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  • adit

    ReMember
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 20, 2013
    19,500
    DE
    Some calls would almost certainly have come from the west bound drivers who were likely sounding their horns as they drove parallel to her.

    Maybe all the commotion of oncoming horns plus horns coming from parallel drivers on her right panicked her. Going west in the eastbound lane gave her NO pull off to the right, where there is about 6 feet of grass between the road and the guardrail there.

    Sad, but I have to think she was DUI with weed or liquor.

    She may not have even heard any horns. With a child in the back seat and the temperature in the 90's I doubt any windows would be open.

    MSP did tell me they were looking to see if she had any windows open in surveillance footage.

    She drove past Exxon at ~1:19pm (iffy timestamp) heading W on Busch's Frontage Rd. The accident was reported at 1:25pm.

    If anyone witnessed the accident call Annapolis MSP 410-267-5800 or PM me for the investigators info.
     

    zoostation

    , ,
    Moderator
    Jan 28, 2007
    22,857
    Abingdon
    My gf just told me that she knows the Woman and the child. Woman was going to school in Salisbury and is from Charles County.
    She has made that trip hundreds of times. Really confusing how that day she got all turned around. :sad20:

    I worked that area as an officer, in fact it was my first post out of the academy when it was the old 3D3 post, and was down there plenty as a supervisor at Eastern in later years. 50 is of course easy to navigate but back on those access and side roads it can get confusing quick, everything looks the same. Especially when you get out around Old Mill Bottom and behind the WaWa. Even I would occasionally get sidetracked now and then with a wrong turn.

    I have a feeling when all is said and done this is going to be a simple grievous mistake, without aggravating factors like DUI, etc. Just my opinion. I don't know of course, but that's my feeling. Once she got onto 50 wrong way it stands to reason she would have gone to her right, ie. in the oncoming fast lane. Wherever she turned into 50 from, there often isn't much of a shoulder next to the fast lane so she likely wouldn't have had a spot to pull over.

    Perhaps the best thing might have been for her to pull over in the fast lane as far to the right as possible, and just let the traffic back up. Even that would be no guarantee of safety but might have given her the best odds. But as we all know, people under stress don't always do the best thing. I picture a 22 year old relatively inexperienced driver, terrified, scared for her baby in the car, scared of getting in trouble with the law, overloaded with sensory input of onrushing traffic, horns, and fear, trying desperately to get over to the opposite shoulder by the slow lane. That may also account for witnesses saying she was driving all over the place, etc. It might have looked that way as she tried to make her way to the slow lane shoulder.

    All just supposition and conjecture on my part. But that's the feeling I have for it.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,155
    I picture a 22 year old relatively inexperienced driver, terrified, scared for her baby in the car, scared of getting in trouble with the law, overloaded with sensory input of onrushing traffic, horns, and fear, trying desperately to get over to the opposite shoulder by the slow lane.

    Me too, with a screaming baby and a bottle or toy that got dropped on the floor and her trying to reach it while driving.
     

    Overboost44

    6th gear
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 10, 2013
    6,619
    Kent Island
    She may not have even heard any horns. With a child in the back seat and the temperature in the 90's I doubt any windows would be open.

    MSP did tell me they were looking to see if she had any windows open in surveillance footage.

    She drove past Exxon at ~1:19pm (iffy timestamp) heading W on Busch's Frontage Rd. The accident was reported at 1:25pm.

    If anyone witnessed the accident call Annapolis MSP 410-267-5800 or PM me for the investigators info.

    You must be close. I drove past there at 1:10pm. Time stamp at the toll booth was 1:13. I heard about it right after it was reported.
     

    BigDaddy

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 7, 2014
    2,235
    Apropos of nothing, got a notice from MDOT that they are going to narrow the lanes on the Severn River bridge, move the median and put in 4 eastbound lanes.

