LAST WEEK, I ran Ann Henry's question about why some drivers allow a two- to three-car space between themselves and the cars in front of them at traffic lights. I surmised that these drivers were doing this out of carelessness or because they could care less about the drivers behind them.

I stand corrected.

Paige Morris of Columbia believes there are legitimate safety reasons for "keeping distance and people don't do it just to annoy other people." She didn't say so, but there was an implied "shame on you" for being so cynical about other drivers' motives.

"I was advised by a driving safety instructor to leave enough space at traffic lights so that I could see the rear tires of the car in front of me, to avoid being pushed into that car in the event of a rear-end collision. A few months later, I was rear-ended at a traffic light and pushed into the car in front of me, even though I had left the recommended amount of space, causing twice the damage to my car and myself. I went back to the driving safety instructor and told him what happened and his response was, 'I bet you were driving a foreign car.' I had been. He then advised me that because most foreign cars have low hoods, you should leave two car lengths in front to avoid being pushed into the car in front of you. I have done that ever since," Morris said.

Seth Mann, who lives in Elkridge, also responded to Ms. Henry's query. "When sitting at a stop light or in stop-and-go traffic I consider leaving some space between my car and the vehicle in front of me to be a safety precaution. There is always a chance that some inattentive driver can plow into the rear of my car. Leaving some space between me and the vehicle in front of me greatly reduces the chance of involving more vehicles in the accident," he said.

Your pet peeves

Left turn-only lanes really knock George Conklin's rotors. "Many intersections in Howard County (and probably in other areas, too) continue to limit the left lane to 'left turn only,' making the right lane for those proceeding straight through the intersection and those turning right. I imagine this is the result of a prior time when traffic from both directions flowed through the intersection on the same light sequence," said Conklin, who lives and drives in Ellicott City.

"Today, though, traffic at these intersections is controlled by a separate light sequence for each direction. Since Maryland law allows a right turn on red after stopping, why not make the left lane for left turns and those going straight, and make the right lane for 'right turn only.' This way, traffic turning right at an intersection could proceed on red, while all those who must wait for a green light (those going straight and those turning left) would have the red light," he said.

Conklin mentioned St. Johns Lane at the intersection with Frederick Road (Route 144). "Southbound traffic on St. Johns Lane and northbound traffic each has its own light sequence. Yet, if you want to turn right onto Frederick Road, you are most likely sitting behind people who are going straight through the intersection. Doesn't it seem relatively simple - and logical - to put the people going straight into the lane with those waiting to turn left - and permit the right-turn drivers to proceed?" he said. " I guess this would be too logical, fuel saving and pollution reducing - but, I can tell you it really irritates me!"

Death on a hot day

We call them our best friends, but there are times that we certainly don't treat them that way. Every year, pets - mostly dogs - needlessly suffer cruel deaths because their owners leave them in hot cars.

On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a shaded car is 90 degrees, while the inside of a car parked in the sun can reach 160 degrees in minutes. Animals - and babies and children, for that matter - can succumb to heatstroke in just 15 minutes.

If you see a dog (or child) left alone in a car, take down the car's color, model, make and license plate number and have the owner paged inside the store, or call the Howard County Animal Welfare Society at 410-465-4350 (if it's a dog) or police (dog or child). Do whatever is necessary to get the dog (or child) out of the car - his or her life may depend on it.

What's your traffic trauma? Contact Jody K. Vilschick at elison@us.net. Technophobes can mail letters to Traffic Talk, The Sun in Howard County, 5570 Sterrett Place, Suite 300, Columbia 21044, or fax 410-715-2816.