I've heard of people complain about small communities that have speed traps as being nothing more than revenue generators, but Dodge County has taken revenue generation to a whole new level.
Anyone who has traveled Highway 41 in the winter knows that, historically, the worst road conditions are invariably found in Dodge and Washington Counties. They do not plow the roads, not even the highways, and they seem to think salt is made out of gold and other precious metals.
In fact, my wife and I cut our winter break short by a day to beat last weekend's storm, just because we didn't want to travel through those counties in bad weather if we can avoid it.
This year, Dodge County is vying to take the crown as the worst county to drive in. First, not only do they use salt sparingly, but now they are cutting it down even more by choosing to use a salt/sand mixture, which is nowhere near as effective and leaves the roads even more dangerous.
I guess they would rather have people pay hundreds or thousands of dollars on repair bills and insurance premiums, rather than raise taxes by a couple of bucks.
But to add insult to injury, now they are fining people for sliding off their ill-kept roads.
I would suggest to the DOT, since they are so hot and heavy to build new highways, that they build one that goes around Dodge County. Heck, have it go around Washington County while they're at it. Then we'll see how well their communities do when people are able to avoid their little revenue-generating accident traps.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
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Not sure how lax the road clearing really is in Dodge County compared to my county, but I am required to make a couple of trips a week, rain, snow, sleet or hail and I allowed forty minutes for the 15 minute drive last Sunday on the 1/2 inch thick coating of ice.
ReplyDeleteI was heading south and the plows and salt trucks were first heading north as their practice is to wait until a particular storm has run its course before dealing with the aftermath.
With new tires, selectable 4WD and knowing the limits of my vehicle, I still got the putzes refusing to pass but trying to push my ass along by following close enough that I could not see their hood ornaments in the rear view mirror. This was at 45 mph in a 55 mph zone. Stretches of black ice required slowing more, occasionally.
I was praying for a police officer to see this crap but to no avail. I simply pull over where safe to do so to protect myself, without any one-finger salute.
I can't judge your road condition circumstances compared to the ones I have encountered, but fining the idiots who expect perfect road conditions every time "they" think that they "should be able" to drive the speed limit under any road conditions is an idea worth vigorously pursuing. The statutes should be changed to be able to charge these drivers with reckless endangerment with the use of a deadly weapon.
I understand that no one can legislate common sense, but fining the ones who endanger others by not having it or exercising it, seems perfectly reasonable to me.
Sand/salt works just fine in Brookfield.
ReplyDelete@dadophone,
ReplyDeleteI'm not denying that there are idiot drivers that deserve consequences for the unsafe behaviors. But I also know you can do everything right and have a problems. Once, I saw a van get pushed sideways by the wind while it was on a patch of ice. The van was stopped and not moving, except for the wind.
@Dad29,
How many highways is Brookfield responsible for?
They've been using sand in the south for years. Makes for nasty cars, but it does work. Perfect? No, but then, neither is salt.
ReplyDeleteLived in Dodge County and I gotta tell ya, the drivers seriously suck. Mostly from utter stupidity. Ice and speed does not bode well for anyone on the roads. I'd rather see people fined than dead, wouldn't you?