    "Due to the constrained nature of the roadway, MDOT will monitor traffic operations of the new traffic pattern. Further roadway improvements may be considered if warranted"

    Do ya think? Now we will have four lanes of river rubberneckers who will have to merge to 3 lanes. What could go wrong?
     

    adit

    ReMember
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 20, 2013
    19,500
    DE
    Apropos of nothing, got a notice from MDOT that they are going to narrow the lanes on the Severn River bridge, move the median and put in 4 eastbound lanes.

    "Due to the constrained nature of the roadway, MDOT will monitor traffic operations of the new traffic pattern. Further roadway improvements may be considered if warranted"

    Do ya think? Now we will have four lanes of river rubberneckers who will have to merge to 3 lanes. What could go wrong?

    I don't see how. There is no way to get 4 lanes on eastbound 50 under the 648 bridge.
     

    Rack&Roll

    R.I.P
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 23, 2013
    22,304
    Bunkerville, MD
    After driving that stretch of 50E today, I am more inclined to agree with Zoostation that inattention, and then blind panic--and not impairment-- could have led to this awful incident.

    Before I headed out, I posted my recollection that the left lane shoulder had 6 feet of grass between the pavement and the guardrail. Nope, seeing it in person: more like 3 feet. No place to go for this young woman.

    Too afraid to just stop in the left lane, and unable to process anything except for a dash to reach an exit or escape of some kind.

    Very sad incident.
     

    Mark75H

    MD Wear&Carry Instructor
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 25, 2011
    17,172
    Outside the Gates
    Apropos of nothing, got a notice from MDOT that they are going to narrow the lanes on the Severn River bridge, move the median and put in 4 eastbound lanes.

    "Due to the constrained nature of the roadway, MDOT will monitor traffic operations of the new traffic pattern. Further roadway improvements may be considered if warranted"

    Do ya think? Now we will have four lanes of river rubberneckers who will have to merge to 3 lanes. What could go wrong?

    I don't see how. There is no way to get 4 lanes on eastbound 50 under the 648 bridge.

    My daughter sent me that story last week. Not sure what they are thinking ... just more parking lot. There is nothing to stop 4 lanes of lane hogs slowing things down because they can't maintain speed going up and down the rises approaching the bridge from both sides. Traffic engineers are completely ignoring the STUPID human element in traffic
     

    Shooter88

    Active Member
    Aug 21, 2013
    104
    I used to cross the Severn bridge 5 days a week...westbound in the morning, east in the afternoon around 5 PM. To this day I do not understand why traffic piles up on the eastbound side every afternoon. Do people naturally slow down going over bridges? Are people afraid so they instinctively slow down? Do people slow down to stare at the water? Would either of these three theories really slow traffic as much as it does? Maybe a combination of all three? Blows my mind.
     

    adit

    ReMember
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 20, 2013
    19,500
    DE
    My daughter sent me that story last week. Not sure what they are thinking ... just more parking lot. There is nothing to stop 4 lanes of lane hogs slowing things down because they can't maintain speed going up and down the rises approaching the bridge from both sides. Traffic engineers are completely ignoring the STUPID human element in traffic

    Take a look at the lanes here at 648.

    https://www.google.com/maps/@39.014...7777&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i3328!8i1664?hl=en

    4 lanes? Not a chance.
     

    Rambler

    Doing the best with the worst.
    Oct 22, 2011
    2,162
    We must wait for the toxicology report. While I hope this was simple, yet tragic, driver error, I suspect that lab reports will be telling with regard to DWI.
     

    Rack&Roll

    R.I.P
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 23, 2013
    22,304
    Bunkerville, MD
    I used to cross the Severn bridge 5 days a week...westbound in the morning, east in the afternoon around 5 PM. To this day I do not understand why traffic piles up on the eastbound side every afternoon. Do people naturally slow down going over bridges? Are people afraid so they instinctively slow down? Do people slow down to stare at the water? Would either of these three theories really slow traffic as much as it does? Maybe a combination of all three? Blows my mind.

    People routinely slow down when entering a "chute"--and then there's the failure to maintain speed uphill.

