Treat all motorists with respect

By Todd Murray

Waving my arms while riding down the middle of the right lane of the two- lane county road, I was trying to do everything I could to get the attention of the box truck driver pulling out to pass the car in front of him. I had nowhere to go on the narrow blacktop but the ditch.

Todd Murray and his wife, Debbie, biking in Cottonwood Falls.

I will never forget the sound of the driver accelerating his truck or the sight of him coming directly at me. I had his attention, and he knew exactly what he was doing. “Get off MY road or you are dead!” I used my only option, the ditch, just yards before what would have been sure death for me.

I will never forget how angry I was that day. Someone had intentionally put my life in danger, virtually attempted murder! I was not an opossum crossing the road, I am a real life human being, a son, a husband, a father with a family that depended on me. Just because I chose to ride a bike to work for exercise and to save money on gas does not make me a “road hazard.”

Even though that incident happened nearly 30 years ago, I would love to say it was an isolated incident, but it wasn’t. I meet thousands of cars every year while riding my bike, and that scenario has replayed itself a handful of times since that fateful day. Sometimes more respectful drivers pull out, then pull back over allowing me to continue on before passing.

What makes one driver pull back in, while another comes at you bent on destruction? Attitude and respect for life.

Every person on a road, whether in a car, a truck, a motorcycle, on a bike, walking or running is a real life human being. We are all sons and daughters, we all have families and friends. Every person has a right to be on the public roads, they are not owned by any one person.

They are not a nuisance that slows you down, they are not obstacles, are not disposable. Sure, everybody out there does things they shouldn’t do. They break traffic laws and do less than smart things sometimes. I see it all the time whether it is a cyclist or runner or driver.

But in our hurry up, distracted, self centered world anything and anyone that dares get in our way or slow us up for a few seconds will often get to experience our wrath. Shaking fists, gesturing fingers, blaring horns and super close passes are the result. We have a problem, and the problem is us.

Take a good look in the mirror. How do you want to be treated? Do you respect others how you want to be treated? What if it we’re your husband or wife, your son or daughter that was treated that way? How would you feel then?

Leave two minutes earlier and the 10 seconds you lose slowing down to get around a bike rider won’t be a problem. Respect others and you will be a happier person.

Todd Murray is from Hutchinson and owns Bikes and More.

Wild driving

Abbie Wisdom-Williams and her pet skunk.

I am Abbie Wisdom-Williams, a KDOT employee since February 2017 and a wildlife advocate and rehabilitator for almost 20 years. As most animal protectors go, we could probably be classified as clinically insane as to the lengths we go to ensure the safety of critters, both domestic and wild. A friend of mine was killed while trying to rescue a possum from a railroad track (not joking).

I was born with an overly developed sense of self-preservation so I try to be hyper aware of my surroundings when trying to rescue an animal. Sometimes it’s almost impossible to see everything. A very dear friend and fellow rescuer had a very close call this summer. We had a call of three baby raccoons in a ditch after a heavy rain. I was too far away so Jana drove out to pick them up. It was dark so she put on her flashers and started searching.  All three were found safe and sound and placed in a carrier.  Jana put the carrier in the back seat of her car, started around to the driver’s side when a car hydroplaned, slamming into the rear of her SUV. Jana was too focused on the condition of the raccoons and didn’t see or hear the vehicle. She was lucky, and the raccoons survived although they had to be cut out of the back of the car.

I don’t proclaim myself an expert (I’ve probably done some really stupid things), but I thought I might offer some tips as to sharing the roadways with the fuzzy, scaly and slimy things. 

Above all else, use common sense!  Don’t assume someone will see you picking up that turtle. Is there a chance you might chase that puppy into traffic instead of away from it?  Will that injured raccoon bite? If you don’t think you can help without the possibility of someone getting hurt, don’t do it. Call for backup, have someone watch traffic for you or call a professional (believe it or not, 911 is an option). Remember that an injured animal can be panicked, in pain and will lash out because he probably doesn’t know you are trying to help unless you are Dr. Dolittle.

Do you know why you see more dead armadillos than live ones?  It’s because they jump straight up when startled. A great tip to make wildlife aware that you are there is to randomly change the brightness of your headlights. A deer can see the lights but has no comprehension of the fact that they are attached to a proverbial brick wall. Changing the brightness draws their attention and can save their life, your car and maybe your life as well. Of course, follow the rules of the road when changing the brightness of your headlights, and dim appropriately when facing oncoming traffic.

Lastly, get to know the animals that live around you, their behavior, their habits, the environment as they see it. Understanding them may mean they will be less of a target for you.

