If you live in Lamorinda and go anywhere in the course of your day you will undoubtedly have noted that large swatches of our roadways have been torn up and really big trucks are lumbering down our roads – sometimes dumping things on our inoffensive and perfectly-driven vehicles. Right?
The NEWS24/680 Tip Lines lit up around noon Friday after a truck lost a portion of its load of gravel and left a trail of the pocky stuff from the Caldecott to Acalanes Road – readers saying the result was like driving through an avalanche. Lots of cracked windshields and pocked paint jobs, we are told.
CHP officers checked out the spill, confirmed that, yep, it was gravel, and said it appeared to be dissipating as more cars rolled through the area. Motorists who called CHP dispatch were advised to slow down – which apparently only made some of you even hotter.
Throughout Lamorinda, it seems, the sound of backup-beepers and excavators at work appears to be providing the background music for the day, with some neighbors calling down the thunder on truckers they felt were impeding traffic as they attempted to maneuver along our narrow country lanes.
Local officials counsel patience and repeat that the construction crews are here to bring us things like roundabouts and new homes and such, and that the more impatient among us may want to think twice about tailgating a dump truck with a load of gravel as it barrels down Saint Mary’s Road at a stately parade speed of 15 mph.
How’s that patience thing working for you?
Putting off any trips to visit until they get everthing paved again!!!!
Thank you for the Flash update regarding the spill — had a friend on his way to my house from San Francisco in a *very* classic and recently restored car. I forwarded the alert to him as he rolled through Oakland, and he was able to avert some likely damage.
Best five bucks I’ve spent since… well, let’s not talk about that.
You are most welcome,GF, and we’ve very glad The Flash was able to save your friend some paint! Lots of people not as lucky, unfortunately…
Saw a poor guy on a motorcycle get caught in it. Lots of swerving. We missed most of it.
Yes, Patricia… apparently Oakland Fire called in to help that rider. Must have been like riding through a hailstorm…
What’s that helicopter doing over the watershed???
Ran through it on the way back from the city and it really made a noise when we went through — and we REALLY slowed down!
Yes thank you for the alert. That saved us time and probably money!!!!
Did they even find that truck from yesterday?
It seems they are working on all major roads simultaneously.
There were flag guys at Olympic and Pleasant Hill today and people were still screwing up!!!! Can’t wait for the roundabout!
I stay a respectful distance away from anything bigger than I am that could hurt or kill me. I have seen people following closely behind construction trucks and wonder if they are common sense inhibited or have some kind of death wish.
I understand both sides. Nobody wants cracked windshields or dented paint jobs, but we don’t live in a perfect world. Things happen. Slow down, keep a respectful distance, be patient and get your vehicle repaired. Construction crews are just doing their job.