Anti-Tailgating Plan Snarls Traffic

[Guest guest]

I don't know why, but I found this amusing.

 

Jo

 

Mon Aug 14, 5:18 PM ET

 

LACEY, Wash. - An anti-tailgating strategy on Interstate 5 backfired

in the form of unexpected traffic jams, state transportation

officials have discovered.

 

Officials from the state Transportation Department and Washington

State Patrol planned to meet Monday to reassess the $35,000 Two Dots

To Safety pilot program on a two-mile stretch of the freeway north of

this Thurston County town. Similar programs are in use in Maryland,

Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

 

Road crews painted dots 80 feet apart and posted signs telling

drivers to stay at least two dots — 160 feet — from the vehicle

ahead, based on the traffic safety principle of being at least two

seconds behind another vehicle when going 60 mph.

 

Long backups developed Saturday, the day after the program began,

when drivers slowed down because of heavy traffic and continued to

maintain the two-dot separation, although that much distance was not

necessary at slower speeds, said Lisa Mordock, a Transportation

Department spokeswoman.

 

Road crews covered the signs later Saturday pending reconsideration

of the program, including the wording on the signs, Mordock said.