A woman just died on Old Dayton Pike in a single car accident, and I have read that alcohol has played a factor in her death. I am saddened but must say I'm not surprised. She died on one of several notoriously dangerous roads in the area.
I live on Browntown road about a half mile from where she died. The roads out here are very narrow. There are many curves and blind hills. They, unfortunately, are used by many people who prefer to drive while intoxicated. Drunks know they can run these back roads without fear of running into a sobriety check point.
The ditches are filled to the brim with beer cans and liquor bottles, and when the "community servants" come around and clean them up they quickly fill back up again with the same. Drunken driving is rampant on these back roads, and it is rare that I ever see any police presence at all even though this woman died only a half mile away from the North County Sheriffs Annex. In my opinion, more drunk drivers would be stopped by sobriety check points on these smaller back roads than on the main roads.
On a side note, many cyclists like to use these roads for training. They are in greater danger than they really know.
Marty Fields
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I personally believe that drunk driving related issues would be reduced if the punishment fit the crime. You are right though, I've been a licensed driver in Hamilton County for 12 years and have never so much as seen a sobriety checkpoint...even on popular drinking holidays like July 4th and New Years.
Thank you for looking out for us cyclists. I am one of them, and thanks to your article, I now know never to ride my bike in that area as I often venture into Red Bank on my training rides. Hopefully, I won't get a ticket on my bike from one of those cameras.
Anna Scholze