Keith_Landry's Blog

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OK, I've gotta say it.  I am sick of people doing everything except focusing on driving on our roads and highways.  The cell phone chatters are one thing.  The people who are texting and driving instead of watching the roads, are accidents waiting to happen.

Today, I was driving into work and there's a guy crawling along in the passing lane on Lake Mary Blvd.  Instead of focusing on the road, he's reading a letter.  I hope it was engaging.

What are your thoughts on people who do everything except focus on driving while they are in the cars?  I wish they could at least do it in the slow lane so I can get where I'm going. Blog your thoughts here.

I drove to Naples on Wednesday for Thanksgiving and came back Friday morning.  Overall, the commute wasn't too bad.  There was a wreck on I-4 East of Tampa that backed up traffic for five miles.  I lost about 40 minutes there.  Otherwise, pretty good going.  The Troopers were out in full force on Wednesday.

Driving back was pretty easy too.  I made good time, but I avoided i-4 in the Orlando area because the DOT signs said there was heavy congestions.  The 417 is very convenient for avoiding traffic. 

How was your Thanksgiving commute?  Did you have problems or see lots of police?  Blog it here.

I was working Saturday afternoon, so I missed the traffic jam after the UCF football game.  I heard it was pretty backed up.  Were you there?  How bad was the traffic jam?  Do you think it will be like that for every big home game or was this a one time situation?  Blog it all here.

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Are you sick of the antics on Interstate Four?  Are you sick of young, ignorant drivers zig zaggin through traffic at 90 miles per hour, with no regard to the accidents they might cause?  Sick of the people on cell phones or texting at 75 miles per hour?  Sick of the people who ride up on your bumper then give you an obnoxious gesture when they pass you?  Blog your thoughts here.

Last night, a buddy of mine was driving on Interstate 4 westbound.   He was near the Maitland exit when an old, brown beat-up pick up truck drifted to the right into his lane and hit my friend's car.  The driver of the truck sped away and my buddy did not get a good description or the tag.  That's a hit and run with my friend picking up the tab on his insurance.  Something has to change.   Any suggestions?  Blog 'em here.

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Red light runners, this warning is for you.  Local governments are carefully studying ways to legally crack down on red light runners,  but this weekend Apopka is taking action.  The city has installed an elaborate camera system at the intersection of Main St. and Park Ave.  Starting Sunday, if you run the light, the cameras will videotape you and take a still photo of your license plate.  You'll get a 125 dollar fine in the mail, but good luck trying to appeal it when the cops have it on videotape as evidence.

Orlando is working on a plan to start imposing fines of about 100 dollars per offense on red light runners, starting some time this fall.  Orange County is not going to use cameras to impose fines, but it is putting up signs at 175 intersections reminding drivers that the fine in Orange County is 180 bucks for running a red light. 

What do you think about using cameras to fine red light runners?  Will it reduce wrecks and persuade people to stop doing it, as supporters of the idea claim?  Is it an invasion of privacy or a way for cities to raise revenues?  Blog your thoughts here.

Ever heard of variable tolls?  They're also known as congestion tolls.  They're using them in highways in California and New Jersey, and they're studying the concept in Atlanta.  They're designed to reduce congestion on interstates and toll roads during rush hour.

The idea is the tolls go up and down throughout the day.  You pay the highest price during rush hour.  If you want to cut through rush hour traffic you pay more.  You pay a lower toll when the traffic is light.

Cities that have used them find that some people don't want to pay the highest toll at rush hour, so they change their driving patterns to drive during the off peak hours, and that reduces congestion.

Planners say variable tolls are already being used on toll bridges in Lee County in Southwest Florida.  There's talk of installing them in Miami on the Interstate 95 high occupancy vehicle lanes.  Good idea or bad idea?  Would you use variable tolls if they'd help reduce gridlock?

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Talk about a summer travel budget buster.  An Orlando professor of economics who is an expert on worldwide petroleum markets predicts gas prices will creep up to three dollars a gallon, and they will stay there right through the summer.

Dr. Ujjayant Chakravorty says there is no good news in the petroleum markets and no reason to expect prices will fall this summer.  He says Goldman Sachs and some oil companies are already warning that prices will be high for the next three to six months, and three dollars a gallon is very possible.

Dr. Chakravorty says refineries are switching over to summer grades of gasoline.  He says summer driving will push up demand for gasoline, and OPEC has just cut oil production over the last two months.  That means there's less gasoline available and more people wanting it.

If gasoline prices stay around three dollars a gallon for the whole summer, how will that affect your family budget?  What will you do differently?  Blog your thoughts right here.

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We're three days into Bike Week so far.  Almost 500 thousand bikers expected all across Central Florida for a ten day celebration.  How are we doing so far?  Are the bikers and drivers co-existing on Interstate Four and on our state roads and city streets?  What have you observed so far this weekend?  Blog it right here.

I'm gonna blow off a little steam here about my experience on our highways today. I drove to Tampa to have lunch with my sister. I'm trying to make decent time on the way back, but all along Interstate Four, the left lane is clogged up with people driving slower than the speed limit. They are just crawling along oblivious to the people around them.

Here's a little reminder for people who just moved here and people visiting us for our warm and sunny winters. The left lane is for passing on our highways! This is one of the most frustrating things I encounter on the road. Just move on over one lane if you're not in a hurry. It's the safe and considerate thing to do.

So I'm on Interstate Four and there's a huge back up around Disney today. I make a run for the 417, thinking at least the traffic flows smoothly there. I was wrong. For 20 miles, the two lane toll road is moving slowly, because people are crawling in the left lane. So frustrating. There's nowhere now where you can just keep moving. Please clear the left lane out for folks who want to pass so we can all get there in peace.