BLADE FLICKER POSES DRIVER DISTRACTION ON I-8

By Miriam Raftery

June 26, 2014 (Ocotillo) – Moving shadows of massive blades the length of football fields flickering across I-8 near the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility  has been the subject of many complaints we’ve received from readers, residents and motorists since Pattern Energy built the project on Federal Bureau of Land Management property.

Apart from annoying residents, the blade flicker (and at night, flashing red lights shining directly into motorists eyes) clearly pose hazards for motorists . I’ve driven this stretch and experienced the hazards first hand.  Now Jim Pelley has sent a video showing just how distracting the blade flicker can be.  He shot the video at approximately 6:30 a.m., when many motorists are fatigued and have been driving all night from Arizona to California, or are on their home from a night shift. He adds, “my favorite part is 1:25 minutes into the video.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q06_wAMXmb0