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Interesting drive home yesterday. Pulled over after the Keaau crawl to let an ambulance go by, just to pull over again because he did a U-turn and headed back Hilo way. As I approached paradise I came to an accident that had just happened. Guy was lying on the pavement, alive but not doing good. No cops their yet but some good Samaritans were helping to clear debris and direct traffic. Where were the cops? At another accident scene by that new and improved intersection by Longs. Wasn't as bad so they left one cop on the scene as the rest headed over to HPP.
Nothing in the paper...again.
Drive Safe and with aloha
Jim
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Saw that and one on Kaloli rd (HPP) as well. I think it was a "Z" car that had flipped and crashed. Hard to tell 'cause I couldn't get very close.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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As to the wreck on Kaloli, Pam and I saw the whole thing. This is what I wrote elsewhere:
Pam and I saw the whole thing. The car almost hit us coming out of either 17th or 18th onto Kaloli but managed to stop. We carried on driving east back towards home but it came speeding after us, overtook at very high speed and still accelerating. On that steep bit of road at around 20th the car was likely doing around 70mph (my estimate), took off and when it landed the driver lost control and went off the side and flipped the car a few times. I was the first one at the scene and thought I'd find the driver dead but he was alive. No way we could get him out though with the car upside down and partly crushed although if there had been a fire we may have tried dragging him through one of the windows. So I and by now a couple of other people just tried to comfort the driver and try and keep him still until help arrived (Pam was on the phone to 911).
Police, ambulance and a firetruck soon arrived and got the guy out. Remarkably he was able to stand up. Pam and I gave a statement but were both pretty shaken up. I really thought we had just watched someone die and if we had been a couple of seconds earlier we would have been T-boned by him.
Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/
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So sorry to hear about your experience. I get frustrated by the crazy drivers here. There is a range of emotions that you go through when you here about them. There is at first a bit of - well he got what he deserved, then you are upset at yourself for feeling that way. Then anger at the person for endangering others. Last night I could here a car racing on Kahakai. I was bracing myself for the sound of impact. Glad it never came, but you know that someday that person will be a headline. I think it just comes down to a matter of too few police officers. There are usually just 6 officers covering all of Puna makai from Shower in HPP all the way to Seaview. I felt bad for them that day having to abandon one accident to cover a worse one and then having to respond to another.
Most of us when we were 20 years old didn't speed only because we where afraid we would get caught. These kids seldom see speed traps and so they speed.
Jim
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I can only say that this is the worst place to drive a motor vehicle that I've ever experienced in my life in the US.
And Puna is the worst of the worst.
I don't scare easy, but this is bad here, particularly Puna. I am super careful and observant here.
I have been within milliseconds and inches of oblivion here. More than once- through no fault of mine.
Until the roads are improved, vehicular traffic should be the #1 law enforcement priority- and not just speeding.
I think of the Officer at the top of Ainaloa, enforcing the 25 mph limit there- ah where else? What else?
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I learned to really drive in an ambulance in NYC , and taking my kids to school via 130 in the morning gives Me a panic attack!
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While walking on Makuu drive...I was almost run over by a drunk driver "twice". It's a good thing I walk on the oncoming traffic side and saw them coming (weaving from one side of the road to the other)
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The People in Puna are so polite and helpful but when many of us get in our cars we're monsters. Remember that old Disney short starring Goofy? They must have shot it in Pahoa.
Terry.
Terry Chambers
Terry Chambers
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Another 3 car accident at Makuu and hwy 130 this Sunday morning. Looked like a car was turning left and waiting when he was rear ended and push into the oncoming car.
Jim
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hmmm how do these people with mopeds cope? I could only imagine what a bicyclist has to put up with. Speed kills. -- sadly it's the few bad apples that spoil the fun for everyone. Maybe higher gas prices will make it a little safer. Ya know if they can't afford the gas then odds are they can't afford the insurance!
Thanks for posting that Tom. Glad you made it home safe!
