It was 10 years ago Sunday that the first Road Warrior column
appeared
in this newspaper
It was a rarity at the time. Now, many newspapers have
something
similar and a lot of them are called Road Warrior.
In the ensuing 10 years, I’ve written 804 Road Warrior columns. It
has
been by far the most popular thing I’ve ever done in my 38 years
working
here.
Now, we are undergoing yet another sea change in the newspaper
business. You’re invited to “blog” the Road Warrior.
It was 10 years ago Sunday that the first Road Warrior column
appeared
in this newspaper
It was a rarity at the time. Now, many newspapers have
something
similar and a lot of them are called Road Warrior.
In the ensuing 10 years, I’ve written 804 Road Warrior columns. It
has
been by far the most popular thing I’ve ever done in my 38 years
working
here.
It appeared once a week through February of 2003, when our editor
Scott
Ware came up with a great idea. Limit it to one subject per
column
rather than the two or three it had addressed, he said, and run
the
shortened version three times a week. It has about tripled
reader
inquiries while tripling its exposure.
Now, we are undergoing yet another sea change as the newspaper
business
edges away from the print version of itself to take advantage of
the
electronic world that is overwhelming traditional information
sources.
To paraphrase a favorite quip, a year ago I couldn’t even spell
“blog,”
and now I are one.
Road Warrior still appears in print three times a week, most weeks,
and
can be read on line with the rest of the paper.
But now it’s also presented as a Web log, or blog, that
supposedly
increases its interactivity with the readers.
Actually, I always could spell “blog” (it’s pretty hard to get
wrong),
but I had never read one, let alone written one, when 2006
dawned.
A few weeks into the innovation, I’m not sure either of those
limitations has changed. While readers continue to e-mail me
questions,
no one has responded to the blog versions, of which there are
seven
posted under “Blog Heaven” on kitsapsun.com.
I gather I’m free to chat back and forth with readers who file
responses
to the columns via the blog. But since no one has blogged me (if
that’s
what it’s called), I haven’t had the chance to test drive this
new
vehicle.
So help me out here. Look at Road Warrior under Blog Heaven and see
if
there isn’t something you’d like to say in response to what you
find.
I’ll even prime the pump with an assertion that brought the readers
out
of the wood work when I made it back in the spring of 2004: I
almost
never see a red light violation that is a real hazard to other
drivers.
That ought to get the comments flowing.
Congrats on the decade!
Travis , Actually I think we still prefer reading the Road Warrior on the pages of the Kitsap Sun. We’ll see.Keep up the good work.
Wayne& Judy Ablitt
I don’t even know what a BLOG is but here I am talking to one. Just to start the year out right, I would once again ask your verbal support for a right turn lane for west bound traffic at the intersection of Sedgwick and Jackson in Port Orchard. I believe one power pole would have to be relocated away from the highway, but I believe there is enough right of way for that to happen.
Charles Palmer
Great idea! Maybe you can follow-up on articles after initial publishing with a select comment or two from the blog.
And Congratulations on a decade’s worth of Driving for Dummies!
If you’re not seeing red-light runners, you’re not in traffic much. Try any place in Silverdale where there are left-turn signals. The county coffers could get rich tagging the offenders any time of the day. You take your life in your hands if you start through a fresh green light as soon as it changes. You will probably miss the light because of the “runners”. Whatever happened to courtesy on the road?
I hope you can answer a question….I saw in the RCW’s that school zones crosswalks have to be within 500′ (or was it 300′?) of a school to be enforceable. The school zones on Sylvan way aren’t. Nor are the ones on Sheridan Rd. How can they write tickets there? Thanks for the column.
Joan, As I remarked in the April 2004 column that appears next in this Blog space, I do see lots of red light violations by those in left turn lanes. I just don’t consider them a hazard to other drivers. They often stem from frustration over a left turn signal that is too short. The driver pulling through after the light turns red is usually going 25 mph or less, usually is trailing another car closely and is clearly visible to those who just got the green. It may delay them a few seconds, but even a modicum of care on their part will keep them out of danger.
Travis, I am trying out this “blogging” thing for the first time. Is there a way to submit a new issue, or do I have to respond to one of yours? I have a question regarding a road construction sign on Ridgetop Blvd.
Steve I’m notified of any blog responses via e-mail so you can blog a question or just send it to tbaker@kitsapsun.com‘