The rude, unthoughtful, inattentive, inconsiderate, and disrespectful driving that I have seen around our neighborhood has started to push me over the edge. Where are you going in such a hurry that is so important to put someone else’s life in danger? Something needs to be done about it, and fast. Lake Nona is only growing bigger, and we shouldn’t allow this type of driving behavior to be accepted.

I bet if there were a police officer located at one of our stop signs here in Lake Nona, he would have one busy day pulling over a majority of the drivers. It’s not even just the stop signs; there’s the speeding, inconsiderate parking, and the flat-out rude driving.

Orlando is one of the largest cities in Florida and has one of the busiest interstate systems in America, which is bad enough as it is, so let’s really try not to bring that madness into our beautiful home of Lake Nona. I see it every morning when I am taking my son to school at Laureate Park Elementary. We drive down Lake Nona Boulevard bright and early, and I constantly see cars speeding down the road over 50 mph; it’s insane! It really makes me wonder why people who drive this way think that it is okay to put others at risk (including children) just so that they can get to where they need to go. If you’re running late to work or a meeting, you’re not getting there any faster, you’re already late!

Drivers need to have the common courtesy to watch for our pedestrians on the road. Too many times I’ve seen people in the crosswalks having to get out of the way of a car trying to get through. The drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians, not the other way around.

The biggest point I want to get across is to watch for our children. I’m not just speaking to our regular commuters, but the construction and commercial drivers, too. Recently, in a neighboring community near Boggy Creek, there was a tragedy of a hit-and-run that took the life of a young boy, all of which could have been avoided if drivers can just use common sense and courtesy. Put your phone down, pay attention, and drive courteously.

So please, let’s keep Lake Nona a safe, growing environment that cares about its residents. Use common courtesy when driving; be thoughtful and attentive of others. Drive through school areas and crosswalks cautiously. Stop the speeding and make those complete stops to be sure that nobody is walking across the road. We all have families and loved ones who we care about, and nobody wants to be the victim of a distracted driving accident. What if it were you, your family, or one of your loved ones?

Tough Things to Talk About is a recurring article for Nonahood News that brings the controversial subjects to light. This article is not to shame, blame, or toss anyone under the bus but to express the views of others who might find it tough to talk about. If you have a topic that you would like to express that might be too tough to talk about, reach out to me at [email protected].