What a terrible thing to happen. :-( (I would not call it an accident, it was murder since he was under the influence of whatever drugs it was.)
That driver deserves a very long prison sentence, and if let out, never be allowed to drive any motor vehicle ever again.

Terrible....

It's always weird when someone you know dies, and I was familiar with her from working with her a couple times at my job, a few years ago. Police stops on the road are dangerous things. Another officer who is one of my best friends and is now retired, used to supplement his regular duty by sitting in his official car with lights flashing for the safety of highway construction crews, and he said there were many times when he thought he'd get hit. He would keep his eye on his rear view mirror, and just be gritting his teeth.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

What a terrible thing to happen. :-( (I would not call it an accident, it was murder since he was under the influence of whatever drugs it was.)
That driver deserves a very long prison sentence, and if let out, never be allowed to drive any motor vehicle ever again.

Terrible....

It's always weird when someone you know dies, and I was familiar with her from working with her a couple times at my job, a few years ago. Police stops on the road are dangerous things. Another officer who is one of my best friends and is now retired, used to supplement his regular duty by sitting in his official car with lights flashing for the safety of highway construction crews, and he said there were many times when he thought he'd get hit. He would keep his eye on his rear view mirror, and just be gritting his teeth.

Flashing lights seem to attract drunks like lights attract moths.

5 miles of 15-25mph twisty ancient possibly 1930's curves on SR138, too fast and it's either fly off the road or into oncoming traffic, yeah I traveled this road, now I have an idiot light on to investigate, which happened within 20 miles of home on Dec 25th 2018.

Caltrans needs to spend some money here, getting in or out quickly is impossible.

You actually want them to blast the mountains and bulldozer them? Even more people will move in then, making it even worse. The real solution is to kick the people out of the area they never should have settled in. After the Camp fire there is a lot of political will to do exactly that and set sensible limits statewide, even when the local government won't.

5 miles of 15-25mph twisty ancient possibly 1930's curves on SR138, too fast and it's either fly off the road or into oncoming traffic, yeah I traveled this road, now I have an idiot light on to investigate, which happened within 20 miles of home on Dec 25th 2018.

Caltrans needs to spend some money here, getting in or out quickly is impossible.

You actually want them to blast the mountains and bulldozer them? Even more people will move in then, making it even worse. The real solution is to kick the people out of the area they never should have settled in. After the Camp fire there is a lot of political will to do exactly that and set sensible limits statewide, even when the local government won't.

This is in San Bernardino County, no where near the camp fire, most granite in the area is of the decomposing type, the earlier section required no blasting, not for a realignment. Click on the link to see more pics and larger pics.

SR-138 East Realignment Project
EA 0Q3004, ID: 08000201914

The California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) proposes to realign and re-construct the 2-lane paved section with shoulders, 3 wildlife crossings and off highway vehicle crossing.

Project Description & Scope

The project will realign the roadway, construct outside shoulders and three wildlife crossings on State Route 138 (SR-138) near Hesperia from 1.9 miles east of Interstate 15 to 0.1 mile west of Post Office Road.

Need & Purpose of Project

The existing highway configuration has many nonstandard horizontal and vertical curves and grades as steep as 15%. The existing pavement is between 21 and 28 feet in width, no paved shoulders and narrow or nonexistent earth shoulders. This project will improve operational efficiency by taking out some of the curves and steep grades, widen existing lanes to 12 feet, and add eight foot shoulders.

Estimated Construction Cost

$23 Million

Construction Schedule

Began: Summer 2016.
Estimated Completion: Summer 2018.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Like betreger, I actually go looking for roads like that. Where's your sense of adventure.

Leave it like it is, spend the state money on education or health, and keep the semi's off roads like that.

Guess you won't be visiting me, the road is only 10 to 12 ft wide, with passing places every 200 yds.

Like betreger, I actually go looking for roads like that. Where's your sense of adventure.

Leave it like it is, spend the state money on education or health, and keep the semi's off roads like that.

Thankfully I have an automatic transmission in My car, the curves require both hands and the straights are short, plus lots of braking work, in one section the tall trees are right next to the road.

