We drive on Grizzly Peak all the time, so the news about a driver killed there yesterday hit close to home.  The Tribune reported that an SUV driver took a curve sharply, the vehicle fell 250 feet, and the victim was ejected en route.  This accident news felt like a sucker punch.

It could happen to anyone.  How often have you raced across the ridge roads, and thought “that was close” to yourself?  Driven up to an East Bay Regional Park, only thinking about the hiking trails ahead?  Or headed over to Berkeley, with your mind elsewhere?  Guilty as charged for me, on all three counts.

There’s no easy answer to living with windy, circuitous boulevards that everyone takes too quickly.  It doesn’t matter if you are a regular visitor or tourist there.  We like these ridgelines and stellar views, and simply accept the risks for the rewards.

Maybe the only takeaway is that we try driving with a bit more consciousness, up in the hills.