Streets of Terror, Tears of despair

There are few places in Salt Lake City where you can drive and be safe. I got a call from Brodi yesterday telling me about her flat tire. Sure enough, she had a flat...flat as a crepe (she has been making a bunch of crepes with her very impressive crepe machine she bought). It had a metal piece of something sticking in it (about an inch long on the outside sticking all the way thru on the inside. Unfixable. But hey, whats $180 to get a new tire? I mean the tires were getting old anyway...12 months old, so I am happy to shell out some more money for a brand new one.

My truck has a nice windshield crack due to the bobsled horror show that is I-80 right now. Seriously, half of the time now, I just close my eyes while I drive that 5 mile stretch, crying and screaming and praying to just make it through. Rocks pelting the windows, dodging 57 ton Semi trucks, 16 year old boys texting as they drive, and others just swerving all over the road. When you are trying to keep up with the flow of traffic and hitting speeds of 55 miles an hour and you have about 2 inches of clearance on both sides of your lane, it gets your heart beating. Add to that the occasional muffler (which I saw this morning driving to work) lying in the road, well, lets just say, its shocking that an ambulance helicopter is not hovering over that stretch of road to be there for any accident that is bound to happen soon.

I am happy though that the Utah Department of Transportation has issued this stern advisory to those driving huge semi trucks: "Large trucks are encouraged to use I-215 as a detour." Man, if that doesn't work to keep them off that stretch of road, I don't know what will. Maybe the next advisory will be something even tougher like 'Strongly encourage' or 'really really want you to take another route' or 'we beg you with all of our heart.' Thanks UDOT. Its also comforting to know that in only a short 18 months, this project will be completed.

Add to that, the countless potholes along 33rd and 39th South, as well as throughout Sugarhouse and the Avenues, and well, its a wonder that I drive anymore. But hey, I enjoy spending over $100 a week in gas, so I keep on keeping on. End of rant.

Spring looks like its coming.