Bill seeks safer Maine roadsides
3/24/09 | 8 comments
state house

Bill seeks safer Maine roadsides


By The Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Maine — State Rep. Charles Harlow says he’s always felt like a target while running along the side of the road.

The Portland Democrat on Tuesday asked the Transportation Committee to make Maine’s roadsides where there are no sidewalks safer for pedestrians. Harlow’s bill would require motorists to give walkers and runners at least 3 feet of clearance and allow operators to pass pedestrians only when it’s safe. The bill’s modeled after a state law for passing a bicycle.

Rep. James Schatz, speaking in favor of Harlow’s bill, said he’s had some close calls too. The Blue Hill Democrat said a pickup truck going 45 mph grazed his shirt sleeve once. Schatz says nearly all of his neighbors also walk along the roadsides. Others noted that school sports teams often run along the roads too.

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Comments
8 comments on this item
On 3/24/09 at 5:04 PM, taxedtodeath1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Why don't you retards use some common sense. If you are walking at 3 mph and a car is going the speed limit, then take a step off the side of the road. I know when I am jogging I pay attetion to the traffic around me. I will not trust my life to someone else who is driving a car that weighs 20 tiimes as much as I do and is going 15 times as fast. The legislators are putting all the resposibility on the person driving the car and none of the responsibility on the person who is walking 2 feet in road during a snow storm. Take accountability for yourselves. Stop with the stupid laws and work on the economy. You legislators have way too much time on your hands. You want to do something useful for the state of Maine then shorten the legislative session.

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On 3/24/09 at 6:01 PM, BobByn wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Is this what we pay taxes for?

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On 3/24/09 at 6:11 PM, Sledman wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

OMG, between this & Damon's latest brainstorm on 'Helmet laws revisited', today's news is reading like a Who's Who of mornic dummycrats. If the road you're jogging on is too narrow, JOG ON A WIDER ROAD! YOU DON"T NEED A LAW TO TELL YOU THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, 30+ more jobs (that we know of) gone. And yet, our elected 'great ones' do nothing to create new jobs.

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On 3/25/09 at 4:49 AM, Chris1943 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

In Calais the sidewalks are plowed all winter, yet people STILL walk on the road instead of the sidewalk. Even in open weather there will be 15 kids walking down the side of Washington street instead on the sidewalk 10 feet to their left. You figure it out, I can't.

Jog on the far shoulder, or better yet use the RR beds that our tax moneys have paid to upgrade to walking/running trails.

We need more common sense, not more laws.

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On 3/25/09 at 5:56 AM, Sledman wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Oh, didn't you hear, you can't use the rr bed 'cause some ***hole bermed it up.

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On 3/25/09 at 6:35 AM, gsdman wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

STUPID DUMMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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On 3/25/09 at 7:54 AM, stalbans wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Go back to teaching people the proper side of the road to walk/jog on...FACING traffic. Joggers are NOT vehicles, therefore should not be jogging WITH traffic, they are PEDESTRIANS! When one walks facing on-coming traffic, it gives the driver the opportunity to move toward the center line to avoid the pedestrian. If this is not possible due to oncoming traffic, then the driver would be able to stop. Additionally, the pedestrian would SEE the vehicle coming toward him and could move off the roadway.

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On 3/26/09 at 4:33 AM, poormainiac wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mr Harlow...get a treadmill....to the other guy....your full of Schatz.

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