State quick to fix signs at on-ramp
Dear Mahatma: The new on-ramp at Cantrell Road and Interstate 430 is an engineering marvel, but signs directing traffic to the ramp are deceptive and dangerous. I followed the sign pointing to the right, rounded the bend at merging speed and was in somebody’s driveway! I slammed on my brakes and narrowly avoided a terrible accident. The people living in that house must be tired of hearing screeching tires in their driveway! — John
Dear John: Your experience sent the Arkansas Department of Transportation into action. You sent this email on Nov. 28, it was forwarded that evening, and the signage was changed the next afternoon.
On Nov. 29, two northbound signs were erected for drivers headed west on Cantrell. The first, at Pleasant Valley Drive, has an extended arrow, indicating a direction change ahead, but to continue straight. The second sign is a directional arrow to the right just before the ramp. A dead-end sign remains on the driveway.
The Transportation Department will add street name signs for the new signals planned at the intersection of Cantrell Road and Pleasant Valley. Those signs will identify that driveway turn as being for Pine Buro Road.
Dear Mahatma: I am as alarmed as any driver about being approached by panhandlers at high traffic intersections, mostly for fear they might be accidentally hit. I have not seen kids panhandling but have contacted child welfare authorities on occasion when I saw parents hurting or endangering their children in public areas. Any idea if that entity has tackled the question of child safety roadside? — Mr. Andrews
Dear Mr. Andrews:
We contacted Glenn Bolick of the state Department of Human Services.
He emphasized the anonymity required by law for a complaint of child abuse. He wouldn’t say whether DHS had been contacted about child panhandlers, or, if it had, what was done by the agency.
“Safe to say, though, that if we received a call that led to investigators finding any situation of child maltreatment, then we would certainly take appropriate actions under the laws that guide us.”
Dear Mahatma: My wife and I were returning from Gatlinburg, Tenn., and passed two cars traveling in convoy on Interstate 40 in Tennessee. The trailing car had a vanity plate that read HUSH. The leading car had one that read YOUHUSH. My wife and I were laughing so hard we failed to see which spouse was the lead driver —but I can guess. — Max
Dear Max: We try to squeeze in a vanity plate every week, but sometimes run out of room. People really like them, because they’re funny or warm or say something about the driver. Our all-time favorite was on a car parked in downtown, TMPTRSS. Meaning “temptress.” We never saw the driver, but no doubt she was something to see.
Back to hushing. It’s good to have a sense of humor in a marriage. More important are those three little words husbands should emote every day.
“As you wish.”