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  • Lexi Schwartz

Drivers Education: Edgemont Edition

The time is finally here when you pass your road test and are ready to drive on your own. You think you know how to drive—stop at red lights, let pedestrians cross, try to avoid hitting other vehicles on the road—but the real test is learning the rules of the Edgemont roads. Here’s what you need to know:


  1. As a junior, you typically park on Artillery Lane, and need to turn around to get to the other side. Now, in your Driver’s Education class, you learned how to make a three-point turn…forget that. This turn is usually done with one point, starting on the far right side, turning the wheel all the way to the left, and turning the wheel back into a straight position to find an open space to park in. However, there tends to be some obstacles in the way such as cars parked behind the “No Parking” sign. This gives the driver less room to make a one-point turn, and causes him or her to resort to the three-point turn that he or she hoped to avoid.

  2. When trying to park on Artillery, drivers either pull up into a spot, parallel park with one car either in front or behind them, or parallel park with two cars. Some people like to leave themselves extra room in front or behind them. To other drivers who are late to school or late from lunch, this affords the chance to park in the little spaces these other cars made for themselves. You know how this scenario ends. So, the rule here is to avoid the thought that your car can fit into that tiny space. Just drive to Old Colony Road instead. Your parents will thank you for it.

  3. While driving on Old Army Road and approaching the traffic light by Patio.com, press on your brakes and know you’re going to be there for a while. I recommend music or a couple of friends in the car to chat with to pass the time while this light stays red for eons. You can even observe the other drivers around you as they slam their hands onto the steering wheel or look as if they are mimes performing the act of screaming at their windshield. Just be grateful their windows are shut.

  4. It’s lunch time and you decide to go to Chipotle for lunch. You get in the left lane near Patio.com on Old Army Road and have a staredown with the red light. After the light finally turns green and you say a little prayer of gratitude, you turn into the right lane, disobeying the very real rule of turning into the left lane when coming from the left side and merging with the other cars who are supposed to be turning directly to the right lane. You pull this maneuver to alleviate any worries of not being able to change lanes to get into the entrance of Midway Shopping Center after passing the Sunoco gas station. The speed limit is 30 mph on Central Park Avenue, but drivers in a hurry to get onto the long, neverending Chipotle line crank it up. All for waiting a few seconds less.

  5. You approach the 4-way intersection between Ardsley Road and Fort Hill Road with the blinking red light. Ideally, each side should allow one car to pass at a time and people should wait their turn. Now, there are plenty of impatient people in the neighborhood, and they decide to go whenever they feel like it. On the other hand, some drivers feel the need to wait until the entire intersection is empty for them to feel safe enough to either go straight or turn. If you come across one of those individuals, just know this intersection never truly empties and steer clear of him or her at all costs.

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