Rumble Stripes Pose a Hazard

No doubt you have noticed the County installed "rumble stripes" on the fog line of our county roads this year. The County staff seems to be defending the location of the "rumble stripes" suggesting that the fog line will be more visible at night or under some conditions.

I suggest that their decision to place the rumble strips so that they straddle the fog line is short-sighted and hazardous. You have no doubt read the outcry and frustration of those poor folks who happen to live along the now much louder roadways. They have reason to beef, but we also all have reason to beef due to the reduced effective lane width.

The traditional location of rumble strips is outside the fog line on the paved shoulder of a road. The County Engineers by their action of placing the "rumble stripes" centered on the fog line have encouraged you and me to drive closer to the center of the road to avoid the "stripes." I suggest that the County has increased the likelihood of head-on collisions.

If you are like me, you normally drive toward the outside of the driving lane to reduce potential for a head-on collision. I was taught by a clever truck driver friend to center my chest on the center of my driving lane. What I mean is I center my chest, as I drive, midway between the wheel tracks on the highway. This keeps my vehicle toward the outside of the normal 12' wide lane. Normally this places my right tires 1 foot or so inside the fog line. Now, if I stray only 6 or 8 inches from my normal path I hit the rumble stripe and make lots of noise.

I don't like making lots of noise and driving my friends and neighbors crazy. My choice is therefore to move toward the center of the road. If I make a mistake, or the opposing driver does, my chances of a fatal accident have risen dramatically because of some public servants ill-advised decision.

Rick Sathre, Greenwood Township