To the Editor:
In response to guest columnist Jack Ryan’s opinion in the March 8th, 2018, issue of The Star-Herald, I have my own very personal opinion.
It has nothing to do with the legislature or the law it passed concerning driving in the left lane on multi-lane highways. It concerns the safety (or rather the hazard of left lane driving of which Mr. Ryan seems to have the opinion is “more a law of convenience than of public safety,” herewith my opinion and personal experience.
More than a few years ago I was traveling from Kosciusko to Clarksdale, . My route took me north on Hwy 35 then west on Hwy 82 which is a four-lane highway. This stretch of 82 from Hwy 35 to ‘Valley Hill’ is a continuous series of very steep, very short hills which no driver can see over until you get to the crest.
I had traveled a mile or two West on 82 in my right lane when I topped a hill and met a car travelling East in my left lane!! I quickly (and unsuccessfully), tried flagging them down and saw that it was an elderly lady in her 80’s model Chevy “tank.”
I put my pedal to the floor and dialed 911.
By the time I reached the next cross-over I had a 911 operator and a MHP dispatcher on the line. I explained the situation and told them I had turned around and was travelling 98 MPH (all she would do) going back east to catch and stop her. The MHP dispatcher said to ‘carry on and be careful.’ It took me eight miles to catch her still driving along east bound in the left lane of the west bound side. I tried blowing my horn and flagging to no avail, she was looking straight ahead and oblivious to everything else going on around her.
Here I go again at 98 mph. I knew it took me 8 miles to catch her so I figured I needed to get eight miles ahead of her so I would have time to cross over and stop her. I went 10 just to be sure, crossed over and parked and jumped out praying she had not met someone west bound in the ‘in-convenient’ left lane.
In just a minute and by the Grace of God, here she came over the hill and there I was in the middle of the road flagging like a mad-man. She stopped…..right in the middle of the road! I asked her to please pull over into the crossover which she did. I then explained to her as politely as I could (which was not very polite at the time and under the circumstances) what she was doing. She said she had lived on 82 most of her life and knew better than that and just didn’t know why she had turned down that west bound side. She was going to a doctor appointment in Winona and must have had her mind on that. I said (again as politely as I could) that if she kept driving like that she would not need a doctor, she would need an undertaker!!!
Now law or not, ticket or not, Mr Ryan’s column itself is dangerous as it could lead drivers to think it is OK to drive in that left lane. I feel that as a public service he should retract his opinion that it is “more a law of convenience than of public safety”, and his statement of just passing them on the right; not a safe option either. There could be another vehicle coming up on that right side in your blind spot or in your right mirror it could look further away than it really is (that is etched on most all right hand mirrors). Or, the Left Lane driver could decide to switch lanes just as you are passing him on the right.
God was with that lady that day for her to travel east over 20 miles of blind hills in the left lane of the west bound two lanes and met no one in that left lane weather just hanging out or passing a slower vehicle in the right lane (there are a lot of log, gravel and dirt trucks that travel this stretch of 82).
Now Mr. Ryan, would you want your wife, children, any loved one or friend to drive in that left lane just because you think the law is useless? I tell this experience and explain the hazard to everyone I can any chance I get – not only on four-lane highways but yes I have seen it on Interstates too!! You have to try hard to go the wrong way on an interstate, but it happens and they will be in that dreaded left lane so stay to the right! When you need to, be sure you can pass safely then get back in the right lane as soon as safely possible.
I couldn’t care less about some law as Mr. Ryan has focused his attention on. But I do care about lives: mine, my family, my friends and YOURS.
Robert Cagle
Kosciusko, MS
