruisin’ With Kids LLC was founded in 2004 by first time parents looking for a product they could use to alert motorists and Emergency Medical Services that their newborn son was in their car.

Dr Driving insights regarding psychology of driving

Gridlock Sam NYC traffic go to guy - more than a column in the Daily News

kidsandcars.org (if you have kids, ever see kids, ever were a kid...)

The Kyle David Miller Foundation was started after we lost our 3 year old son Kyle in a motor vehicle accident... we researched car seats extensively and found that rarely known about car seats existed that could hold a child in a 5-point harness up to 80 pounds. We now know that if Kyle had been in one of these seats, he would have survived... a charitable program that could provide these larger 5-point harness car seats to these families in need...(more about)

M.A.D.D. (the big momma of grtsa's)
Here is a good background article from druglibrary.org

Pedestrian Perils half hour documentaries available, report perils here -also- the largest known set of links to pedestrian sites on the internet!

stopandgo.org (focused primarily on the Tappan Zee Bridge/I-287 corridor in metro NYC area)



MEDIA SECTION...

NPR series, "How Safe Are Our Roads?"
(Listen or read transcripts.)

SPECIAL SECTION: ATTITUDE

compassionpower.com on anger and driving This short page should be required reading for all.
"People get the most angry, resentful, or impatient when they feel the most powerless.
...we are all at the mercy of anger-junkies, who use anger for energy and pain-relief. Anger dilates the eyes, distorts depth perception, makes the foot heavier on the gas, and destroys sound judgment."


What can one say about a guy who plans on spending ten years, driving about the country, encouraging folks to take on the challenge of performing one million acts of kindness?
Imagine how much safer our roads will be when all drivers are looking for ways to be kind to one another. How important is that to "Road Peace?" (and World Peace)

++++ MORE TO COME! CONSTRUCTION WORKER BREAK++++
(whew!)

PILE-UP POSSE

No blood shed, here.

If you just have to crash cars, this is how to do it.
If you truly crave the impact,
There are "Bumper Cars"
On the midway. Yee-haw!

We all know folks that we care about,
who use the roads with high hopes
of arriving safely at their destinations.
We owe it to them to refrain
from being too playful while on the road.

Their arrival
Depends on survival.

BE SAFE DURING THE BIG WEEKEND!

It is a big weekend, and one that is famous for traffic concerns. Folks eager to make use of the dwindling summer are joined on the road by others who are heading off to college, etc. Each driver seems to view the others as obstacles, rather than humans. We need to resist the pull to objectify one another, and respect and treat others the way we wish them to treat us.

By driving gently and thoughtfully, we increase our chance of survival.. uh oh.. I feel my inner peripatetic poet coming on...

Remember: your arrival
Depends on your survival.

(groan! In light of this, no Pithy Platitudes, today. You have suffered enough.)

Please, be kind to each other, and enjoy a safe weekend.

Oh, yes...


RECENTLY, while rummaging about in a box of stuff, I came across these buttons. Yes, the one on the right is faded and scratched, while the other seems in very good condition, indeed. At my age, I know how the faded fellow feels. No one took credit for producing these reminders to "Buckle Up." If any one knows, please, share.