Maryland May Charge for Bay Bridge Chauffeurs

The Washington Times reports:

Maryland transportation officials are considering charging a fee to drive fearful motorists across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) has quietly provided the assistance-driving program to thousands of white-knuckled drivers each year at no charge -- taking more than 3,900 motorists and their vehicles across the Bay last year and about 3,400 in 2004.

But the strain placed on the limited staff to provide the service has caused the agency to look into charging a nominal fee, MDTA spokeswoman Terri Moss said.

"The program isn't something we advertise," Miss Moss said, noting that only one employee is available to help nervous drivers across and is often needed for more urgent matters.

"The program isn't something we advertise," Miss Moss said, noting that only one employee is available to help nervous drivers across and is often needed for more urgent matters.

"It's a good program, and the safety of motorists is important," she said. "But the vehicle-recovery technician's priority is to attend to disabled vehicles and accidents -- to clear the roadway."

...

At more than 4 miles long and 186 feet high, the bridge provides a scenic link to Kent Island, the Eastern Shore and Atlantic Ocean for hundreds of thousands of commuters, travelers and beachgoers. In fiscal 2005-2006, nearly 25 million vehicles crossed the bridge.

But for gephyrophobics -- people who dread crossing bridges -- the span poses an impassable, seemingly endless barrier across the Bay.

The article also details the length of a detour needed to avoid the bridge, estimating the effect for drivers from DC as "at least an hour."

Barbara Wiederhold, executive director the California-based Virtual Reality Medical Center, which has treated more than 200 patients for driving-related disorders, said the assistance-driving program that the MDTA employs is feasible only as a short-term fix.

The most effective solution, she said, is overcoming the fear.

"It can create a dependency, where they feel they don't have to drive over. It should be used as a steppingstone, not a solution."

Motorists should either face their fears or find someone else to drive (ever heard of carpooling?). They should not expect a personal chauffeur provided by the State of Maryland.

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