Newspaper Vendors Are A Traffic Hazard

I do appreciate we have folks out there hustling a few bucks selling newspapers. In many cases, the vendors are not the problem.

The problem with newspaper vendors on the corner is simple, Lubbock drivers are not smart enough to know how to deal with them. The idiocy level of Lubbock drivers is legendary and when you add even an uncomplicated transaction to the process it's just too much for some.

Now, let's start with you folks going "uh-no!!!".  Are you going to tell me that these vendors never slow traffic? Are you going to tell me that a green light has never flashed while a car driver is still waiting for change? Nonsense. For some reason in this town, we allow someone at intersections who is virtually guaranteed to slow up traffic several, if not many, times a day.

Once again yesterday I had a car stop in front of me, in the intersection, in order to pick up a paper.  That's right. They went through the light, across the intersection, then stopped to make a deal with a newspaper vendor.  It's totally the driver's fault, and that's my point. No matter how good the people are peddling papers, they are a distraction to stupid drivers.

We have had newspaper vendors hit and if we haven't had traffic accidents related to these vendors being at intersections, then they're coming.  I don't wish these folks any ill will. I think they could do just as well in large shopping centers as they do at intersections. The problem is, it is impossible for these people to not be a traffic hazard in a town like Lubbock.