By: Hayburner on 3/8/09
Mrs. M probably deserved the other motorist's ire. In busy areas, if every driver doesn't utilize every opportunity to squeeze thru the intersection and get out of there, traffic will back up, causing more road rage than what Mrs. M experienced - and gave back.

I don't know if Mrs. M. wrote the headline for the article, but it is ironic: Despite her holier-than-thou attitude, Mrs. M. will not be safe from red light cameras either. She and others who think they're above all this will nevertheless need to get out their wallets! Why?

To them: Assuming you occasionally venture outside of your neighborhood into unfamiliar territory, you need to buy a $300+ nav system to warn you when you're approaching a camera enforced location. Why?

The drivers in front of you will be exhibiting unexpected behavior, like slamming on their brakes on a brand new yellow, or because they have "local" knowledge that there's a speed camera there. The warning from the nav system will save you from rear-ending them - an accident for which the law would automatically hold you responsible - despite your perfect driving record.

By: Spit0414 on 3/9/09
GMAB.

If the light turns because your vision was impeded by a big truck in front of you-- you were following too close and deserve a ticket.

And yellow means "procede with caution" not "try and clear so traffic doesn't back up you inconsiderate #%#%$% you".

There is NO excuse for road rage-- and Mrs. M was wrong for following too closely and possibly escalating an upset driver to a tragedy. A foolish mistake. A simple call to non emergeny or 911 if truly hazardous would have been due dilligence.

That extra 2 minutes at the traffic light-- probably not a day breaker. You won't even remember it in an hour. Especially if you left early enough to arrive on time.

By: peri_winkle on 3/9/09
Yellow means get ready to stop because a red light is coming. I get as frustrated as the next person when I have to sit in long lines of traffic and through several lights before I can move on toward my destination. And I've pushed on through trying to beat my share of reds. But if I did get ticketed, I would not cry fowl. I'd fume to myself and take my medicine.

A yellow light does not mean hurry. It means prepare to stop now because a red light is coming. And a red light means you should already be stopped; it does not mean, hey buddy, it's time to think about stopping now. If the light is red, and you're not out of the intersection--all the way out of it--then somebody's light is green, and you're blocking their legal path through the intersection.

Traffic has become so bad around here that we've gotten bad about rushing the yellows. We all need to take a deep breath and stop. Maybe once we've gotten used to that we'll start actually stopping at stop signs instead of treating them as yields. Just last week I saw someone roll right out of a side street onto the now 4-laned Franklin Road. I started to say "that's just stupid", but it's not just stupid. More importantly, it's illegal. And more important still, it's illegal because it's dangerous. So is pushing through yellows at the last second.

We all just need to get used to stopping when we're supposed to. Life's short enough without risking an abrupt end to it.

By: GELewis on 3/9/09
From the TN Dept of Safety driver handbook:

"YELLOW - Caution - prepare to stop. The red stop signal will be exhibited immediately after the yellow light appears. Adjust speed immediately to come to a smooth stop. You must stop IF IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. DO NOT speed up to beat the light. If you are already IN THE INTERSECTION when the yellow light comes on, DO NOT STOP, but continue cautiously through the intersection. TN law only requires the yellow light to be exhibited for a minimum of THREE SECONDS before the red light comes on."

Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? If you're not in the intersection, don't move into it. If you're in it, move out.

Murfreesboro , for whatever reason, has become home to some of the most arrogant drivers I've ever seen anywhere. The red light cameras do seem to be making a difference. I predict we'll see more of them.

By: BigPoppa on 3/9/09
OMG can we get one, just one, column where Mrs. Bragg DOESN'T say "...being married to the Mayor..." or "...as the Mayor's wife..." or ..."My husband, Tommy, you know - the Mayor..."

Okay, we get it. Your husband is the Mayor. BFD. Write your column without mentioning it. The "Mrs. Murfreesboro" lays the groundwork that you're the First Lady. We got it. Mission accomplished.

You may be a fine person, but you get on my last nerve EVERY week with the "I'm married to the Mayor" jive............

SHEEEEEEEEEEEESH !!!!

By: Oblio on 3/10/09
Any column written in the first person has its author as a subject. Unless I've missed something, Mrs. Bragg is expected to write from her unique perspective as the mayor's wife. That's why the column is called Mrs. Murfreesboro.

I've never met her and probably never will. I like what she brings to the Post and appreciate how she uses humor, often sell-effacing, to deal with serious subjects.

Give the lady a break! She's married to Tommy Bragg! She doesn't need any more grief. (My own lame attempt at humor.)

By: Duvics on 3/10/09
I'm with Oblio as well. The rest of you can enjoy being right all of the time.

By: Trvlace on 3/10/09
Yellow means "Punch the Mutha Brother!" OR "Gun It!" :) I was told this one time..lol.