Sunday, March 4

Of traffic lights and character

You know, the purpose of traffic lights on the road is not to dictate when do you start moving or stop; but to control traffic and prevent accidents on the roads. Traffic lights were placed on the roads for benefits of the road users- drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Creating and maintaining a certain system in which road users from a certain direction got to move while the rest from all other sides stopped and waited. With traffic lights, we each take turns to move as well as stop moving, depending on the colour lit.

So I guess we all know traffic lights are in place to control traffic. Therefore I conclude that they become purposeless when there is no traffic, theoretically.

I believe in the point which I just made in the statement above. And I happen to enjoy driving in the late hours of the night. When there is a negligible number of cars on the road, I do not think it would be necessary to let traffic lights control how people drive, as long as everybody is safe.
Take an example, you are alone on the lane where the light shining is red. There is no one from the direction where the green light is on. It would seem redundant to wait until your light turns green when you can just go ahead and drive off as you know you would not be knocking anyone or anything for that matter, since the traffic is clear.
Why the need to drive as instructed by the traffic lights when there is no traffic?

Growing up, I never liked following rules blindly. If you wanted me to abide by certain instructions and guidelines I had to understand and agree with whatever was being set. This is just a personal value that I proudly adopt although I am not saying that what I do is absolutely right and everyone in this world ought to do likewise.

However, is breaking the law the right thing to do albeit it being consistent with your value system?

Upon an intrapersonal debate, I have decided that stopping in front of a "purposeless" red light on an empty street may just be the right thing to do despite the conflicts with whatever I believe in. Character is about doing what is right no matter what you think and what others might think about you. Next, character is about doing the right thing even when no one is watching; especially when no one is watching.

Because it is the right thing to do, tonight I decide to stop whenever the red light shines no matter the traffic.

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