I don't know how many of you get heated by people speeding in playground zones but it makes me MENTAL. I mean really what is the big deal slowing down can save a small life yet so many don't. Anyway To the point. There is this guy in my neighbourhood who drives a silver minivan and everyday when I am taking my kids to school he goes racing by doing about 70 Kph in a 30 zone. Now I can understand not seeing the playground zone sign but what about the big school, school busses and kids running around. Anyway I called the cops to complain and sure enough the next day there was an officer outside the school. In one hour he pulled over 42 people. but here is the great part. I could hear his van from two blocks away. I looked over at the officer and the look on his face was incredulous. He was clocked doing 80 Kph with school busses on either side of the road and a lit up crosswalk. The cop nearly got run over trying to stop the guy.

Much to my joy the gentleman in question lost his license as well he is facing a dangerous driving and undue attention charge. I cant wait for court I will be following it all the way.

Is it bad of me to take pleasure in this mans misfortune or do others feel the same way I do

Speeding in playground zones is for LOSERS

Hit a kid at 50Kph he is more then likely dead
Hit a kid at 30 Kph and they have an 90% chance of surviving

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Just because something is improbable Doesnt mean its impossible.

30, 50, whatever the number it's a lot less than 80. Back home, playgrounds and school zones have a speed limit of 50. Usually, the roads are so narrow, and the distance between stop signs is so short, you're a fool if you do over 20.

Doing 80 in a sub-urban or urban density zone is stupid, reckless, and very dangerous, not only for pedestrians, but also the reckless driver and everyone else on the road. Those are highway speeds, and they belong on the highway. The guy's earned what he has coming.

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"The plan does not involve mayonaise."
"... I knew there was a catch."

You can't take the sky from me.

Schadenfreude. I think it's bad, a little, but very human. Try, instead, to take pleasure in knowing that maybe he is learning a lesson that will prevent a tragedy for some kid and family, and even for the ex-speeder himself.

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Bah. Don't feel bad. He deserved it.

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Quaeso quousque humi defixa tua mens erit? Nonne aspicis, quae in templa veneris?

I second the motion. You did good Raptor, maybe saved a kid's life.

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

Couldn't agree more. =D>

When I first read 70 in a 30 I thought it was in Mph!!! I couldn't believe it!! Lousy units, always causing trouble.

I think you mean "when I first read 70 Kph in a 30 I thought it was in Mph!!!"

Well I have to say I don't feel at all bad for this guy. I was feeling a little guilty that i may have screwed up someones life but better his then a little 5 year old. I am writing up a proposal to have photoradar posts installed in the playground zones. If they can do it for red lights then they can do it for schools. I was thinking the schools could maintain them and reap the profits from it. I know we all hate photo radar but really what better a place to have them then in areas like this. At least people would eventually get the idea and slow down.

JMHO

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Just because something is improbable Doesnt mean its impossible.

A simpler idea would be to build small "islands" in between the lanes, so that the lanes have to curve around them---like a tiny, short median strip. This entails widening the road slightly, but it makes it physically impossible to drive as fast as that guy was going. There's a residential street near my parents' house that goes straight down a long, gentle hill with pretty wide visibility, so it attracts speeders. They built one of those islands halfway down the hill, and at the bottom they also sometimes leave one of those automatic radar machines that tell you your speed.

*Cough* Huge speedbump *Cough*

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Quaeso quousque humi defixa tua mens erit? Nonne aspicis, quae in templa veneris?

Speedbumps work. The city of Burbank, which has a lot of little residential streets which happen to intersect busy main arteries, has gone in for them in a rather big way. They set the speed limit on these blocks at 15 mph and put a series of big speed bumps spaced every thirty or forty yards apart to help drivers remember the speed limit. I suspect that this might be less expensive than the zig-zag islands.

Of course, conscientious enforcement of traffic laws is a great educational tool. Drivers around here are generally respectful of pedestrians- I can step out into a pedestrian crossing in the middle of the block on Burbank Boulevard and stop the traffic like Moses parting the Red Sea- because the cops will ticket you for failing to yield. They've even been known to set up experiments in which a cop in civilian clothes repeatedly crosses the street at an unmarked crosswalk while several motorcycle cops wait just out of sight... :wink:

Couldn't that be considered entrapment?

Edit:

Now that I think of it, no it wouldn't. It needs to be persistent goading of an individual. So scratch that.

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Quaeso quousque humi defixa tua mens erit? Nonne aspicis, quae in templa veneris?

You did good Raptor1967 and your campaign, be it speed radar or speed bumps (we call 'em 'sleeping policemen' here) is a great follow up. Whatever it takes to get these fools to slow down or off the roads is OK in my book =D> =D> =D>

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By asking questions we sometimes get the wrong answers, from wrong answers we learn to ask the right questions.

