Remember Steve Martin from the movie "The Jerk"? When the new phone book comes out and he finds Johnson, David R on page 73, his charactor gets all excited because his name is in print and he is finally "SOMEBODY!" (See the video link below)
(Spoiler Alert) Well I have my name in print now!
So here's the story: Maureen and I are driving to Sylva to visit with Liam and there is road work ahead. I know in one of my previous blogs I've complained about the propensity for North Carolina drivers to merge immediately upon seeing a "lane closed ahead" sign. It might be three miles ahead but that doesn't matter. Everyone feels obligated to merge immediately. And it's not uncommon to be forced to comply by drivers straddling the line or even driving in the otherwise open lane to block cars and drivers not choosing to be lemmings. So we catch up with the merged line and there are THREE semi-trucks with trailers lined up in an otherwise comletely open lane driving at the same speed as the already merged traffic. The merged traffic and adjacent open lane extend as far as the eye can see. I'm Pissed! As I approach an offramp, where I intend to exit and get back on in front of this crawing road block, I notice the shoulder widens for quit a distance. So I break the law and make a mad dash past the three semi's (I didn't get caught) and go on about my merry way. What could have been a twenty minute delay took me about five minutes to get through. But this has happened one too many times for me.
Did you ever have some thought bouncing around in your mind and you knew you would not be able to sleep if you didn't get it out. I wanted so badly to write and OP-ED, it didn't even matter if it were published or not. I just had to get it down on paper and submit somewhere, where was not important, before I could rest. So I did just that. I hammered out my opinion piece and submitted my first draft to the Asheville Citizen Times. I didn't even put any effort into the bio and picture requested because it wasn't going to be published anyway, right? (As it turns out I should have proof read it because I did find a typo after it was published.)
Two days later, here is the email I received from Casey Blake, the Editor of the Asheville Citizen Times:
"Hi Richard, thank you for this unusual submission - I don't know that we've ever run a full-length driver-rant but this one reads really well to me so you may be our first on Sunday. I know this is an issue we hear from readers about a lot so I'm sure you'll have many fans."
Although I submitted this as an "Opinion" piece, it did not make the Opinion Section. If you will look closely at the By Line it reads: Richard Brooks, Guest Columnist! See, I am somebody!
I haven't found the web page link to my article yet. I think there might be a delay to encourge people to buy the paper. So here is my "Column" below:
NC Drivers: You have a choice. Behold, the zipper merge
You have a choice to make it through 35% faster, you
have a choice to be safe and courteous, you have a choice to comply with NCDOT
recommendations and the law, and all that is required of each and every one of
us to use all available lanes up to the necessary merging point.
That's right, NCDOT recommends that when interstates
and major highways are reduced to a single lane (or fewer lanes than normally
provided) for any reason, that drivers utilize ALL available lanes until it
becomes necessary to merge. NCDOT.gov
describes their formal program using new sensor technology as the "Dynamic
Zipper Merge." The Dynamic Zipper
Merge includes sensors that detect traffic flow and adjusts message boards to
read; "Use Both Lanes/To Merge Point." At the start of the work zone,
the signs will display “Merge Here/Take Turns."
The zipper method works just like it sounds. Everyone uses all available lanes up to the
merge point, and then we all courteously take turns merging into the single
available lane. And the great thing
about this method is it really does not require any sensor technology or
message boards. All that is required is
for everyone to use the lanes available, pay attention to the road and vehicles
around us, and take turns.
What about forced compliance by the "Get In
Line" crowd? You know, those
passenger vehicles and large trucks that straddle the line or drive full in the
open lane at the same speed as the already merged traffic. Below is an excerpt from North Carolina
General Statutes Chapter 20. Motor Vehicles § 20-141. Speed restrictions. I don't know if I'm applying this correctly,
but in most states, if not all, obstructing the free flow of interstate traffic
is a violation of traffic laws.
North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 20. Motor
Vehicles § 20-141.
(h) No person
shall operate a motor vehicle on the highway at such a slow speed as to impede
the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is
necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law; provided, this
provision shall not apply to farm tractors and other motor vehicles operating
at reasonable speeds for the type and nature of such vehicles.
Blocking other vehicles from using an open lane would
not be justified as "reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in
compliance with law.” It's not safe, it
is certainly not courteous, and it just doesn't make sense! And here is the rub. I can't tell you how many times since I moved
to North Carolina
Full disclosure:
you may have noticed I indicated a relocation to North Carolina Virginia North
Carolina Southern California . So you can
imagine I have an decidedly different view of traffic than most native or long
term North Carolinians . In Southern California when there is a traffic accident on a six or eight
lane freeway requiring traffic to merge to get by, there is no choice. You use all available lanes and courteously
take turns to get by the choke (merge) point.
And the reason everyone automatically does that is that it works. Otherwise the resulting back up for six lanes
merging to one or two lanes would result in a back up of 10's of miles. Using the 35% faster statistic. An hour long backup in North Carolina
And remember, it is a choice. A choice to be smart about how we use the
interstate space available to us. A
choice to acknowledge the expertise and experience of the NCDOT traffic
engineers and follow their recommendations.
And an opportunity for all of us to choose to get where we are going a
little bit faster, safer, and even a little more courteously.
So I'm published, and as a "columnist" no less. I'm temped to hammer out another column on "Gun Control". I'll give you a hint. I think both sides are doing it wrong!
Until next time!
R-
