I hate it when traffic arteries get clogged....

[poltr1]

Had an interview with a solutions provider in Blue Ash today. The drive there was uneventful. The interview went well. After the interview, I went to Micro Center in Sharonville to try and pick up a 320 Gb EIDE drive. I have an empty hard drive enclosure that takes an EIDE drive. But alas, they were out of them, and I don't think there's a SATA-to-EIDE adapter that would fit. Then I went to Red Robin in West Chester for an early supper or late lunch.

As soon as I left the restaurant (around 4:30 pm), the trouble began. I got on to I-75 northbound, which was backed up. I called up ARTIMIS, which told me there was an accident up ahead; it was north of route 129 and the highway was closed at that point. It took me about an hour to move from Union Center Blvd. to Tylersville Rd, where I exited the highway. Tylersville was backed up, but not as bad as I-75. I wanted to take US 42 into Lebanon, but that intersection was also backed up with detoured traffic. I stopped at the Culver's near the WLW tower in Mason, used the restroom, and had some frozen custard. I got back on Tylersville and headed eastbound toward I-71, passing by Kings Island in the process. I didn't get home until 7 PM.

[Updated 26-Aug 01:05] There was no TV news coverage of the crash, but this brief article sums it up.

I hate sitting still in traffic. I think of the gas I and everyone else around me is wasting as we essentially idle. I'd rather be moving, which is why I often end up on these convoluted detours which take longer than staying in the traffic jam. I don't know the extent of the accident -- and I probably won't until the 11 o'clock news -- but it must have been serious if the highway was closed. The section of highway in question is currently being widedned from 3 lanes to 4, so it's a construction zone. My guess -- and I hope I'm wrong on this -- is someone failed to slow down to the posted speed limit and hit one of the workers. Don't people realize that haste is the number one cause of accidents? I want to have a bumper sticker with the words "What's your hurry?" on the back of my car. Meanwhile, an entire community of commuters are inconvenienced. I'm just glad I didn't have to pick up M today.

Comments

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Don't people realize that haste is the number one cause of accidents?

Bzzzzt, wrong, thank you for playing. Inattention and bad driving is the number one cause of accidents. The "speed kills" mantra has been repeated by the insurance companies and their revenue-collection agents police agencies that people actually believe it. "Repeat a lie often enough..."

If speed killed, Germany's Autobahns would be the deadliest highways in the world. Instead, they're among the safest. Why? Because driver training is much better, and because there are two rules that are very strictly enforced. Rule One is "Keep Right, Pass Left." This avoids the weaving in-and-out Americans have to do to get around the sloths who are camped out at 50 in the left lane. The second is "No tailgating". Two second rule, no exceptions, and you will be ticketed.

[poltr1]

I don't equate haste with speed. I have a leisurely attitude when it comes to driving. "I'll get there when I get there", even if I'm going 70. I don't think I'm a slowpoke, although some drivers behind me may disagree. :)

Last week, I was almost rear-ended turning left into a Speedway gas station. Apparently the guy behind me thought I was going to turn left onto the road after the gas station. I didn't appreciate him blaring his horn as he passed me on the right. I should have flipped him the bird, but I didn't. Call it inattention if you want, but I think he was in a big hurry to get to where he wanted to go, and I just happened to be in his way.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

yeah, I'd call that "inattentive" more than anything else.

[owlsforodin.livejournal.com]

While I agree that speed, by itself, doesn't increase the probability of accidents, speed does affect the severity of an accident. In Germany, in the 80s, one was 7 times likely to get into an accident off the autobahn as compared to on it. However, one was three times more likely to die from an accident on the autobahn as off of it.

[athenawindsong.livejournal.com]

Oy vey! Consider the source!! People in Cincinnasty simply cannot drive correctly. Add to that the complete lack of urban planning and the total devastation of overdeveloped sprawl and you got yourself a daily traffic headache. Nothing south of West Chester makes any sense and no roads connect from one township to the next. Consider yourself lucky you only went to Blue Ash. Downtown is even worse to get in an out of. The only section I consider drivable in that whole city is the Price Hill area, and even that takes some getting used to. Nevermind my usual complaint of a 4 lane road condensed into 2 lanes due to parked cars on either side, made worse by the constant presence of trucks of all sizes.

Cincinnasty only works if you live and work outside the 275 beltway - and you will NEVER get away from having to use either 75 or 71.

Also...

[athenawindsong.livejournal.com]

I've tried that exact same detour you did. Once and only once. Never ever again. Prime example of crappy urban planning and sprawl. I'd rather take a bullet than do that again.