In today's editorial, we take Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to task for their toothless approach to the Valley's annual carnage on Highway 99 during fog season.
Yes, of course, the real varmints are people who drive recklessly during fog season. They are idiots, and sometimes they are killers. We compare them with drinking drivers. Drunks are idiots, too, but law enforcement is far more aggressive about education, prevention, apprehension and incarceration. Will it take a group of angry mothers holding picture posters of their dead children to persuade Caltrans and the CHP that they must get ferocious about this?
It seems it always takes people getting killed before anything gets done. They should have CHP pacing traffic on those foggy days. I won't even go out there when it is foggy. I will cancel appts and or my daughters auditions before I risk the lives of me and my family. It is really quite scary to be driving at the safe speed people should be driving because those idiots that don't slow down will ram you in the behind. Then there are those that don't put their headlights on and that drives me crazy too.
This is not a new problem so why is it the resposibilty of the CHP or Cal-Trans to protect us.Are they responsible for accidents in heavy rain or cars that drive off snowy roads in the Sierra. Protect yourself-do what you need to insure your own safety.Get off the road, reschedule whatever.You guys are throwing the word idiot around like pennies.The idiots are the ones who expect the CHP or Cal-Trans to protect them from themselves.
We can blame the Highway Patrol, the good folks at Caltrans, the media, the rain dance, and the Easter Bunny, but until folks slow down, the crashes in the fog will go on and on!
Michael Long
The CHP was pacing this week in the areas of both accidents!!! They can not be everywhere at once. People think that 50 mph is slow enough in a 70 mph zone. If you can not see in front of you, SLOW DOWN TO 30!!! When are drivers going to wake up to the fact that they have to take some responsibility here too??? Yes, it will take longer but leave earlier and SLOW DOWN! Get there alive!
How about getting a class action lawsuit against the State of California?
Sue the State, or else make them put up measures to make it more safe under these dangerous conditions.
When all else fails, sue!
It is the sole responsibility of the drivers to keep it safe and there are always going to be people that think they are invincible just like thiose that drink and drive.