Three rules of the road I've rediscovered

Since returning to Yuma, I've redis-covered three rules of the road when driving.

• No. 1: Avoid the Yuma Dash. This phenomenon occurs when a car at a stop sign or light darts right in front of your vehicle even though the driver's seen you and you're only a few feet away. I've lived and driven in Tucson, Phoenix and New York City, and no where is this occurrence more common than in Yuma. Why is that?

• No. 2: Watch for bicyclists riding on the sidewalk. The lack of bike lanes in the area means cyclists feel safer on the cement than the pavement. After almost getting crunched by vehicles here three times in one week while I was on my bike, I'm ready for the sidewalk, too!

• No. 3: Hold your breath and count to 10 before you give the finger to the driver who's been tailgating you for blocks. You never know who's behind the wheel. It could be your leadfooted boss for all you know. D'oh!