Clouds seen while on the Road

Well, during the past few weeks we've put more putting miles on that odometer, and this week is NO exception. We are again in the higher latitudes, not high enough to see the aurora forecast for the next few days, but high enough to be able to drive a few hours if the skies were clear (NOT!), to see some green meanies!

We didn't stop as many times on the drive up as we would have liked, but it was still nice with some very nice clouds, and here's a few snaps of the clouds.

We knew in advance the area was getting rain, and sure enough, as we got into the last miles of our looong drive, the rain began. By time we arrived at our final destination Sunday evening, it was pouring down quite nice. 

It's nice of Mother Nature to be so kind to clean our poor dirty minivan!

On the other hand, we regularly pass through Michigan, and this drive was again no exception. Michigan has an interstate speed limit of 70 miles per hour (mph), but still the cars zip by us as if we were standing still. I guessimate their speeds far exceed Michigan's speed limit of 70mph, and we often see cars racing on the interstate roadways. I have often complained of vehicles in the states of New York, Pennsylvania and especially Michigan, how they pass even over double yellow NO-passing lanes, on curves, and seem to enjoy driving at the speed of illegal and suddenly stop approximately two feet behind your back bumper. 

In my opinion, there is NO way to prevent a deadly accident on any roadway while driving 70mph or faster. By allowing vehicles to drive 70mph and above, the state is basically saying you can get to your destination faster, and to the cemetery even faster! It's bad enough that most vehicles that cause an accident kill others while seemingly the vehicles causing those accidents disappear into the distance to again speed recklessly another day. In one recent incident in Michigan, a pickup truck zoomed up to pass but instead encountered two trucks side-by-side, one passing the other. The truck simply veered suddenly to the right of both trucks, passing both on the interstate shoulder, and disappeared within seconds!

The overall sad thing about higher speed limits, is that drivers drive fast everywhere. It seems in these states and others, drivers speed faster than the posted speed limit everywhere, since they are already used to speeding faster than the speed limit. Yesterday, we saw two black sedans racing each other at what I estimated to be 85mph, weaving in and out of traffic, with no regard to the safety of others nor for themselves. Then we passed by a state trooper on the side of the road, after having stopped some other vehicle, but those two speeding racing vehicles had passed by them just minutes ago!!

This story doesn't end there. We are saddened to see so many signs with the following sad words CRASH INVESTIGATION SITE, and the frequency of these signs appearing on roadways is increasing!! We saw one such sign in New York state roadways even, the first ever! On this trip, after crossing into Michigan from the southeast, there must have been 10 and more of these signs. I don't think anyone can see these signs since they are driving faster than the speed of signs!

Wherever you are, stay at a safe speed, and that speed should be the speed you can safely control your vehicle should a situation present you with a split-second decision to decide what action to take: stop, slow down, or steer away. At the top speed of 70mph or faster, any one of the three actions I mentioned, will most likely result in a roll-over, a collision with another vehicle, or all. Other vehicles will then be affected also, building into a high-speed crash scenario that is encouraged by many states by increasing the speed limit. 

How many have, and will die because of these high speeds? How many innocent drivers who are driving below the displayed speed of 70mph, will be affected and/or be seriously injured or killed?

You can write, email or call your state transportation representative or others, to voice your opinion that speed limits need to be lowered. No matter what happens, all of us are affected in one way or another.....  

What will YOU do?

Have you had a close-call with a speeding driver? Please share your experience, detailing the location, the direction you were headed, and what was the posted speed limit....

It's been said before lots but I seriously don't think many are hearing it: BE SAFE OUT THERE!