    Traffic engineers use the "chute" effect to slow speeds on purpose in some areas.
     

    Overboost44

    6th gear
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 10, 2013
    6,619
    Kent Island
    I used to cross the Severn bridge 5 days a week...westbound in the morning, east in the afternoon around 5 PM. To this day I do not understand why traffic piles up on the eastbound side every afternoon. Do people naturally slow down going over bridges? Are people afraid so they instinctively slow down? Do people slow down to stare at the water? Would either of these three theories really slow traffic as much as it does? Maybe a combination of all three? Blows my mind.

    You said it. 100% I seriously think people see walls to their sides and slow down because it feels dangerous. Bugs the SH*T out of me. The only other option I see is to put up higher walls to they can't see the water! :D Same thing on the Bay Bridge. It slows down at the crest before the downhill every day.

    All drivers should be forced to go to a real driving school. Not Miss Sally's get-your-permit-with-us. A real school at a track where they can learn the limits of a car, accident avoidance, skid control etc.
     

    Mr. Ed

    This IS my Happy Face
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2009
    7,899
    Edgewater
    I used to cross the Severn bridge 5 days a week...westbound in the morning, east in the afternoon around 5 PM. To this day I do not understand why traffic piles up on the eastbound side every afternoon. Do people naturally slow down going over bridges? Are people afraid so they instinctively slow down? Do people slow down to stare at the water? Would either of these three theories really slow traffic as much as it does? Maybe a combination of all three? Blows my mind.

    One of the major problems that slows traffic in that area of 50 East before the Severn River bridge is the merge from Rowe Blvd, with two lanes trying to merge into the three lanes on 50. Way too many folks charge right up to the end of the merge lane and then force their way into traffic. It's a merge lane, not a passing lane. Somehow the mergers seem to think they're much more important, entitled, or in a hurry than the folks who have been slowly moving along with traffic.

    I think the mergers should be forced down into one lane, then controlled with a traffic light to merge, as they do getting onto Rt. 66 in Arlington.
     

    Mark75H

    MD Wear&Carry Instructor
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 25, 2011
    17,172
    Outside the Gates
    One of the major problems that slows traffic in that area of 50 East before the Severn River bridge is the merge from Rowe Blvd, with two lanes trying to merge into the three lanes on 50. Way too many folks charge right up to the end of the merge lane and then force their way into traffic. It's a merge lane, not a passing lane. Somehow the mergers seem to think they're much more important, entitled, or in a hurry than the folks who have been slowly moving along with traffic.

    I think the mergers should be forced down into one lane, then controlled with a traffic light to merge, as they do getting onto Rt. 66 in Arlington.

    I think its a minor contributing factor. Even far off of rush hour with almost no traffic coming from Rowe, traffic still backs up there like mad. The problem is idiots who should not have licenses who don't maintain speed on grades. It happens everywhere there is a hill.
     

    Mack C-85

    R.I.P.
    Jan 22, 2014
    6,522
    Littlestown, PA
    The issue with the Severn River bridge is the mixing of traffic trying to move to the right to exit on Rt.2 North with the Rowe Blvd. Traffic trying to move left to get to the Bay Bridge. Add that to five lanes trying to merge to three between Rowe Blvd. And the Bridge......nightmare........and yes, I used to drive it everyday.

    Sent from my SM-J320P using Tapatalk
     

    BigDaddy

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 7, 2014
    2,235
    Do people naturally slow down going over bridges? Are people afraid so they instinctively slow down? Do people slow down to stare at the water?

    I drove it too and in the winter when it gets dark early, traffic moves much better. Whether they are afraid or like to look at the boats, a curtain would help.

    I dislike the people that race down the merge lane at Rowe Blvd to get in, but in general people won't let you in. Some places I've lived there are signs that encourage people to alternate but not here.

    You have to wait for someone who isn't paying attention and is practically stopped or is stopped and get in front of them.
     

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