Sunday, December 22, 2024

A Fatal Crash, Frequent Dangerous Drivers: A Resident’s Unease About the Safety of Sherwood Road—Letter to the Editor

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This photograph captured the emergency vehicles gathered in the dark on November 11, 2022 after a single vehicle rolled off the road killing the driver [Picture provided by a Brooktrails resident]

Editor-

I have been extra careful on Sherwood. A recent fatality brings to our community a heightened need for caution in a neighborhood with an extremely dangerous road ….throw in the numerous deer, bears, cats, dogs…and occasional human….you would think that our neighbors might slow down a little bit.

However, the opposite is happening! I am a 50-year-old teacher. I have a great driving record of 30-plus years. I have a long dangerous commute. My own neighborhood is the absolute scariest part of my commute. Whether I am leaving my house or headed back home, I end up with some brainless fool riding on my bumper with their high beams absolutely blinding me …

Why are the numerous police in our neighborhood not doing anything at all about this? It would be easy to install a camera and catch these idiots!

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Sherwood Road [Picture provided by Kelly Heather Stevens Andersen]

I am used to being patient and not allowing people to rush me in my job as a teacher, but it is so hard to maintain a safe speed or to pull over safely when blinded by these maniacs riding right on my bumper!!!

I’m so glad I don’t let them rush me because there is always a deer or a person right where these people strive to drive so dangerously!!!

My daughter is about to start driving and I cannot even think about her being forced into these insanely dangerous situations.

On my way home last night a neighbor flew around me into the oncoming traffic lane because they apparently didn’t approve of me driving at a safe speed.

A camera can easily be installed so that when these criminals put their, our, and others’ lives at risk. and eventually, cause a death or critical incident…and no cop is ever there …they can be persecuted to the full extent that the law allows!!!!!!

-Kelly Heather Stevens Andersen
Brooktrails Resident

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7 COMMENTS

  1. Sherwood is very dangerous! No lights, poor reflection from pavement paint, no walk or bike lanes, etc….bicyclists & pedestrians walking are the biggest dangers! & quite frankly just flat out stupid to do either on that road! The LED headlights should be banned from all cars cuz those things do more harm than good. I think the road is fun to drive which also creates a hazard. Just be mindful & respectful out there.

    • While I, generally agree, with your statement, a couple clarifying details might help.
      Some people don’t have cars.
      Some people who don’t have cars, don’t have bikes.
      You may think it’s stupid but it might be stupider to starve or lose housing by not leaving home. Leaving home is how most people pay thier bills.

      Many LED headlamps are not legal (DOT approved) for use on-road.
      Some people who install LED headlights don’t know how to aim them properly and/or don’t even know to have them aimed properly. This is a MAJOR & very dangerous problem.
      Also, some people’s cars/trucks have sagging suspensions and don’t grasp why people are flashing high beams at them. I deal with this BS nearly every morning or evening.

      Some people don’t realize that headlights are not just so “they” can see, but also so everyone else can see them well in advance.

      If you can see better because of your LED headlights but everyone else is blinded by them, then you have effectively reduced road safety around you.

      If you can see headlights coming towards you then you must make sure your high beams are OFF.

  2. Driving is the most dangerous thing we all do everyday and there is NEVER any public saftey efforts to encourage safe driving. I think the number of fatal car crashes is about 90 a day in California?! An absolute public health crisis.
    My doctor leaves me every appoint with ‘the number 1 way to die for someone your age is a car accident so buckle up’ warning.
    I lost a family member at 5 years old to getting smashed in car.
    Everday we drive in a bullet.

  3. It’s not just Sherwood Rd. The neighborhood streets of Ukiah are just as bad. People are angry, impatient drivers. They speed well over posted speed limits, take blind corners on the other side, don’t yield for pedestrians, run stop signs, text and talk on cells at the wheel, and on and on and on. Police do nothing. I would like to know how many speeding tickets are written in Ukiah, Willits, Fort Bragg on a monthly basis. I bet the numbers are zero to few. Highways are just as bad. I hate driving at night for the same reason the writer notes, tailgating with bright lights. I turn all my mirrors down and out and maintain my speed til a turn out is available, but these idiots are insane and often pass on double yellow, blind corners. I’m driving the limit for God’s sake. The level of inconsiderate, self centered, hot headed people in the world today is the worse epidemic we’ve ever had. EVER. And no one to hold anyone accountable for their actions is just as bad.

  4. Sherwood road is very bad and very different from ukiah city streets lol sad. However, as a teacher the author should know the solution is prosecution not persecution. I hate to go full English nazi but on a teacher…cmon!

  5. It has become obvious that the roads and highways are much more crowded than ever before. With the number of overall drivers increasing the number of bad drivers has multiplied.Most schools have eliminated driver ed and driver training, cars are much faster and drivers have many distractions these days.The most dangerous thing most of us will ever do is just driving our car. So just beware and don’t be a jerk!

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MendoFever Staff
MendoFever Staff
Editor's Note: Whenever an article's byline reads "MendoFever Staff", the contents of that article were not composed by any of our reporters. Types of writing that will be attributed to "MendoFever Staff" include press releases, letters to the editor, op-eds, obituaries— essentially writing that is not produced by a reporter.

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