There’s no place like home – especially when it comes to driving comfortably without any stress. That’s one of the biggest benefits of living in a semi-small town, no super busy roads that make you want to pull your hair out and scream your head off and head-butt the horn in disgust. Sadly, every single one of those things is exactly what I want to do while driving through Hattiesburg.

Let’s face it – Hardy Street is basically a gift from the Devil. Constantly jam-packed with traffic and people who really can’t drive, Hardy Street is a screaming asphalt death trap. With all of the places of business and restaurants how could there not be an overwhelming amount of traffic 24/7? The thing is though, people not understanding the traffic signs is what gets me the most – especially at traffic lights. Here’s a quick lesson for everyone: Green means go. Yellow means slow, and red means stop – not keep going! When I say that I have almost died everytime I drive down Hardy Street, I’m kind of over-exaggerating, but at the same time I’m being totally serious.

Another road from the depths of Hell would have to be HWY 49. This past week I traveled up and down 49 four times, and each time at least one person didn’t know how to use their blinkers. News flash people: Blinkers are free to use and come equipped in all cars, trucks and SUVs! They allow the people around you to know which lane you’re going to change into so they can either speed up or slow down to allow you to move lanes safely. Also, randomly putting on the brakes on a highway really is the exact opposite of safe. Like come on little car, why are you stopping in the middle of the road? No one is in front of you! If you’ve ever gone north on HWY 49 from Hattiesburg or south from Jackson, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Pedestrian traffic is another problem in the Burg, for instance: walking to CP North from campus. We’ve all had some near death experiences here. Personally, I was almost hit by a Toyota Tacoma on that little cross walk. So, I stopped, turned to look at the driver for a few seconds, and then kept walking. Also, some pedestrians have trouble understanding where crosswalks are. Of course I’m going to yield to a pedestrian wherever they are, but can you at least use a crosswalk instead of just jay-walking in the middle of the road? That right there is very dangerous people.

Basically, everyone in Hattiesburg really just needs to take a course in traffic and driving safety. People need to learn how to properly yield, drive the speed limit, avoid running over pedestrians, use crosswalks and know where they are, use their blinkers, and know what each stoplight color means. These are basic safety principles people so we can all drive and walk safely. Oh, and don’t forget: click it or ticket!