TURNOVERS

by Alan B. Gibson

Tourism season 2012 – be prepared for sudden stops, and other reminders

Here we go again – as the temperatures heat up and the calendar this weekend tells us that Memorial Day, 2012 has arrived, it’s time for the annual reminders to our local readers that things are going to get busy around here for the next few months.

Summer traffic on the area roadways is usually heavy, especially with the onslaught of student drivers who have the summer off and will be on the road during hours when they are normally in the classroom. Throw in the added agriculture related traffic with farmers and workers getting from one location to the other in farm truck and tractors, the urgency for caution gets even greater.

To that same end, with the opening this week of our Blue Grass Stockyard facility in the Snow Community, we will see an even greater concentration of agriculture related traffic in the area.

Now to the part that calls for my annual additional warning / notes, the beginning of our annual tourism season.

Albany and Clinton County depend heavily on our tourism trade to boost an already sluggish economy, and our location with not one, but two lakes within our borders, sends vehicles crossing our boundaries from both directions as tourists travel through to reach one of our marinas either on Lake Cumberland or Dale Hollow.

It’s fairly easy to get aggravated at some of the habits our visitors often show on our highway – as well as on our waterways once they reach their destinations – but try to show a little patience because the bottom line is their effect on our economy.

We need them to enjoy their vacation days and nights in our county – because we need them to come back again – and bring those pockets stuffed full of dollars that they intend on spending here.

Summer jobs – and plenty of year-round jobs – depend on this tourism trade in Albany and Clinton County. Many stop and eat one last meal in one of our restaurants before heading to the docks. Most stop at one of the area gas stations and fuel up their boats and Personal Water Craft before hitting the water where fuel prices are even higher, and where most will be refueling again while on vacation anyway.

They stop at our grocery stores for food once they arrive. If they experience a break-down or need a repair on the houseboat, there is a trip to an area hardware store or mechanic.

When they do arrive at one of our marinas, then there are houseboats to be cleaned, runabouts to be launched, more fuel tanks to be filled, and the list goes on and on and on. All of that means service and retail sales and jobs.

In other words – they are a big boon to our local economy – so show a little patience.

Yes, they drive funny on our roads, and yes, they also talk funny when they are in our stores (of course when we go “up there” to their turf, we’re the ones then driving, acting and talking “funny”).

So, give yourself a little extra time for the next few months, and give yourself a little extra room on both the highways and the lakes. We need to make every effort that everyone enjoys an accident-free summer.

If you see a tourist that seems lost – stop and give some assistance. Spot one broken down – offer to call an area towing service. Be a good host.

I live near what is certainly one of the most confusing yet most heavily traveled set of intersections in the county – the Junction(s) of U.S. 127 and Ky. 90 in the Snow Community, and I see them pulled off of the side of the road on almost a daily basis – trying to figure out on the map what had just happened to them. I usually stop when I can and point them in the right direction. It only takes a few seconds, and I guarantee that small effort and hospitality is appreciated.

So, it’s the first holiday of the Big Three for our summer tourism season, and hopefully it will be a busy tourism season for our area.

Just remember, more time, more space, be nice and most importantly . . .

“Let’s be careful out there!”