I saw something this morning that really scared me. A dump truck with a pony-trailer, both full of gravel, was making a right turn from Pearl Street onto Main Street and some of the other drivers seemed completely unaware of what this meant for all involved.
A dump truck needs a wide turning arc, and the whole rig full of gravel is very heavy. The car on Main Street heading east and the car beside the truck on Pearl had no idea of the problems they were causing. The car beside him wanted to slip right in and turn right as if the dump truck was going straight, and the truck driver blared his horn. If that little car had tried to turn beside the truck, the pony trailer may have crushed it. It has been many long years since I dispatched dump trucks, but I know that an accident will ruin a driver’s career even if it is not their fault.
Maybe courteous driving is no longer a “thing” around here, but we could make an exception for these guys, couldn’t we? They don’t want to be on city streets laid out around the turn of the century before last.
We are so fortunate to have construction in our town right now. The gravel pits are out on highway 507 and the project is on Long Road, so they are going to go through town. Let’s make room.
And while I’m at it, watch for motorcycles. They have the same rights of way as any other vehicle.
Katherine Ford
Centralia
