Lining up for a tragedy

"Long lines of parked cars have been a frequent sight in Kingston and Bainbridge this summer as ferry overflows have forced drive-on travelers to park on the highway shoulder and wait for the next Because of bridge construction, a two-boat schedule, and just plain gorgeous summer weekend weather, the lines of cars along the highways have become longer than ever. People frequently wait in their cars for hours, especially on Sunday afternoons and evenings. "

“>Long lines of parked cars have been a frequent sight in Kingston and Bainbridge this summer as ferry overflows have forced drive-on travelers to park on the highway shoulder and wait for the next ferry. Because of bridge construction, a two-boat schedule, and just plain gorgeous summer weekend weather, the lines of cars along the highways have become longer than ever. People frequently wait in their cars for hours, especially on Sunday afternoons and evenings. The waiting itself has created a new potential danger. Families, often surprised to find themselves in a line of cars that doesn’t move, are sometimes stuck in their car with young children. And in case you’ve forgotten a truth about young children, when they need to use the restroom, they need to use the restroom right now! So, parents do what parents have to do–they take the kids out of their cars in search of the nearest bathroom, or if none is in sight, they find the nearest tree or big bush. The side effect of this good parenting is danger. Drivers who believe they are passing a long line of parked cars on the roadside are suddenly surprised by youngsters darting unexpectedly across the Highway 104 or 305, or out from between parked cars into oncoming 55 mph traffic. Other frustrated people abruptly pull out of the parked line and make a u-turn, directly in front of a surprised oncoming driver. Some solutions? Special weekend signs warning of children on the road? Porta-Potties on the roadside? Alternative ferry line locations? Surely somebody can develop a preventive measure before a single child is hurt or killed. “

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