This past weekend I was driving up Interstate 95 toward New York, as I do rather frequently now that my daughter is in school there. As I approached Delaware, a large electronic overhead sign warned of construction near “Exit 3” and indicated the rightlane was blocked and to “EXPECT DELAYS.” My comfort level in my early move to the left was reinforced by a variable message sign on the shoulder once across the Delaware line that again warned of the same construction just a few miles ahead. Instead, the only surprise came when I approached Exit 3 in Delaware and found nothing; no cones, no barrels, no highway trucks. Obviously, I would much rather experience this scenario than one where there IS construction but no advance notice. Even still, it made me think about the coordination of information on the interstates. I?m not blaming the folks at Maryland?s highway department because it seems they were given bad information. Who is responsible for making sure that information motorists receive is accurate and helpful? Where are the checks and balances? What if this had been a real emergency situation?
Wayne writes: “As a Baltimore County police officer, my views may be biased in favor of my profession. But your column [Monday] really irritated me. You and your reader both complain that the police seem to have no interest in directing traffic at accident scenes to “get people moving.” It?s amazing to me that the same people who seem to be in a hurry to get where they are going need to be prodded by the authorities to stop rubbernecking and move on. You yourself alluded to the universal desire to see what all the commotion is about. So apparently “everybody” does it and “everybody” complains about it. You seem to be saying, ?I?m too stupid to do what I should be doing, so please, someone make me do it.? In addition, did it occur to anyone that it?s safer for the emergency personnel if traffic is moving slowly by the scene?”
Thanks for writing Wayne, and for your thoughts. Regular readers of this column will learn that, with the exception of some things like stealth enforcement through cameras and sensor technology, I am generally on the side of the hardworking men and women who serve and protect. This is sort of a”chicken and the egg” situation, as it relates to the slow traffic. Are people driving slow because they are looking or are they looking (more) because the traffic has been so slow? Officers on the scene who are not directly involved in the investigation of the crash (there are always a few) should make an attempt to expedite the flow of traffic despite what the drivers WANT to do. I agree with you, and I understand the concept of slowing traffic for safety. Even still, that doesn?t mean the fire department needs to tie up three out of four lanes to deal with an incident on the shoulder such as I witnessed just a few days ago near White Marsh. There needs to be a better balance struck between the safety of all involved and the flow of traffic for those not involved.
Steve Eldridge is an award-winning traffic and transportation reporter. You can contact him with your thoughts, ideas and questions by writing to: [email protected]. Only your first name will be used if your letter is published, and e-mails will only be forwarded for response with your permission.
