Thursday, or Thereabouts - October 2, 2014

The Yellow Line Rant

I am so ticked off! And every time I look out the front windows the flames roar back to life, ramping up the annoyance level each time. I have lived on this street for 36 years. It is a lovely country road just in off the highway, and most delightful when all dressed up in Autumn splendour.

Thanksgiving 2013

Yesterday morning I awoke at the usual 7:30 and sauntered to the bathroom. A glance out the window there, revealed a misty cool Autumn day, one which despite the low light, was dripping with colour. I grabbed my camera from the desk and clicked off these images:

Dressed and ready for the day, I headed off to the kitchen curious as to what the world outside my front door might look like in the muted light. I opened the blinds, camera at the ready and gasped. Indeed there was colour - a fresh bright yellow - a big fat yellow line down the centre of the street.

I went to bed in a house on a country road. I woke up in one on a city street. The Secret Squirrel Line Painters had struck! (if you watch the BBC program, MI -5, you'll appreciate that last comment)

Okay, okay its only a bit of paint I know, but what were they thinking? It was that question that I put to our town councillor in an email. I was pleasantly surprised by his quick response, though not so much with the content of that response.

Apparently there have been complaints about excessive speed and the lack of clear lane separation on Cherry Street. What a centre line has to do with speed reduction I'll never know, but I have to agree with one thing he said about improved visibility during dark, wet and snowy conditions. In fact day or night now in any weather, one can't miss seeing that centre line.

I also agree that appropriate safety measures trump aesthetics.

Still, I can't help thinking that some country charm been lost and with that perhaps also some safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. It seemed to me today as I watched the cars go by, that now that drivers have a centre line to go by, they can speed right along confident of the lane separation, yet this road is hardly wide enough for two lanes and there are no shoulders. It may be safer for drivers now, but on fine weekends any time of year this is a street full of pedestrians - parents with children, dogs and strollers, seniors taking the air, neighbours out for a ramble, and bicyclists of all skill levels. Will a big fat yellow line keep us safe too?

Time will tell...


©2014 April Hoeller