Abbie Wisdom-Williams is a Senior Administrative Assistant for KDOT in Hutchinson  

 

Dedication

By Cindy Landgraf

Cindy Landgraf

If I had to choose one word to describe Jeff it would be dedication. Like most people, he was dedicated to his family, his friends, and his job. But for Jeff it was much more. As an EMT, he chose a career that was dedicated to taking care of others no matter what the cost. And like most EMTs, his co-workers were his family. They shared life-changing experiences every day. Experiences that can only be understood by others dealing with the same type of experiences every day. Experiences that bound them together like a family.

Jeff became an EMT in 1988 and went on to become a paramedic and a registered nurse. He had a passion for emergency response services - whether it was working as a paramedic and shift supervisor for Finney County EMS or an RN/Paramedic for EagleMed. But serving the community wasn’t enough. He wanted to help others interested in becoming EMTs, so he became an instructor certified to teach every aspect of EMS.  He especially enjoyed teaching EMT classes and mentoring others as they joined the emergency responder ranks.

On April 18, 2011, his EMS brother in Scott County needed help teaching a class.  Jeff happily answered the call, especially delighted because it was a fairly warm night for April so he was able to ride his motorcycle to Scott City.

At 10:30 p.m. that night, my daughter woke me up worried that Jeff wasn’t home yet.  She had seen on Facebook that Highway 83 was closed due to a traffic accident. I didn’t think anything about it. Jeff was teaching, taking as long as needed to help the students and the instructor.  After all, he was the one that saved lives.

With that thought still in my head, I heard a knock at my front door. There at my front door was a high school friend who is also the Captain of the KHP. I heard the words but didn’t understand. There was an accident. Jeff was gone. Nothing could be done to save him. Save him…. isn’t that what his EMS family was supposed to do – save him? Wasn’t that what he was teaching them to do? When I finally got some of my mind back, I looked up. There on my lawn stood almost the entire staff of the Finney County EMS, our EMS family, ready and waiting to support me and the children in our most difficult time.

Over the next few days, the details of the accident came clear. Jeff was headed home (south on Highway 83). Just outside of the Scott City limits, a pickup driver, thinking he had time to make the turn, turned onto Highway 83 in front of Jeff causing him to lay the motorcycle over. A few minutes later, a car failed to stop or even yield right of way to the pedestrian trying to wave him down. They continued through the accident scene hitting Jeff.

Jeff left behind a teenage daughter, young son, parents, brother, his extended family and a large emergency response family. In Jeff’s honor, we are all “boldly going forward."

Our daughter and I have both become EMTs.  Our son is like his father-  he loves to hunt, shoot and enjoy the outdoors. He is old enough to drive this year, and as a mom, a widow and an EMT, I remind him daily to be extra careful. 

Be aware of your surroundings, and if in doubt stop or slow down. It’s always better to arrive late than never.  

Cindy Landgraf is an EMT for both Lane and Scott County EMS.

 

 

Being a good driver doesn't always matter

Logan O'Dea

I always thought of myself as a good driver; I recently found out that doesn’t always matter.

My name is Logan O’Dea; I graduated from Kansas State in December. I played football for five years while there, so I figured that I could handle whatever the real world threw at me. That was before my first wreck.

It was early summer. I had just started my first job a couple of months prior, one that required me to commute from Topeka to Kansas City. The drive on Kansas Turnpike was one I was very used to at that point. It had rained hard the night before, but by that morning it had calmed to a light drizzle. I had never had any problem with rain while driving, so I didn’t pay it much mind. It had been pounded into my head by my KDOT aunt never to use cruise control while the roads are wet, but I still drove at my normal speed.

Just east of Lawrence, next to a rest stop, I changed to the left lane to pass a car. That was the point when I hit the standing water. I immediately lost control; my tires had no traction, so steering and brakes could do nothing as my car went off the road. As soon as I was off the road, I looked up and saw trees and thought, “I’m not going to miss those.” The weight of my engine caused my car to pivot 180 degrees, so now I was going backwards, which ended up saving my life. I collided with one of the trees, probably still going faster than 70 mph.

Logan's vehicle after the crash.

Miraculously, I walked away. A visit to the hospital following showed no injuries whatsoever besides soreness and a few scrapes. I know the biggest reason I walked away was I was wearing my seat belt (another thing my aunt always made sure I did); if I hadn’t been, my body would have been with the back-window glass they found flung 50 feet away from the car.

Looking back, I marvel at all the ways I was lucky that day. If the collision had happened anywhere but the rear of the car, I wouldn’t be here. The fact that there was level ground next to the road rather than a drop off also saved me. When I saw the wreckage that night, the rear tire was now pushing the driver’s side seat forward; I was told if the tire had gone any farther forward, both my legs would have shattered.

Through the ordeal and all the things that have followed, I always try to remember how lucky I am to be alive, let alone walking around. I know I have taken a few lessons from this, and I hope that others might as well. It doesn’t matter how good you think you are at driving, something can always happen. Hydroplaning is a very real danger.

