These Spots Are
TOO HOT
to Travel!

Does this sound familiar? You're cruising your vintage Camaro onto the outbound lane of the Ft. Pitt Bridge, heading for Star Lake or other points south. As the tunnel approaches, you feel the bulk of an 18-wheel diesel trying to share the lane with you. "Hey," you shout , "who's got the right-of-way here?"

Tragedy is somehow averted. As your eyes adjust from the tunnel blackness to the light of the Parkway West, you congratulate yourself on once again surviving a "Pittsburgh Hot Spot."

For drivers in the Pittsburgh area, there are six major Hot Spots, according to RPS, Inc., a Moon Township trucking company. As reported this week in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, these locations are considered the most difficult to travel by both local and out-of-town drivers.

Along with the outbound lane of the Ft. Pitt Bridge, the Pittsburgh Hot Spots are:

• The West End Circle
• Parkway East, especially near the Stanwix Street on-ramp
• Parkway West outbound at the Carnegie on-ramp
• Route 28, which seems to always be under construction
• The intersection of Routes 51 and 88 in Overbrook

With all of the road construction that PennDOT is proposing for the upcoming months, Pittsburgh driving should become more frustrating than ever. America's Road Team, a group of professional truck drivers, offers "civilians" (or car drivers) these tips for avoiding accidents with the big rigs:

• Be courteous whenever driving in a difficult area (or on any road, for that matter).
• Don't cut in front of a truck. The trucker needs open space in front of him for quick, safe stops.
• Don't linger alongside a truck, because you could be hiding in the trucker's blind spot.
• Don't tailgate. Make sure you can see the rig's side mirrors, or the trucker won't be able to see you!

So, on your next jaunt to the airport or Hartwood Acres, crank up the AC, try deep breathing and practice some driving common sense. You may be able to cool down a hot road spot.