Disappeared News

I can't resist, it's so easy... and I love to play with Google Earth.

A couple or three weeks ago I called in a problem to the City and County number that takes reports of road problems.

It was a dark and rainy night as I turned from Bougainnville Drive onto Radford Drive and moved to the left in order to make the turn into Center Street. The car ahead had done the same, but was one lane to the left of me, that is, in a lane for oncoming traffic. Fortunately, there was no one coming at him, and we both made it across without incident. The error was easy to make because there is no paint left on the pavement at that place, which is a concrete bridge over the H-1 Freeway.

So I called it in. But there is still no paint there. As an aspiring cyberjournalist, I thought I would document it with a photo next time. Being a lazy aspiring cyberjournalist, though, it's easier to fly over the spot with Google Earth for a look. Sure enough, although the satellite image was taken some time ago, it clearly shows the lack of paint on the bridge. Only the turn arrows are visible.

I know the City and County is short of asphalt to fix our many potholes, but I thought they had some paint left for traffic hazards. Here's one. Will they wait until someone is killed there to repaint the road markings? It seems that the only way to get a traffic light installed or correct other hazardous conditions on the streets of Honolulu is through human sacrifice.

Tomorrow I'll fax this post to them. Perhaps it's cyber-embarrassing enough to get some attention.