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An uphill battle
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| H&N photo by Ty Beaver Christine Redford points out problem areas near her home at the intersection of Tenth Street and Prospect Avenue. The intersection is near the hilly S-curve where Oregon Avenue and Tenth Street meet. Redford said drivers often lose control when roads are slick. |
Winter weather can lead to dangerous driving conditions
By RYAN PFEIL
H&N Staff Writer
Former Klamath Falls resident Greg Brown was 10 years old when his mom locked the brakes on her 1973 Riviera and the car started sliding down the icy hill on Amber Way.
“She was basically along for the ride,” Brown said. “Everybody was yelling at her, and she was yelling back.”
Luckily, the gradual slide came to a halt, and his mother resumed her travels. Years later, Klamath Falls residents living on steep hills still witness similar close calls.
Icy encounters
Christine Redford has lived on the corner of Prospect and North 10th streets for a year. She has seen several near misses where Prospect curves and runs by her house.
“That S curve is really bad,” she said. “There’ve been a couple of close fender benders.”
The nearby intersection at Prospect and Rose streets also can be dangerous when ice and snow cover roads. Redford said speeding motorists on Rose are common, even during snowy weather.
Though relatively flat, the section of North 10th Street past her house sometimes proves to be the worse spot because of ice ruts can throw vehicles off balance.
“I don’t know how many cars got hit like that,” Redford said.
Larger vehicles
Some Klamath Falls residents said larger vehicles seem to have more problems than smaller cars and trucks.
Jim and Alicia Vernon have lived in three houses during their time in Klamath Falls. Two have been on steep hills — one at the corner of Second and High, the other on Portland Street, just up the hill from Eldorado Avenue.
Jim’s helped push quite a few stuck motorists up the Portland Street hill. He said the larger pickup trucks get stuck more often.
“They have a harder time than the smaller trucks because they’re so heavy,” Jim said.
Alicia’s brother in-law, Noah Magnuson, lives next door. He also has pushed his fair share of vehicles from a standstill and towed vehicles out of drifts with his Toyota Tacoma. He agreed that larger, four-wheel-drive vehicles often have more issues, but only because of their drivers.
“They don’t understand they can lose control, so they either drive fast or gun it,” Magnuson said.
The neighbors both have seen numerous vehicles get stuck at the intersection’s stop sign. They limit how much they park on the street, not wanting to be in the path of a large, sliding vehicle.
“Our neighbor informed us if you park on the street, park the one with the most insurance,” Jim said.
Personal experiences
Residents living on hills don’t just see the impact of icy roads. They live it.
Alicia Vernon was traveling on Melrose Street in her Honda Civic last year when the brakes locked. She was forced to slide through the stop sign at the bottom before turning onto Eldorado Avenue.
“Luckily there were no cars coming or I would have hit them,” she said.
Jim Vernon was traveling up the Fourth Street hill when his truck started sliding backwards. He went about 12 feet before enough snow bunched up to stop him.
“It’s a weird feeling when you’re going straight up a hill,” Jim said. “You’re just kind of helpless.”
Pedestrians also have problems walking up or down icy hills. It happened to Greg Brown while he was visiting his wife’s sister on Fremont Street near Roosevelt Elementary.
“I stepped out of the car,” Brown said. “The next thing I knew, I was halfway down the hill to Roosevelt. I’m going down the hill like I’m in one of those skiing bloopers movies.”
Safety
Speed on any icy terrain is dangerous, especially hills. Klamath residents living near steep, slick areas should drive slowly.
“Go slow, no matter how well you think you drive,” Noah Magnuson said.
Motorists parking on streets also should make sure they leave adequate space between vehicles. Getting chains or studs on tires will help with traction on the drive and with parking.
“It makes such a huge difference,” Alicia Vernon said.
“She was basically along for the ride,” Brown said. “Everybody was yelling at her, and she was yelling back.”
Luckily, the gradual slide came to a halt, and his mother resumed her travels. Years later, Klamath Falls residents living on steep hills still witness similar close calls.
Icy encounters
Christine Redford has lived on the corner of Prospect and North 10th streets for a year. She has seen several near misses where Prospect curves and runs by her house.
“That S curve is really bad,” she said. “There’ve been a couple of close fender benders.”
The nearby intersection at Prospect and Rose streets also can be dangerous when ice and snow cover roads. Redford said speeding motorists on Rose are common, even during snowy weather.
Though relatively flat, the section of North 10th Street past her house sometimes proves to be the worse spot because of ice ruts can throw vehicles off balance.
“I don’t know how many cars got hit like that,” Redford said.
Larger vehicles
Some Klamath Falls residents said larger vehicles seem to have more problems than smaller cars and trucks.
Jim and Alicia Vernon have lived in three houses during their time in Klamath Falls. Two have been on steep hills — one at the corner of Second and High, the other on Portland Street, just up the hill from Eldorado Avenue.
Jim’s helped push quite a few stuck motorists up the Portland Street hill. He said the larger pickup trucks get stuck more often.
“They have a harder time than the smaller trucks because they’re so heavy,” Jim said.
Alicia’s brother in-law, Noah Magnuson, lives next door. He also has pushed his fair share of vehicles from a standstill and towed vehicles out of drifts with his Toyota Tacoma. He agreed that larger, four-wheel-drive vehicles often have more issues, but only because of their drivers.
“They don’t understand they can lose control, so they either drive fast or gun it,” Magnuson said.
The neighbors both have seen numerous vehicles get stuck at the intersection’s stop sign. They limit how much they park on the street, not wanting to be in the path of a large, sliding vehicle.
“Our neighbor informed us if you park on the street, park the one with the most insurance,” Jim said.
Personal experiences
Residents living on hills don’t just see the impact of icy roads. They live it.
Alicia Vernon was traveling on Melrose Street in her Honda Civic last year when the brakes locked. She was forced to slide through the stop sign at the bottom before turning onto Eldorado Avenue.
“Luckily there were no cars coming or I would have hit them,” she said.
Jim Vernon was traveling up the Fourth Street hill when his truck started sliding backwards. He went about 12 feet before enough snow bunched up to stop him.
“It’s a weird feeling when you’re going straight up a hill,” Jim said. “You’re just kind of helpless.”
Pedestrians also have problems walking up or down icy hills. It happened to Greg Brown while he was visiting his wife’s sister on Fremont Street near Roosevelt Elementary.
“I stepped out of the car,” Brown said. “The next thing I knew, I was halfway down the hill to Roosevelt. I’m going down the hill like I’m in one of those skiing bloopers movies.”
Safety
Speed on any icy terrain is dangerous, especially hills. Klamath residents living near steep, slick areas should drive slowly.
“Go slow, no matter how well you think you drive,” Noah Magnuson said.
Motorists parking on streets also should make sure they leave adequate space between vehicles. Getting chains or studs on tires will help with traction on the drive and with parking.
“It makes such a huge difference,” Alicia Vernon said.
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ty wrote on Dec 25, 2008 11:16 PM: