Intersection etiquette non-existant

Driving in Parkersburg during the aftermath of last Friday night's storm was something akin to another disaster.

First, for some people it was an excuse to decide common courtesy and legal driving practices no longer existed. Too many motorists decided to ignore the law and speed through intersections where a traffic light was not working. It didn't matter state law mandates such intersections must be treated as four-way stops and motorists should take turns passing through them. And, then when motorists did stop, there was the fear of being rear-ended by a motorists who didn't know the law and/or having more than one motorists take his/her turn going through the intersections while law-abiding motorists followed the rules.

Williamstown had the right idea in putting up portable stop signs at its most heavily traveled intersections where traffic lights were inoperable.

Having a police officer directing traffic at the busiest intersections would have helped in Parkersburg.

Second, why did everyone seem to think the world was coming to an end and they had to immediately fill their vehicle's gasoline tank, thus creating long lines for motorists merely topping off their tanks and causing gasoline stations that were open to actually run out of gasoline?

Third, that same panic, end-of-the-world mentality could be seen at grocery stores and other places where foodstuffs were sold. Did everyone think they were going to starve if they didn't have a two-week supply of beer, chips and other munchies?

Fourth, why did some residents think it was OK to cut down their damaged trees and pile the remains in the street, doing nothing but adding to the already congested driving conditions?

Common sense and courtesy go along way during a crisis.