Just to add to the others, I think you did a good thing, Raptor1967.

Imagine if a child had been killed - everyone would be going, "Why didn't someone do something?"

The driver knew the law. He just chose to indulge his desire for speed, and to ignore all other considerations. He deserved what he got.

Overhere some streets have got so many speed bumps, if they add some more the road is flat again And those "islands" are really nice when you're moving out and a big lorry needs to go down the road, really nice.
I think control by police (manned/unmanned) is the best way to go. And good control, meaning not placing a radar 2 meters behind the speed change sign, but at a normal place. And a different punishment system. I don't know how exactly. Severe punishments if you regularly go too fast, or if you go much too fast. A reasonable but stringent punishment system.

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To the regular visitor of internet bulletin boards it is clear that it's an excellent idea your parents get to choose your real name.

Speedbumps work, but they're really annoying! I curse those responsible (the speeders, not the town) whenever I'm in a neighborhood that has them.

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

Good for you Raptor 1967. I live in an area with lots of small children living in homes on 1-3 acre wooded lots. Inevitably, spring weather will bring the teenagers racing through here at 45 mph, oblivious to the little ones playing and riding their bikes. I have and will call the teenagers' parents or the police if I really think kids' lives are being endangered by idiot speeding drivers. I consider it my duty as a citizen. (Where's the smiley with halo?)

I had thought of speedbumps but the speedlimit is only in effect untill after sundown (one hour after to be exact). I wouldnt want to impeded traffic at night so speedbumps wouldnt be an option in this case. I think one of the biggest problems is they make the playground zone signs to small and plain. They need to stand out so drivers will notice them (people around here don't read road signs for some reason unless they are right in thier face). I thought a sign showing how fast you are going would help and we tried that last year. Turns out people were using it to see how fast they could go not how slow . I really beleive a ticket is the only thing that will make these irresponsible drivers pay attention. and if the schools reaped the profits it will benifit the kids.

I know it is pretty stupid but i have purposly stepped out in front of speeding cars to scare them but i dont think this is a very smart way to raise peoples awareness. and i sure dont want my kids seeing me do that

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Just because something is improbable Doesnt mean its impossible.

It's amazing how big a tailback you can make by driving the speed limit--and how hostile the people behing you who want to speed can get...

At the end of the day, speeders are nothing more than criminals, and should be treated as such--especially in school zones and residential areas!

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"Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." — Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

441!!!! :)

They're great fun for biking, though. Whee!

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"The plan does not involve mayonaise."
"... I knew there was a catch."

You can't take the sky from me.

I think it is the normal human response to be happy to see someone come to justice - whether by being rewarded or punished, as the case may be.

Whether or not that is "right" or "wrong" is not a meaningful question for me. It presupposes the existence of moral absolutes.

Sheki

I agree. One of my friends lost their mother resently to some jerk speeding while she was on a crosswalk. Eventually they caught him, no idea what happened to him though.

I'd like to see someone invent something a little more destructive then speedbumps. If the little yellow lights are flashing and your speeding, throw up some tire spikes. After losing a set of tires, I bet people would slow down.
Or is that being a little too agressive? 8-[

Well it looks like it is going to be a long process just to get something into city coucil. I have to start a petition --never done that before-- . Wish me luck my adventure into city politics has begun.



The problem with this kind of aggressivness is the after effects of blowing out the tires. Loss of control when speeding is never a good thing the risk of collateral dammage is to high.

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Just because something is improbable Doesnt mean its impossible.

Good Luck!


Speed activated barriers--the kind that pop up. One of them will stop a car in its tracks (they make some capable of stopping tractor trailers) without the risk of the car going out of control. Of course, the car could be wrecked, but then that's self inflicted...

Speeders are a pet peeve of mine--especially when they start to tailgate and get irate about you following the speed limit.....

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"Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." — Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

441!!!! :)

I know what you mean, :wink: but I take great exception to those people driving that figure they can drive in the fast lane on the highway at the posted limit, and figure thay don't have to move over because they are doing the speed limit. Another favourite of mine is the two-lane highways with the occassional passing lane where slow drivers suddenly accelerate so no one can pass them.

I realize the OP is about school/playground zones and speeds must be curtailed and enforced in these situations.

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Earth First! We'll mine the rest later.

my bold
'Sleeping policemen' - now that's funny!

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009
All moderation in purple

Yea i thought so to

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Just because something is improbable Doesnt mean its impossible.

How fast are you supposed to go in the "fast" lane? I get really ticked by the slowpokes who suddenly speed up when getting passed.

The only time I'm in the passing lane is when I am passing someone or letting someone merge into the road...

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"Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." — Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

441!!!! :)