Re: 95 & 8 + ID Traffic

[Ken Medlin <dev-plan@moscow.com>]

Thanks for sharing your personal experience -- that's important, of 
coures. But the just released research data on the issue says that with 
only 4% of all registered vehicles in the nation, trucks account for 22% 
of all the hiway accidents, so something seems to be wrong out there. As 
a 4-wheel driver, who's averaged 15-20,000 miles on the roads in recent 
years, mainly in Western states, the numbers of times I've been either 
harrassed or threatened by bad truck driving are many, many. On the other 
hand, there are a great number of fine and courteous truckers out there 
too. As for me, at night, when a semi pulls out and passes me, I always 
blink my lights when the trailer clears my vehicle, and usually he blinks 
back! It's a neat relationship. But still, my friend, when truckers are 
10-14 hours on the road and under pressure to get the goods there ASAP, 
something's got to give, and usually it's fatigue or dullness or the 
effect of stimulants for the nervous system, etc. that causes unnecessary 
accidents. On Idaho's 2-lane hiways, the clearance between the truck and 
the median is often a matter of a couple feet, and frequently, on curves, 
their wheels cxoss over and endanger oncoming vehicles. My remarks in no 
way are intended to villify the trucking profession, but the facts we 
have are indisputable. And with rising hiway congestion,and longer 
driving time being demanded by the ATA, whose going to suffer most? 
Innocent families, that's who. There's got to be a change before the 22% 
becomes 30 or 40%.  That's my position, but I'm afraid that the shippers, 
the ATA,  auto industry, and fuel industry are against me. So be it. Have 
a good one, Gary.    

------------------------
William K. Medlin
Dev-plan associates
930 Kenneth Street
Moscow ID 83843
208/892-0148
dev-plan@moscow.com