Drivetime Mahatma

New Broadway Bridge said to lack lane barrier

Dear Mahatma: Hoow-raah for the new Broadway Bridge. However, I think a mistake was made in not adding a center barrier between north and south lanes. I foresee many head-on accidents and blockages, especially in rain, sleet and snow. Hope the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department gets this thought. -- Jim

Dear Jim: The Mahatma has gone out of his way several times to cross the Broadway Bridge. Progress is constant. Earlier this week workers were working on the lights for the pedestrian walkway. Very cool -- one light shines on the walkway, and a light facing the opposite way shines on the roadway.

As for a barrier, our mind is dim but says there was never a barrier on the old bridge, and the absence of such was not an issue. In any event, people at the Highway Department are avid readers of this column (we hope), and so your thought is expressed.

Vanity plate seen on a convertible Dodge Viper: VNOMUS.

One of last week's questions was about errant golf balls at War Memorial Golf Course in Little Rock. Who's responsible for the damage, if any, if a golf ball hits a car? Readers were invited to toss in their two cents' worth, and so we have a couple of enlightening experiences.

One comes from Proud Mom.

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"Many years ago, my teenage daughter was westbound on Interstate 630 close to the golf course," Proud Mom said.

"Suddenly, her windshield was hit by a golf ball and busted. She exited at University Avenue and went to the course. She promptly found the guilty party (I have no idea how she did this) and he pulled out his wallet and gave her cash for her deductible. I was very proud of her and thankful for the honest golfer."

An honest golfer ... someone, please, erect a statue.

A reference was also made last week to Bill Valentine, the late and great general manager of the Arkansas Travelers, regarding Valentine's position on balls that flew out of the old Ray Winder Field onto Interstate 630.

"Been 12-14 years ago this happened, but for what it's worth, the man was a saint in my book," our reader wrote. "While westbound late one afternoon, a baseball came over the wall, bounced one time, and smashed my windshield -- God's Grace and Honda engineers preventing human injury -- into a spider's web.

"Upon driving to the ballpark's parking facility, the attendant told me 'tough s***!' Absolutely unwilling to accept this, I drove right past this sputtering functionary with 'Call the law if you want, I'm talking to Bill.'

"Entering the office, he came out, heard my tale -- graciously -- and directed office staff to assist me by facilitating help from the Travs' insurance provider. I was cheerfully and completely made whole, BTW.

"So, IMHO, tales concerning his curmudgeonly and irascible nature are way off."

Vanity plate seen around town: SHEBADD. No effort was made to determine how bad she really was.

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Metro on 03/18/2017

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