And most importantly always wear your seat belt.

Avoiding potentially tragic situations

By Carter Smith

Carter Smith

I’ve only been working at the Turnpike for a year now, and in that short period of time, I’ve already been hit by a driver once and had three other close calls. In just one year. When I was struck, it was the first time I was snow plowing by myself. I had finished half a pass of plowing when a brand-new SUV hit my rear right tire and bumper. The person behind the wheel was driving well above what they should have been in the wintry, low visibility conditions, and was definitely not paying attention. It’s lucky they weren’t hurt, but the SUV was totaled.

Plus, it’s not just on the Turnpike where I see the consequences of bad decision while driving. I’ve been a volunteer fire fighter for four years now, and I’ve had to work my fair share of major crashes, including the fatality ones. I’ve seen people not wearing their seat belt and ejected from the vehicle. I’ve seen wrecks with teenagers as a result from drug and/or alcohol impairment. When you see a wreck that kills a 19-year-old that was clearly from distracted or impaired driving, it sticks with you. I mean, there were no skid marks that even suggested she tried braking.

Those really hit home since I have a 17-year-old sister. One of my first thoughts during those types of wrecks is, “What if it had been her?”

It feels really good to help other people. I like to think it makes a difference. But ultimately, people have become so distracted on the road, or make a stupid decision to drink and drive or not wear a seat belt. It’s simple actions we can do to avoid a potentially tragic situation, so please, drive smart.

Carter Smith is an Equipment Operator for the Kansas Turnpike Authority and also a volunteer fire fighter.

I was lucky

By Ciro Chavez

As an EMT and a KDOT employee, I’m usually the one providing care and assistance to others. I never thought there would be a time that I would be calling 911.

Ciro Chavez

As I traveled home in the early hours on a foggy December morning, I was surprised by a Toyota Corolla that crossed the center line and crashed head-on into my ‘97 Ford pick-up. 

After being transported to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, I was air lifted to a Denver area hospital. I was in an induced coma for 10 days. During this time, I had three facial surgeries and one extensive leg surgery. After two and a half weeks, I moved to a rehab center and was there until Feb. 8. Once I came home, I continued physical therapy until May of this year. 

After five months of recovery, I was finally able to return to my job as an Equipment Operator at KDOT, and it was good to be back.  At this time, I’m not able to return to my part-time position as an EMT due to my leg injury.

I was lucky. I was wearing my seat belt and it saved my life. When you get in the car, I want you and your families to remember me and remember to buckle up. It’s what saved my life and it can save yours. 

And if it starts to get foggy, pull over and wait it out. It’s better to be safe than sorry. 

Ciro Chavez began with KDOT as an Equipment Operator Trainee at the Lakin Subarea in southwest Kansas in October 2015.

Do you drive with the idea that people’s lives are at risk?

By Anthony Cruz
Whether you consider yourself a safe driver or you know that you’re driving could use some improvement, it always comes down to making a personal choice. We all make choices with our driving and each choice has positive and negative results.

Anthony Cruz

As a defensive driving instructor, I have the opportunity to meet hundreds of people who share their daily driving experiences, frustrations and bad habits.  When asked, most know National Safety Council’s six most unsafe driving behaviors that cause or contribute to fatal collisions.

1. Improper speed
2. Violating right of way
3. Driving left of center
4. Turning improperly
5. Passing improperly
6. Following too closely

Yet, many have the illusion of control and they overestimate their ability to control events. So they send out that text or have that one drink, believing bad things only happen to other people.  What I have learned is the majority of those who attend my defensive driving class are willing to hear about ways to avoid collisions, eager to adopt change and willing to create personal policies with their driving behaviors regarding texting and driving or driving without a seat belt.  However, there is that percentage of people who think they will be the only one affected if they are killed in an accident and feel that using personal protective devices and speeding is their choice, and making the choice should be left up to the individual and not the government. 
People think they will be the only affected if they are killed in an accident. I really wish this were true, but sadly it’s not. Part of my job duties include monitoring radio traffic at the law enforcement center, so I hear first-hand the number of resources that are used during an accident. It can be quite expensive and that is only the financial part of the equation. The emotional toll it takes on families can be lifelong. The first questions I ask before I start each class and the questions we should always ask ourselves when we get behind the wheel are:

• How would my family be affected if I were killed or injured in a traffic collision?
• What if one of the important people in my life were killed or injured in a traffic collision?
• What if the accident was preventable?

If you answer these questions honestly, you will realize it’s not just about you.  Driving is a full-time job and needs your full attention, because your life and the life of those you love depend on it. 

Anthony Cruz has been with Finney County Emergency Management for three years, and is a Kansas Certified Emergency Manager.  He has been teaching defensive driving three years, twice a month and issued more than 400 certificates.