Q: My favorite traffic reporter would have to be Jane Dornacker, a San Francisco comedian who died in a helicopter crash while reporting on traffic in New York.
She was funny and irreverent and still reported traffic very well. Not too much to laugh about on New York City highways, but you did when hearing her reports. She’s been dead for 35 years and I still remember her and I remember laughing.
Birute Skurdenis, Oakland
A: You aren’t alone in your fond memories of Jane, who died in 1986 when her helicopter crashed into the Hudson River while she was on the air. A million people heard her scream, “Hit the water! Hit the water!” as her helicopter went down during a rush-hour traffic report, killing her and critically injuring the pilot.
The chopper clipped a chain-link fence before falling into the river next to the U.S.S. Intrepid museum, on the west side of Manhattan.
She had worked three years at KFRC radio’s morning show in San Francisco, beginning in 1965, and that’s where her legion of fans first sprouted.
Q: My favorite traffic reporter was Jane Dornacker. I still call them the S&M and Dumbo Bridges because of her.
She had a bawdy sense of humor. Such a talented woman. We lost her way too soon. She was a female Robin Williams. So spontaneously funny.
Louellen, Fremont
A: She gets credit for those great nicknames.
Q: I have to go with Hap Harper. Of course, his being with Don Sherwood didn’t hurt him. Sure miss those good old days of radio.
Jerry Cummings, San Jose
A: Me too.
Q: I still believe that the only accurate reporting of real time traffic conditions is done by eyes in the sky. I spent 10 years doing it for KCBS as the “680 Lady” and it was amazing. My best job ever.
Debi Kennedy
A: And ….
Q: Gary, you and I are old enough to remember when CB radio was a “thing” back in the 1970s. In those days CB antennas were ubiquitous on cars and many drivers engaged in telephone-like conversations with a hand-held microphone talking over their CB radio.
I don’t remember distracted driving being a problem, nor do I recall a rash of accidents caused by distracted drivers yakking away over their CBs.
Obviously a higher percentage of the population use cell phones today compared to CB radio — but I am also of the opinion that the old CB radio user was more adept at multi-tasking (driving and talking) then many of our modern trouble-makers out on the roads.
10-4 Good Buddy.
Mark Carbono
A: My handle was “The Umpire.”
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