Crazy Speeding in Brookeville -
I was walking in my driveway at 7 AM sharp Wednesday morning to get the paper. My house is uniquely positioned so that I can see both of the sharp curves on Market St from the house and the driveway. The new curve at the bottom of the hill near the bridge is more sharp than any other curve on Market St. The curve going uphill is also sharp and many crashes have occurred there as a result. Note that this is a relatively narrow two lane road with a double yellow which runs right through town.
I hear this loud roar and turn my head to the left and look downhill. I see two cars crossing the small bridge heading east towards me. But they're not following each other - instead one is in the normal east-bound lane and the other is in the oncoming lane on the opposite side of the double yellow. It's a black car passing a white car - or he's trying to pass but he's having a tough time. It appears the white car was speeding up deliberately due to the fact that he's being passed or trying to be passed in a no passing zone. Nonetheless, the black car was trying to overtake the white car as they crossed the small bridge heading east. As they met the fairly sharp curve, the black car was on the outside of the curve, still trying to overtake, while the white car was in the inside of the curve. The black car was unable to overtake the white car due to the curve and the fact that he was on the outside of the curve. So they were neck & neck as they continued to negotiate the curve.
When each vehicle finally finished with the curve and were now on a normal somewhat straight but sill gently curved part of Market St. heading up hill, the black car still had his throttle wide open and was still trying to pass. Again, the white car seemed to be driving faster than normal, almost as if they were racing - but he was probably just irritated. The black car finally began to overtake the white car in front of the Valley House and continued racing up the hill, finally beginning to move over to the correct side of the road as he was about to pass in front of me.
I deliberately walked out a few extra steps in my bathrobe so the perp would know his criminal act was being witnessed. You could almost hear the air rushing through the intake above the roar of the engine as he passed me. I would say he was going about 50 mph (speed limit is 25). I watched as he went up the hill, half-expecting him to go off the road across from the Heritage house where the next sharp curve was located, but he managed to stay on the road by crossing the double yellow again and cleverly hugging the inside of the pavement, even as he was driving on a blind curve - unable to see any oncoming traffic which might be coming down the hill.
I performed the sign of the cross and whispered a quick prayer for any westbound traffic which might be on the other side of the blind curve. He sped out of sight but I could tell from the sound of his engine he was going straight - down Market and towards Brighton Dam Rd. at very high speed.
So watch for your kids. Watch for your dogs. Watch for your cats. Watch for yourselves. Be careful pulling out. Be careful pulling in. In the future, watch out for an older-model black car commuting around 7 AM heading from west to east on Market St in Brookeville at high speed.
Good luck.