Sunday, January 07, 2007
The Blessings of the Road
Have you ever ridden in the cab of a big truck? It’s quite an eye-opening experience. I think it would be a good idea for everyone to try it before they can get a license to drive a car. From such a lofty perch, cars look very small and vulnerable. Learning first-hand how long it takes for a truck to stop, and how much space it takes to turn a corner might someday save your life.
Instead of cussing the hard working truckers, thing about how complicated our lives would be without them. The recent snow storm we had, preventing trucks from getting to stores to make deliveries for a couple of days, was a good reminder of how much our survival depends on their daily travels.
And how often do you think of appreciating the engineers and others who design and keep our roads in shape? Imagine the problems they encounter with keeping traffic moving while doing necessary repairs. One recent renovation project in our area was aimed at building tunnels beneath the freeway in order to keep wild animals–especially deer and bears–from wandering out into traffic. Contending with the problems of a construction zone is pretty minor compared to crashing into a black bear.
The evolution of highway signs and markings has taken a lot of imagination. Did you know that the paint used for striping contains ground-up glass so that it can be seen easier under headlights at night? How important those stripes are becomes quite evident when they are covered with snow.
With most freeway ramps located on the right, how do you know when the one coming up might turn to the left? Watch the large road signs for the exit number at the top. If it is on the right corner of the sign, it will turn right. If on the left corner, the exit ramp will be on the left.
In some states, the numbers of the exit ramps coincide with the mile markers, so that when traveling west in New Mexico, you see mile marker 176, you know to be ready to turn off at exit 175 for Tijeras or Sandia Crest, 175 miles from the Arizona border.
Mile markers are generally easy to see on interstates, but not on lesser roads. In Texas you may have to look closely beneath the US 287 sign to find the number on the post. Knowing the milepost can be important when reporting a wreck or other problems to authorities.
The next time you’re driving, pay attention to all the blessings of our highway system, and pass your thankfulness on to the other drivers you encounter.
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
cgtrent@att.net
Instead of cussing the hard working truckers, thing about how complicated our lives would be without them. The recent snow storm we had, preventing trucks from getting to stores to make deliveries for a couple of days, was a good reminder of how much our survival depends on their daily travels.
And how often do you think of appreciating the engineers and others who design and keep our roads in shape? Imagine the problems they encounter with keeping traffic moving while doing necessary repairs. One recent renovation project in our area was aimed at building tunnels beneath the freeway in order to keep wild animals–especially deer and bears–from wandering out into traffic. Contending with the problems of a construction zone is pretty minor compared to crashing into a black bear.
The evolution of highway signs and markings has taken a lot of imagination. Did you know that the paint used for striping contains ground-up glass so that it can be seen easier under headlights at night? How important those stripes are becomes quite evident when they are covered with snow.
With most freeway ramps located on the right, how do you know when the one coming up might turn to the left? Watch the large road signs for the exit number at the top. If it is on the right corner of the sign, it will turn right. If on the left corner, the exit ramp will be on the left.
In some states, the numbers of the exit ramps coincide with the mile markers, so that when traveling west in New Mexico, you see mile marker 176, you know to be ready to turn off at exit 175 for Tijeras or Sandia Crest, 175 miles from the Arizona border.
Mile markers are generally easy to see on interstates, but not on lesser roads. In Texas you may have to look closely beneath the US 287 sign to find the number on the post. Knowing the milepost can be important when reporting a wreck or other problems to authorities.
The next time you’re driving, pay attention to all the blessings of our highway system, and pass your thankfulness on to the other drivers you encounter.
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
cgtrent@att.net
