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Posts Tagged ‘Driving’

Tractor Trailer Crashes into JMU Dorm

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009
Rockingham Hall @ JMU

Rockingham Hall @ JMU

This is amazing. On Friday, a Lincoln struck a semi in on the south bound lane of I-81, both vehicles crossed the median strip. Some how the truck managed to travel up the embankment and strike the old Howard Johnson’s Motel on Port Republic Road. The old Motel is now owned by JMU and is used as a dorm for students. Thankfully the building was unoccupied.

The Lincoln’s driver was seventy-nine year old, John Wodecki from NY. He was charged with reckless driving. I’m thinking the Wadecki must have been driving a Lincoln Town Car, one of the few cars on the road that is capable of taking out a big-rig.  The driver of the semi was taken to RMH to be treated for serious injuries related to the crash.

The physics of getting the truck all the way from the South Bound lane and into the dorm are quite baffling to me. The building is at least 200 yards from the north bound lane. I wish somebody had gotten this on video.

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Experimental Aircraft Association

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Generally I prefer my aircraft to be the traditional kind, where you don’t have to wear a helmet to board.  But this might change my mind…

This past Saturday members of the Experimental Aircraft Association hosted the Shenandoah Valley Ultralight and Light Sport Flight Festival in New Market.  Possibly the coolest thing I’ve seen lately is the power hang glider.

One of these has been hovering above Harrisonburg lately.  From a couple hundred feet below, it looks like someone duct-taped an extra large kite and an industrial fan on the back of Grandpa’s lawn chair and took it for a spin.

There were plenty of radio-controlled planes, too.  These look just like the real thing shrunk to about three feet long.  People sometimes fly these on weekends near the south end of Harrisonburg, in the fields just east of I-81.  It’s the perfect place to scare the hell out of passing motorists.  Driving 80 mph and seeing one of these things make a hard landing out of the corner of your eye…let’s just say I know of at least one unnecessary “Holy-crap-you-better-send-somebody-quick!” call to 911.

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Fire in Median on I-81

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

I was on 81 south tonight going to Staunton and there was a pretty good sized fire burning on the median strip. I tried to get a picture with my camera phone but didn’t get it out on time. On another note they will be closing both rest areas between here and Staunton. That means your going to have to find a gas station if you have to pee on the way to Staunton.

This has been a pretty random post. It’s been a long day and I am going to sleep…good night

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The Harrisonburg and VA State Police out in Force

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

If you plan to do a lot of driving today, you should make sure to obey all traffic laws  and follow the speed limit. On my way to Staunton and back on I-81 yesterday I saw 14 cops and almost all of them had somebody pulled over. Most were in unmarked Dodge Chargers (or whatever Dodge model they use). I saw two people get pulled over on Vine Street, next to the Sheetz on Route 33. I’m not sure what the occasion is but they were out today too, I saw three more this morning from the exit on Route 11 (near the truck stop) to the 33 exit. Looks like they are trying to make up for some budget cuts or they are really really cracking down on text messages. Drive safe today, and don’t get a ticket because the police are out there doing their doing their jobs to a T.

UPDATE:

This could be why so many police officers are out ticketing drivers.

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