The in basket: Gary Moore of Central Kitsap knows someone facing a drunken driving charge even though the person blew a 0.05 on the breathalyzer test after being stopped by an officer.

There was no infraction or accident involved, he said. Another officer felt the person had driven across the edge line and radioed ahead for another officer to stop the person.

State law says 0.08 blood alcohol is the lower limit for a DUI,  he said, adding. “They can’t have it both ways.”

The out basket: Well, actually, they can.

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The in basket: Gas prices have gone up sharply this year. You may have heard about it. They have generated a lot of news stories about how people are having trouble making ends meet and cutting back on their driving.

So when I drove by the Starbucks on Lund Avenue in South Kitsap at mid-day a week or so ago, I was surprised to see six cars lined up at the drive-up window. There may have been more around the corner. 

It didn’t appear that those drivers had made even a  fundamental concession to $4.30 gas.

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The in basket: Debra Buchholz and Dave Dahlke, both of Port Orchard, consider the new HOV lane coming out of Bremerton on Highway 304 a waste of money. 

“We now have an HOV lane, wow, for what, a whole mile, just to have more idiots try to hurry and merge at

the last minute,” wrote Debra.

“Who’s idea was this?” she asked. “I truly would love to know so I can

charge them when someone in my family gets hit by some impatient driver who says, ‘Yeah, I will use the HOV to pass all of the patient people trying to get

home from the shipyard during rush hour.’ 

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Even though the Road Warrior column will appear on the usual days between July 19 and Aug. 4, its author will be on vacation and unable to approve comments during that time. The comments will be reviewed when he returns. 

The in basket: Rick Willlams, a South Kitsap motorcyclist, says 

“All roadways have various utility covers, often left recessed, so they are sometimes a little hazardous. 

“Why are they put down the middle of the street instead of at the side of the road,” he asked. The pavement wouldn’t have to be dug up to repair them if they were off to the side. Continue reading →

The in basket: Roadside vegetation becomes a problem every year about now, as grass and brush put on a growth spurt in early summer. 

I’ve been watching the growth along Highway 166 at Ross Point between Gorst and Port Orchard and have visions of lions crouching in the reeds and leaping out to attack my passing car.

A greater problem, of course, is the narrowing passage available to bicycles and pedestrians approaching and in the curve. I’m surprised I haven’t heard from ‘cyclists who have less and less space between them and passing cars in a poor visibility situation. Maybe they just instinctively avoid that highway and go up Highway 16 to the Port Orchard exits.

I wondered when the state’s mowing crews would get around to Ross Point.

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