I have a motorcycle addendum on My CA driving license.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Guess you won't be visiting me, the road is only 10 to 12 ft wide, with passing places every 200 yds.

That section has no passing places or turnouts or anything, I'm surprised the road has 2 lanes.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Like betreger, I actually go looking for roads like that. Where's your sense of adventure.

Leave it like it is, spend the state money on education or health, and keep the semi's off roads like that.

Thankfully I have an automatic transmission in My car, the curves require both hands and the straights are short, plus lots of braking work, in one section the tall trees are right next to the road.

I have a motorcycle addendum on My CA driving license.

Only ever driven other peoples automatics. Although the latest is flappy paddle.

I learned how to drive on an automatic and didn't learn a manual transmission until a friend was selling her car to me for $300. She left the keys in her mailbox, and told me the car was mine if I wanted it. I self-taught myself real fast, lol.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Thankfully I have an automatic transmission in My car, the curves require both hands and the straights are short, plus lots of braking work, in one section the tall trees are right next to the road.

No automagic trans in my Miata and it doesn't need to brake for most turns, it just turns.. There are certain advantages to RWD , a proper suspension and a 50/50 weight balance. OBTW I've owned it for 23 years and I luv it.

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Thankfully I have an automatic transmission in My car, the curves require both hands and the straights are short, plus lots of braking work, in one section the tall trees are right next to the road.

No automagic trans in my Miata and it doesn't need to brake for most turns, it just turns.. There are certain advantages to RWD , a proper suspension and a 50/50 weight balance. OBTW I've owned it for 23 years and I luv it.

Totally agree plus automatics are not intelligent enough to know what gear it needs to be in NOW.

Lets see I've ridden mostly big bore bikes like the 1984 Suzuki GS1150ES(Warp drive on 2 wheels), autos like the Mustang GT's, some front wheel drive like My Escort.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

automatics are not intelligent enough to know what gear it needs to be in NOW.

I can sense that in my mother's Toyota Camry. Sometimes it feels like I'm hurting it for going a certain speed, and I'm waiting for it to kick up a gear.

I do like driving my Saturn SC1 with it's manual transmission. It shifts very smoothly, and it's a hydraulic clutch. My first manual transmission was a cable clutch , and it snapped a couple times.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Not in My case.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

My driver training was by a professional driving school and not by a gym teacher, I scored a 99 on both the random written test and the driving test, I'm not a risk taker, if I know I can do something then I can.

I have on a motorcycle driven thru curves at greater speeds with practice, not to mention a good amount of lean and yes that was on the 1150, but not in the mountains as that's too risky, suicide is not something I like. A little anxiety goes a long way and keeps Me alive and out of the morgue.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Common sense is normally a must have when driving. Most people are taught professionally. However, just how many continue professionally once they obtain their license?

As for speed? It can be deceptive on an unknown road. There are also times when it can be deceptive on a known road, & can surprise even the experienced. It caught me when I transferred from the Met to the Central. One cannot just move lines & continue as normal, road training is required. During mine, Westbound was no problem but on the Eastbound, left Chancery Lane, a nice fast run to St Pauls.

As I hit the station, knew I was too fast so dropped the deadman (quicker than applying the brakes), overshot by 7 cars. :-(

A 202 ton 485 foot train, how's that for size. :-)

As for bends/curves, I got taught this which has served me well for many years:
"Slow in, fast out".

As for bends/curves, I got taught this which has served me well for many years:
"Slow in, fast out".

Fast in, oh $h!t!
Road signs show you there is a curve; what they don't show is if the curve is constant (nice), opens up as you go through (really, really nice!), or tightens up as you go through (great way to triple your heart rate if you survive). Just because you can go in to the corner at 80km/h doesn't mean you'll be able to exit it at that speed (learnt that the hard way).

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Grant
Darwin NT

As for bends/curves, I got taught this which has served me well for many years:
"Slow in, fast out".

Fast in, oh $h!t!

Hmm. DID I state fast in?

Fast in, oh $h!t!

Hmm. DID I state fast in?

Nope, I was pointing out the other method, and why the one you posted is the better one.
I thought that what I put after that line would have made that obvious, but it would appear that wasn't the case.

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Grant
Darwin NT