An Open Letter

To: Kentucky Transportation Secretary
From: A Reluctant Taxpayer

Subject: Road Conditions and Driver Qualifications in the Commonwealth

Dear Sir:

Over the past several years, as I have become accustomed to driving across Jefferson County to work each morning, I have observed several things that I feel I must bring to your attention.

1. The road conditions in my area are very inconsistent. It appears that the ruts and holes in the Interstate highways are used to channel traffic into fire sacks and other kill zones. On several occasions each week, I have near death experiences caused by my vehicle going axle deep into the road surface and then rebounding into another lane. In other areas, the roads are mirror smooth, which is nice on dry days, but when the weather is not as nice as San Diego in April, I am forced to drive my automobiles in a manner that is closer to a luge run than a morning commute.

2. I do appreciate the building of cross-over prevention cables on many of the roads in the Commonwealth. However, I feel it must be pointed out that if the roads were properly drained and banked and if Kentucky drivers were not training for NASCAR, these barriers would not be so necessary.

3. I would like to meet the "engineer" that laid out the road system here in Kentucky. He obviously needs a new ruler since no road in Kentucky consistently follows a direction. The Gene Snyder Freeway, since it is a semi-circular road, understandably changes direction. But the Northbound lanes of the freeway actually go either east or west. And there are at least 5 roads I know of within a few miles of my home that have been chopped up and are no longer contiguous right of ways. A road will go on for a few miles, then stop or merge with another road. Several miles away, the road will pick up again, causing confusion on the part of drivers who have not been in the area for 3 or more generations. My guess is that this was done to confuse revenuers.

4. Kentucky drivers scare me. As I stated before, they drive their cars like NASCAR drivers trying to run someone into the wall. Most rear windows in Jefferson county are so obstructed by bumper stickers extolling racing, hunting, fishing, politics, or narcotics that I am sure the drivers are unable to see the accidents they cause as they speed away. I am forced to wonder if there is any formal education for driving in the Commonwealth, or if teenagers learn about driving the same place they learn about sex: on the playground.

While I enjoy living here in Kentucky, I feel that if these issues could be addressed, the living conditions in Kentucky would be greatly enhanced.

Thank you for your time,

Daddy Bear