THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 24, 1995 TAG: 9502230134
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: The Road Warrior
LENGTH: Long : 129 lines
If you're old enough to drive, but too young to drink or too old to boogie, then this message is for you.
Drive Smart, a traffic safety campaign that enlists the help of citizens and businesses to make people aware of the importance of wearing seat belts and not driving drunk, has come up with a contest that targets teenagers.
The contest works this way: Any group of driving-age students is eligible to compete in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. This includes classes, private and public, clubs, or even groups teens organize themselves.
The challenge is to make one 25-second television public service announcement about the dangers of aggressive or drunken driving or safety belts. Each tape should be based on one of the topics; for instance, ``Drunk Driving Kills.''
A written script or summary of the announcement must be submitted along with the videotape. The tape should be shot and edited in 1/2-inch VHS format.
Rules are to be as creative as possible to get the attention of young drivers and make them react. Good taste is appropriate, as people won't listen if they're offended. And, no dangerous driving to prove a point in your video, it'll mean automatic disqualification.
Anyway, the prizes are monetary and will go to your school's alcohol-free afterprom dance or graduation party. Three awards will be given for each city and the entries will be judged by a panel of TV personalities, business executives and educators (no, Road was not asked to be a judge).
Here are the prize amounts: $500, first place; $250, second place; and $100, third place.
And of course, by entering a video you're agreeing that it can be used and aired by WAVY-TV 10 as a public service announcement.
To enter, submit an entry form, a written summary of your script and the videotape by 5 p.m. on April 1.
Gummed labels, one on the videotape and one on the tape's box, should give the name of the entrant, name of the school, sponsoring club or organization and title of entry.
In addition, the entry form asks the name of entrants, school and school address, name of sponsoring class, club, or organization, adult advisor, title of entry and adult advisor phone number.
Entries can be mailed to: Debra Rocke, Norfolk Public Schools, Room 1000, P.O. Box 1357, Norfolk, Va., 23501. Or, hand deliver entries to: Margaret Ware, Drive Smart Coordinator, USAA, 5800 Northampton Blvd., Norfolk, Va., 23502.
SNARLS OF THE WEEK
The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.
Jim Vail, No Address Given. I was calling about the article you had about people flashing their headlights to warn others about a radar trap. Car and Driver Magazine did cover this recently, about six months ago.
As it went, the crux of the matter was that police aren't out there to slow down traffic, they're out there as collection agents for the city.
Their basic objective is to collect money for the city government. If you look at it from that point of view, that's what their job is and that's why they ticket people for alerting other drivers ahead. Just my view on slowing people down.
RW: Hey, you probably just said what Road wasn't brave enough to say. Thanks for the opinion.
Jean Spires, Pembroke. I have a complaint. I've called the traffic department and they will not put a straight arrow and a turn arrow at the intersection of Cleveland Street and Witchduck Road and there's going to be a terrible accident.
The center lane should be a left turn arrow; the right lane should be a through or right turn lane.
RW: Wait a second, Jean. The intersection does have a left turn arrow, a right lane for going straight and taking a right.
Did Road read you wrong or were you wanting a left turn arrow with a through and a right turn lane?
A combined left turn lane and through would be disasterous in that area. First, the intersection doesn't align completely even so the left turners on each side of Cleveland would essentially be in conflict with each other. That, plus, there are more left-turners turning onto Cleveland than there are people going straight and providing a combined left turn and straight lane would hold everyone up. Right now, engineers say that the intersection is operating at optimum levels as far as coordination and traffic volumes go.
Hope Road answered your question? If not, you can also pick up the phone and call again. Thanks.
Andy, Ocean Lakes. Can something be done about drivers that are constantly parking in front of the Outback Cafe in Kempsville, always blocking the fire lanes?
And, also, about the people behind Virginia Beach General Hospital that are going up that street the wrong way and it's one way.
I'm a delivery driver and I have to make stops in those areas.
They have no respect for us delivery drivers.
RW: Andy, the first thing you can do about those fire lane parkers is to pick up the phone and call the Fire Marshall at 427-3922 and let him send one of his inspectors out to ticket these law-breakers.
As for the one-way road, we're not sure which you're referring to. Is the area marked with a sign that indicates it's one way? Let me know so we can get you an answer.
Crait Amos, No Address Given. My problem is, three times now, at the corner of Holland Road and Dam Neck, sometime after 10 p.m., twice heading west and once heading east, the stop light has failed to change.
Just last night I sat there for a total of 18 minutes and the signal never cycled through. I tried backing up and backing over the plates again and it never changed.
Eventually I had to put my hazard lights on and just drive through the red light. You might want to have someone take a look at that. Thanks.
RW: No, thank you, Crait! Lots of folks will have reason to thank you if that loop's gone bad. According to engineers, it sounds like it has had some sort of blow-out. Thanks for the warning.
Laurie, No Address Given. I'd like to see them synchronize the traffic lights along Indian River Road. At 5 a.m. it's ridiculous to sit through a full cycle when there is absolutely no traffic to use the green light.
RW: It does seem a bit ridiculous, doesn't it? But considering all the work that's being finished around those parts, it's a wonder there is any sort of coordination at all.
And for the time being, it's semi-coordinated. That is, it's not fine-tuned and won't be until the CMAQ timing project comes through Kempsville within the year. If you've noticed, as Road has, and this is no lie, the CMAQ project has made a difference in the Pembroke area. Of course, maybe Road's the only one who notices when we're sitting less and moving more? MEMO: Tell the Road Warrior about your motoring problems. Get 'em off your
chest. Call on Infoline, at 640-5555. After a brief message, dial ROAD
(7623). When directed, press 1 to deliver your message, and 1 again to
sign off.
Or, write: The Road Warrior, Virginia Beach Beacon, 4565 Virginia
Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va., 23462.
Don't forget to include your name, address and neighborhood. by CNB