Red Means Nothing: When Drivers Stop Trusting the Lights and Start Trusting Themselves
Author auto.pub |
Published on: 08.10.2025
Somewhere in Izhvesk, Russia, a traffic light tried to do its job—and failed. Not because it was broken, but because a 65-year-old man behind the wheel of a Hyundai Solaris decided that red was merely a suggestion, not an instruction. The result was devastating: three pedestrians dead, a city bus caught in the chaos, and a driver who mistook recklessness for experience.
The tragedy’s cruelty lies in its simplicity. The pedestrians were doing everything right—crossing on green, as every child is taught to do. But in traffic ruled by drivers who consider the laws of physics optional, even a green light no longer promises safety; it offers only hope.
Official statements claim that “circumstances are being clarified,” as though there were anything left to clarify. Perhaps investigators will determine whether the light was truly red—or whether the driver simply felt the color matched his car better.
In a world where trust in the rules erodes one intersection at a time, the traffic light still shines dutifully. The question is: who’s still paying attention?
