How many must die on I-81? An open letter to government leaders

The Hagerstown Herald-Mail ^ | July 6, 2016 | Andy Bruns

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Dear Gov. Hogan, Rep. Delaney, Rep. Shuster … somebody:

I'm Andy Bruns, and I run The Herald-Mail. I need to tell you something disturbing about myself.

At least 10 times a week, I put a bullet in the revolver, spin the cylinder, put the gun to my head and pull the trigger. One of these days, the gun will go off. My friends and family will be devastated, and my children will be fatherless. No, I’m not suicidal. I, along with thousands of others in the region, simply commute to work on Interstate 81. The gun is only a metaphor, but the reality is no less deadly.

What will finally get your attention so you do what's necessary to ease the congestion with more lanes? It seems to me that we’ve lost enough lives on this stretch of highway. I know I’m being overly dramatic, overly cynical, and likely overly critical as there are other factors. But I honestly don’t know what else to do, and we have to do something — and quickly.

I know people drive too fast. I know there are a lot of trucks. I know we could write more tickets. I know we could be less distracted. I know we could always wear seat belts. I know all these things. We should address each one of them. But I also know that I-81 has way too much traffic for only two lanes in each direction.

Sweat and concrete, that’s all we’re asking for. It’s not too much to ask, because we’re paying for it with our lives. A week ago today, 21-year-old Jasmine Renee Rafter was tragically taken from us when the combination of rush-hour traffic and the steady flow of commerce once again produced a deadly result.

Let’s make this beautiful soul the last we lose before at least committing funds to widening the entirety of I-81 in Maryland. Although $45 million has long been set aside to widen the bridges over the Potomac River and the short distance north to the first exit in Maryland, there are miles more to go with no money in sight. The languid pace of highway construction and legislative oversight already doom us to wait years from the time dollars are allocated.

Andy Bruns,

Publisher, The Herald-Mail

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Even Hogan appears to be doing this. A dark spot on an otherwise good career as governor.

[Hawthorn]

>> South of Winchester Virginia all the way down 81 into Tennessee is also rife with trucks.It is hazardous.<<

The stretch from Lexington down to Roanoke sometimes has just about scared the s**t out of me. But I can usually handle the remainder of I-81 in Virginia with a minimum of strife.

>> I stay in the right lane and maintain the posted speed limits <<

Doesn’t work for me. No way. I’ll be going ca. 70 down one of those steep grades around Buchanan when two semis will start double-teaming me, one in each lane, almost at my bumper. Then I’ve gotta speed up to about 85 to get them off my tail. Might not be so bad if I were in a high-performance sports car. But I drive a creaky old van!

[7MMmag]

>>>> Frankly he ought to try LA traffic before he continues on <<<<

Driving advice ;

• "Keep your eyes on the road, your hand upon the wheel"

• "Let it roll, baby roll...all night long..."

  exercise caution, because;

• "the future is uncertain but the end is always near"

  - The Lizard King [deceased]

[7MMmag]

>>>> How many people get a license to drive is a mystery to me. <<<<

I don't know about how, but I can tell you from where.

From a box.

[7MMmag]

>>>> Chicago is psycho city and people in the DFW are in too big of a hurry. I blame all the outsiders who moved there.<<<<

In D-FW, hijab wearers erratically aspire to NASCAR.

Some people would think I'm kidding, but the way they drive, like the rest of the idiots [see; where are all the idiots today, mom? joke and punchline] they too must aspire to be like Ricky Bobby.

Fast As You

[RegulatorCountry]

The only thing that is particularly dangerous that I’ve noticed on I-81 through Virginia is that traffic can be flowing along nicely with most traffic above the speed limit, then for no apparent reason out in the middle of nowhere it screeches to a near halt. What appears to cause this is hilly sections, with trucks pulling out to pass one another at a very low speed. The hilly sections need truck lanes or truck traffic needs to be required to keep right.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I actually got stuck in traffic on Atlanta’s Downtown Connector (I-75/I-85) on a Saturday in 2006, so it figures all 14 lanes would clog up in rush hour.