Re: Mono Mills intersection dangers / Dec.29

During the past two years, Larry Calcutt has seen four crashes (one fatal) at the Mono Mills/ Highway 9 intersection. As he sees it, the problem is that drivers turning off 9 don’t have their own designated signal. As a consequence, these drivers have to deal with turning into traffic now mandated at 80km/h. As Mr. Calcutt acknowledges, the central problem comes from those attempting the turns: “He said most accidents... occur when people who need to turn try to beat the approaching vehicles...”

On one occasion, a driver actually struck a towed boat because he didn’t see it, and misjudged “the speed of the vehicle with the boat...” Sounds like the driver could use a pair of glasses.

Naturally, it’s annoying and terribly inconvenient to have to wait for through traffic to clear before a safe turn can be made.

Mr. Calcutt has a point in recommending new signals, and slower speeds, as a solution. It’s clear, however, that more patience and better judgement would be equally efficacious. Impatient turners, looking to save a few useless seconds, break the law by turning unsafely into cross traffic. All they have to do is wait. How hard can that be?

Geoff. Rytell

Mono