News-Miner Editorial
One lane, two directions
Caution needed when using Alaska’s trails and paths
Published Saturday, November 22, 2008
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Stumble It!The circumstances surrounding the death of an Anchorage doctor in Kotzebue this week deserve some serious thought from every person who uses Alaska’s trails during the dark months of winter.
Roger Gollub died after he was struck by a snowmachine on Wednesday night. He was mushing a dog team belonging to a friend. The friend, Tracy Schaeffer, was riding in the basket and was severely injured. The snowmachiner was traveling in the same direction as the mushers.
Deaths from such collisions are rare but still too common. We all still have work to do in insisting that trail users be alert, aware and cautious.
Trails are almost always single-track arrangements with two-way traffic. Too often, though, people treat them as if fellow travelers are not a possibility. Alaska is fairly empty country, but it’s not so empty that anyone should ever gamble with the lives of others by driving too fast into a blind spot.
In wooded country, instinct tends to warn people to slow down as they approach corners. The urge to hit the throttle in open areas too often is irresistible, though, when drivers find an open, flat stretch. During the day, this might be reasonably safe. In the dark, though, it can be just as dangerous as approaching a wooded corner at high speed. Even the strongest high beams can be overrun at the speeds achieved by modern snowmachines. Throw in a momentary glance at the fuel gauge, and disaster can unfold.
Slower trail users — skiers, skijorers, bikers, hikers and mushers — can protect themselves with reflective gear, lights and extra caution.
In the Kotzebue incident, even a light wasn’t enough. The team owner had a headlamp and she reportedly flashed it at the oncoming snowmachine.
That’s a telling detail for everyone to keep in mind. Even a bright light may not be enough warning. The only safe choice is to drive within the limits of one’s own light.
Community Discussion
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What??!! This editorial does not contain one word about driving drunk. Yet Troopers say alcohol was a factor in this accident.
The focus of the editorial is misplaced. It should be about Alaskan idiots who drive drunk and endanger or kill their fellow citizens.
AMEN,,, i know of no other single problem in Alaska than drunk driving, and or problems involving alchol. But the citys and state are adicted to the tax money, so what are a few lives worth???
Maybe it's time to raise the limit on first time drunk driving to an actual jail sentence, like a few years instead of a few days.
Both of the young adults had prior convictions for underage drinking...check the court records. Snow machine drivers tend to look at the trail right in front of their machine to steer and ignore things in the distance. Lights ahead of them appear to be furthur away than they are. These accidents happen all the time. Often with a drunk driver involved...sometimes just an inattentive driver. I've had my dogteam hit in broad daylight by a sober snow machine driver who was looking to the side. Nothing can be done about it...
I've had snowmachines "fly" past me whiule walking on Badger Rd. bike path...four wheelers in the summertime (PLENTY of light). These two were drunk-probably the whole issue of misjudgement....but, also young-if anyone's going to let their underage kids drive ATVs, they should take a saety course which includes info. on these type of fatalities, be given speed governors, or something.
The trail system in Alaska is not going to change. If you see or hear a snow-go coming understand that it could be driven by a drunk moron. If you are a drunk moron on a snow-go understand that if you hurt someone, it's not an accident, it assault with a deadly weapon, or manslaughter. You will have plenty of time in jail to be sorry.
Were the drunk drivers in question locals of Kotzebue? Who will enforce this, when folks in that area can't or won't even enforce hunting laws!
No other problem in the state of Alaska? What planet are you living on. There are more than just the problem of driving drunk. Let me give you a few examples to further expand your "knowledge". How about the use of illegal drugs. Have you ever been to the lower 48??? I attended college out of state, and ALL I ever heard was "dude, you guys have the best weed up there." We DO have a problem with not only Marijuanna, but also cocaine and meth. There is also the problem with domestic violence. DO NOT TELL ME THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. If you disagree with me, you ARE ignorant. But of course, most people think that this is not an issue, only cause it is not happening to them. And when I say domestic violence I am also talking about child abuse. I see people bring in their kids to work every singel day, they are not clean, their teeth have not been brushed since birth and so on. This is NOT the childs fault, but that of the parents. But again, most people do not care, they only turn the other cheek and don't say a single word.
I could go on for days with more problems that our state and community have, trust me, drunk driving is not the only one. It is a serious one, but children being reglected and abused is just as serious if not more so.
It is a teribble thing that happened to said gentleman, and there is no excuse. My prayers go to his family and friends.
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