Lively Case Discussion #585 2/25 - 3/2/2007

[crazybabyborg]

I'm not from Atlanta but my sister lived there for many years and I just have to chime in to say that in all my travels, I've never been to a more confusing city to navigate than downtown Atlanta!

We joked about it with every trip I made there. I used to say that the city planners were the hidden weapons for population control in the area. It's a 4.5 hour trip for me UNLESS I had to go through there. I've spent 2 hours just getting out of Atlanta to begin the 4.5 hour trip home. I thought that when the Olympics were hosted there, it would improve, but it doesn't seem to have changed.

The bus accident is such a tragedy, and I hope it serves as a catalyst for change.

[msmarple]

More from AJC:

Witnesses said the bus <snip>  got off the freeway at the Northside HOV exit, appeared to slide or lose control, crossed Northside at an angle and plunged through the bridge barrier onto 75. It glanced off two passing vehicles as it fell.

<snip>

Michael Dabrowa, an artist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said he was driving alongside the bus when he saw it exit on HOV ramp. He guesses the bus' speed at about 60 mph as it entered the ramp.

Accident happened at about 5:30 a.m. One student apparently on the bus is from Alpharetta.

[Mere]

CNN has shown exactly how the mistake with the HOV and the exit could occur....seems like an extremely dangerous area....wonder how many accidents have occurred in that area....

[Tylergal]

Last fall we were going to the Greenville area.  We had an ETA of 3 p.m.  Four hours trying to get through Atlanta, we arrived at 6 p.m.  We had only counted on an hour through Atlanta.  

Whew, I am so glad I moved from there while it was still safe to travel in Atlanta.

I lived in San Berandino and traveled to and through Los Angeles often and it was far safer than Atlanta.

[msmarple]

More on the bus --

Actually, it's a very typical intersection. Northside Drive is a major thoroughfare and may even be divided in that area.

Only thing I can figure is that the driver didn't realize he was in the exit lane. Instead of making the turn off the ramp to get onto Northside, the driver kept going straight.

HOV lanes always are to the far left, therefore the HOV exits are always on the left.

I could not figure out how to get this (below) into photobucket; MapQuest doesn't seem to allow a "save as" ... but this shows the intersesction very clearly. It's a long, nearly straight ramp. (Use the closeup buttons on the left to zoom in.)

http://tinyurl.com/37ef6r

[Tylergal]

Peaches, I wanted to make a separate post to you and tell you how happy I am to see you here and I hope your day goes well.  You are still my heroine.  I think about you and pray for you a lot.  I hope all our prayers have helped.  You have really helped me to see life as a journey and not a destination.

[Peaches]

Thank you, Tyler.  I appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers as I do everyone's.  

I'm down to two more rounds of chemo!  WOOHOO!!  I'll be done before summer!

And I couldn't have done it without y'all, my doctor, my family and friends and the Man Upstairs.

[Anna]

Good Morning,
So sad about the bus wreck and the tornadoes in Georgia as well as our own.

Have we heard from all the Monkeys in the BLIZZARD as I understand it is one of the worst in Iowa/Nebraska/Northern Plains in years.

At least we are not freezing cold today and can start storm clean up.

[msmarple]

I-75 has reopened.

[friend of monkeys]

I prayed......how are the monkeys today?????

[friend of monkeys]

TYLER--

I have been praying for you too

[friend of monkeys]

k.........i guess either i am alone here or ya'lll saw me naked on the computer...and ran fast....lol..........technology is amazing

[Peaches]

Working & lurking again.

Nothing personal, FOM.

[Tylergal]

TYLER--

I have been praying for you too

Thank you, my sweet Friend of Monkey.

[Anna]

Hi, FOM, I think some Monkeys went to lunch!

I have posted a lot of new avatars in the lounge on the Testing Thread for adoption.  Please leave me a note there if you are looking for something in particular and I will see if I have anything on what you want.

These are all pretty cute, both male and females appropriate.





Hope our days get better for all of us!

Anna.

.

[Anna]

Here is a direct link to the avatars.  Might help new ones to find it.  Or maybe I am the only one who used to get lost in the different threads.

Anyway, here is link to them.

http://www.scaredmonkeys.net/viewtopic.php?t=114&start=120

At least

[msmarple]

Hi Anna - Love the strappy shoes!

[Jerry from Ohio]

    Hi Patty Jerry from Ohio here and I remember seeing you from the front page <g>
   Glad that you decided to join us here  and we do have some very very  great People here  and please let me add my welcome  <g>
     jerry from Ohio [/b]

[JuJu]

Hi Monkey Friends!

[Marlee]

Hi Monkey friends!  Thanks for all the warm welcomes to us newbies.  

I am rereading Dave's book and highlighting interesting stuff as I go along.  Hope you don't mind if I ask some questions.  And I hope you don't think they are stupid ones.

In the beginning of the book Dave describes an abandoned house where drug addicts had left drug paraphernalia and other yucky stuff as being "right next to a fine restaurant near the hotel area and a McDonald's."

 If I recall there are 2 McDonald's on the island?  I was wondering if anyone might know if that is the one where Slootbag picked "them" up.

If so....maybe that drug house is where Slootbag Jr was dropped off by
 the Kalpoes? and the bad stuff happened?

ps...I saw someone (mishy?) use the Slootbag name yesterday and loved it! Hope it's ok for me to use it too.