Pass With Care

Yay!!  We drove back from Seattle last evening, through South Bend and around the bay, with ‘nary a “Pass with Care” nor a “Do Not Pass” sign either coming or going.  Never mind that we were slowed down a bit on our way in early morning – stuck behind the striping machine.  We were clapping and cheering!  And, Frank, you were so right.  We had no idea that it would all happen so quickly!  (Is this still Pacific County???  You know… the one way off in the southwest corner of the State???)

For readers who are mystified by all the above –  ten days or so ago, I wrote a rather snarky blog about the proliferation of Pass and Don’t Pass signs along the highway between the 101 turn-off and South Bend.  And, I lamented the apparent try at over-riding what I consider the tried-and-true yellow striping that traditionally indicates those important directions.  Our neighbor and County Commissioner Frank Wolfe wrote immediately:

Do Not Pass

The signs are “temporary” and have been erected as part of the “rumble strip project” on 101. The process of grinding the “gashes” in the center of the road (so your tires will sound like they are coming off your car and your steering wheel will jerk in your hands when you start to cross the center-line) obliterates the (recently re-applied) paint lines. So the signs have to be put in place until such time as the paint lines are re-applied. As Nyel pointed out, we would normally take our “pass/no-pass” cue from the paint lines.

I was glad to learn this but, I have to say, I wasn’t hopeful that it would happen anytime soon.  I apologize for my disbelieving attitude.  The stripes are in place and the signs are gone!  Yay!  And I love the rumble strips.  Somehow, in conjunction with those bright yellow stripes, they make me think there’s a tiger in the middle of the road – constantly on guard against careless and inattentive drivers.