Call 911 to report erratic driving

Dear Teri,

This is such a great service!

A couple of years ago, I was following a truck on the interstate that was wandering into the left lane occasionally. Not only was I worried about passing it, but I was also worried about the well-being of the driver.

I was able to get the “How’s my driving” number and enough identification of the truck to call the company. They were grateful for the call and followed up right away. The other day, I saw a car driving in the left lane and drifting well into the right lane about three times per mile, even when there was already a vehicle in that lane.

This time, all I had was a license number. My question is whether to call anyone about dangerous driving and, if so, who? 911 seems extreme since this may or may not be considered an emergency.

Thanks,

Ellen Chaffee

Bismarck

Thanks for writing! Here’s what Lt. Jody Skogen of the North Dakota Highway Patrol told me:

“Erratic driving can be caused by a multitude of different reasons. The driving characteristics described in this email appear to be more than just a temporary (lapse) of judgment by the driver.

“They created a risk to the occupants of that vehicle as well as others in the near vicinity. Calling 911 is appropriate when used to summon help. It would have been the appropriate course of action in this case.”

rrr

Dear readers,

I had room for another short question/answer this week, so I decided to ask a question that I’ve heard before:

“Why do people set up bee colonies so close to roads? I would think this would be a sure way to kill off the bees.”

I contacted the state Ag Department. Here’s what Plant Industries Division Director Judy Carlson told me:

“Beekeepers haul bees to North Dakota from all over the country using semi trucks. They usually unload into a holding yard, which is usually close to paved highways. Soon, these bees are then dispersed to locations that are off the highways, close to or in alfalfa and sweet clover fields.

“This year is especially wet, and beekeepers are having difficulty moving the bee colonies without getting stuck or dumping the colonies. Some of their locations are flooded or too wet to get to them. We have over 10,000 registered locations in North Dakota.

“Unfortunately, there are some beekeepers that put bees close to highways, causing nuisances. When we receive complaints, we contact the beekeeper and encourage them to move the bees to a location further from the road. Bees will fly up to two miles for a nectar source.”

rrr

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Tags: news, roads, driving