Viewpoints
Snow driving
By Patrick Branco
January 07, 2008
Monday AM
I wanted to responded to the story by Jessica Peavey called "A
Little Snowy Advice for Drivers". Her story reminded me
of something my father always used to say "There are only
two kinds of drivers, the ones who drive too slow when you are
behind them and the idiots who drive too fast". Sadly,
few of us are perfect drivers. Dangerous conditions require
prudence. Is it prudent to go out on the road, in the dark, in
a vehicle poorly suited to the conditions? We each should decide
whether a trip to Walmart is worth it. Does the driver of a
big SUV with studded tires and 4 wheel drive have the right to
pressure less capable vehicles to go behind their safety parameters
and driving ability? Clearly not. The law requires that if you
have a line of 5 or more vehicles behind you and you are driving
under the posted limit, you should safely pull over and allow
them to pass. This does not mean that you should bury yourself
in a snow bank or inch over onto what barely passes for a shoulder
on most of our roads. It means safely.
I had the good fortune to grow up in Minnesota (a land without
studded tires or chains) and I learned to drive on ice and snow
that stayed on the ground for 5 months of the year. That said
we have lots of folks in Ketchikan that have rarely driven on
snow so give each other a wide berth and stay respectful of each
other (this is my advice to myself, by the way). I am sure I
have been one of the impatient drivers described so accurately
in this story. For that, I apologize. I will work harder at
keeping a safe distance and remembering that not every car is
properly equipped and not every driver is comfortable driving
in snow and ice. Time is a precious commodity but certainly
not more precious than life.
Patrick Branco
Ketchikan, AK
About: "Minnesota transplant"
Received January 07, 2008 -
Published January 07, 2008
Related Viewpoint:
 A
little "snowy" advice for the drivers.. By Jessica
Peavey
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