Sunday, February 3, 2008

DIFFERENT TAKE ON TRAILERS REFLECTED

DIFFERENT TAKE ON TRAILERS REFLECTED

STREET BEAT

Q.I disagree with your comments about reflectors on small trailers. A woman clumsily burns herself on coffee and sues McDonald's, causing a law requiring all coffee cups to have warning labels that coffee may be hot. Chesterfield County resident Ron Melancon rear-ends a trailer and a state law is enacted requiring additional reflectors on trailers. What happened to personal responsibility?

-R. Dave

A.So you're saying I can mount something that is very hard to see on the back of my vehicle, and it's your fault if you run into it?

That's great. I'd love to add a long pole with a boxing glove on the end and give tailgaters a big surprise.

But seriously, a caller who did not leave his name had this differing opinion:

"Your trailer piece was very informative. On U.S. 360 near state Route 288, a woman was killed when a trailer came loose and went across the median. Your piece brought back the memory that it's not just a problem with debris hitting your car but actually someone's life being taken."

Indeed. I passed the wreckage after that Oct. 2 accident. Police say a homemade trailer came loose from a pickup driven by Benjamin J. Frazer, 25, of the 3400 block of Oakmeadow Lane, crossed into the westbound lane and hit a Cadillac driven by Elaine Lois Decker, 51, killing her.

Chesterfield police have charged Frazer with reckless driving. In addition, he was charged with eight other violations relating to defective equipment and licensing.

This isn't like someone burning herself with her own coffee. Let's make these things safe.

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