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Show Balllc Creek Breeze BY K. B. Coming down on the Continental Bus from Price February 1, I sat near the driver in order to keep warm. The weather was bitter; zero at Trice at 17 below at Soldier Sold-ier Summit. In fact, the manager man-ager of the Bus Station-Cafe on the summit told me that at four o'clock that morning the mercury stood at minus 35. To make things more interesting, the wind was blowing a gale. Since there were only three of us on the bus, the driver became quite talkative. He has driven bus for many years in most of the Western States. "Don't you hate to make the run over the mountain in the Winter time," I asked. j "Oh no," he replied, "It's not nearly as rough as "Death Vall- ey. "You mean," I rejoined, "that you like the ice and snow better than the sand and heat of the Desert?" "Oh." he said. "I don't mean Death Valley, Calif. I mean Death Valley, Utah the bus drivers' v name for Utah Valley." He then went on to explain that the driving hazards in Utah County Coun-ty are the worst in his long experience. ex-perience. "It's mostly the fault of the automobile drivers," he continued. "No where on earth are drivers more discourteous, reckless, and uncivil than in Utah County." This voluntary appraisal, from a man who spends 48 hours a week in a driver's seat, might be food for thought for all of us who live in "Death Valley." The death toll so far this year is mute testimony testi-mony that there is something wrong with our traffic situation. In the opinion of this driver, there are two chief causes respon-ible respon-ible for our disgraceful record. First, the total disregard of drivers driv-ers for the law and the rights of others; and second the hit-and-miss enforcement by traffic officers offi-cers and the laxity of the courts in punishing offenders. We all believe, and justly so, that war is terrible; but few of us stop to realize that far more j Utah County people have been, killed or hoplessly mangled by automobiles since January first, than have suffered the same fate in Korea. We have a -war to wage here in "Death Valley." Our enemies are, speed, recklessness, selfishness, and alcohol. Our weapons are ef-1 fective if we will only use them alertness, thoughtfulness, courtesy and sobriety. Best of all, this is a fight in which we may all enlist. So-Long 'till Friday. ! |