Why can't people obey the speed limit?

[Miss Jasmine]

Southern, someone else posted about throwing tennis balls. My response was to her, not to you.
Here is her post:

Me too. I have also been known to toss a few tennis balls. The major speeder in our neighborhood, took dads porchse out & wrapped it around a pole at about 90, last fall. And blew a .22. Now he is on house arrest. Hopefully he learned something, better a pole then a kid.

Kae

 

[Southern4sure]

Southern, someone else posted about throwing tennis balls. My response was to her, not to you.

Sorry for the misunderstanding......

 

[auntpolly]

Let me guess what you'd say.....

I'd say, "I'm sorry sir but I was not speeding and I know the increase in traffic is upsetting but this is a public road and I have every right to drive lawfully upon it."

I'm not kidding, I'm really a very polite person and that's exactly what I'll say.

 

[Southern4sure]

I'd say, "I'm sorry sir but I was not speeding and I know the increase in traffic is upsetting but this is a public road and I have every right to drive lawfully upon it."

I'm not kidding, I'm really a very polite person and that's exactly what I'll say.

Im sure you are a very polite person and I do believe you.

Just keep tennis balls in your car so if ever any are thrown at you, you can throw some back..... Or you can throw rocks.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I'd say, "I'm sorry sir but I was not speeding and I know the increase in traffic is upsetting but this is a public road and I have every right to drive lawfully upon it."

I'm not kidding, I'm really a very polite person and that's exactly what I'll say.

You're a lot nicer than me. I would give him the finger.

And I wouldn't care if my name was printed in the HOA newsletter, people STILL wouldn't know who I am. We are only really friendly with our next door neighbors (all of whom are shameful speeders, too).

 

[Southern4sure]

You're a lot nicer than me. I would give him the finger.

And I wouldn't care if my name was printed in the HOA newsletter, people STILL wouldn't know who I am. We are only really friendly with our next door neighbors (all of whom are shameful speeders, too).

Im the opposite. I have a large group of friends who all live in the community in different areas. I would be mortified if my name was in the newsletter with any negativity.

 

[Bob Slydell]

But if the HOA went alittle further and published the car owners name with the tag # would that bother you? It would be like seeing bounced checks in the grocery store up for public display.

Who would even begin to control this? If everyone had free reign to call the HOA and "report" a "speeder", you'd end up with the entire neighborhood in there. Not necessarily because they're all speeding, but rather because either A.) people *think* they've speeding (and can't tell the difference between 20 and 25 or 30 MPH with the naked eye) or B.) their neighbor ticked them off so they're getting back at them for putting their name in the HOA newsletter as a speeder.

 

[Southern4sure]

Who would even begin to control this? If everyone had free reign to call the HOA and "report" a "speeder", you'd end up with the entire neighborhood in there. Not necessarily because they're all speeding, but rather because either A.) people *think* they've speeding (and can't tell the difference between 20 and 25 or 30 MPH with the naked eye) or B.) their neighbor ticked them off so they're getting back at them for putting their name in the HOA newsletter as a speeder.

I dont know I guess you could call it wishfull thinking. We all do that from time to time right?

I'm not about to get technical with you and disagree or argue with you. You have made you critical point clear.... I get it A) you'd be more concern about your car hitting a 1 foot plastic cone than a child; B) you think the naked eye can't tell the difference between 20 and 25 and 30 MPH... and C) no one should say a thing to speeder because it is their right to speed. Gotcha.

I pray you never have to worry about your child innocently playing on the sidewalk and some nut who thinks it is his/her right to speed in a 20 mph zone doesnt loose control on a curvy road and jump the curb and hit/injure/kill one of your children.

 

[Bob Slydell]

**never mind** -- I don't want to start an argument

 

[MAKmom]

Southern why are speed humps out of the question? If your in a private community you maintain your own roads. Get on the board of Directors.


I used to wonder why some people live on main roads that are over 25 MPH. I could not do that. But they can get home fast.

The only speeders in most cases in our neiborhood are teenagers & they have to lock the brakes up to get over the speed humps. We have Bike riders, walkers, joggers & roller bladders who share the road with the autos.

Our Homeowners Association puts up with nothing. If you break a rule they warn you. Then they fine you. Then if you do not pay the fine they wait until you sell the house & hold up your settlement. The state needs a form they provide for the sale to go throught. They inspect the outside of your house, collect unpaid fines & penaltys.

 

[Southern4sure]

Southern why are speed humps out of the question? If your in a private community you maintain your own roads. Get on the board of Directors.


I used to wonder why some people live on main roads that are over 25 MPH. I could not do that. But they can get home fast.

The only speeders in most cases in our neiborhood are teenagers & they have to lock the brakes up to get over the speed humps. We have Bike riders, walkers, joggers & roller bladders who share the road with the autos.

Our Homeowners Association puts up with nothing. If you break a rule they warn you. Then they fine you. Then if you do not pay the fine they wait until you sell the house & hold up your settlement. The state needs a form they provide for the sale to go throught. They inspect the outside of your house, collect unpaid fines & penaltys.

Our community is still new 3 yrs old. Until 80% of the residents move in, the residents cannot be on the HOA board. We are currently at 60%. Our current HOA is alot of talk but no action. We (numerous residents) have asked about speed bumps being put down but the HOAsays it is a county thing but at the same time HOA does not want to "take away" the look of the community by having speed bumps.

Residents are really getting tired of the current HOA and are waiting until we hit the 80% capacity so until then we are at the mercy of the current HOA.

We are a private community but the main road is public. We are not gated but have a ranger station who takes the name and tag # of non residents which isn't too many compared to the residents.

 

[KristaTX]

Our community is still in the building stage but right now we have 600 families and another 396 that are building. When all is said and done we will have apprx. 1000 homes so it is a nice size community with is kid friendly.

I misunderstood. Here a "community" is a town. What you are talking about would be called a "neighborhood" or a "development" in this part of the country. I thought you meant every street in town was 20 mph. And I understand being mad at speed demons.

However. . . I still think the neighborhood speed should be 25 . Like I said, I am not a speeder and am a careful driver, but when I try to operate a vehicle at 20 mph or below I am much more distracted from what's going on around me and ahead of me than if I were driving 25 or 30.

But I'm also used to straight roads since I live where it is flat and roads are mostly laid out in grids, so that probably makes a difference in how I am picturing this.

 

[WIcruizer]

I pray you never have to worry about your child innocently playing on the sidewalk and some nut who thinks it is his/her right to speed in a 20 mph zone doesnt loose control on a curvy road and jump the curb and hit/injure/kill one of your children.

I know you mean well, but who's to say 20 MPH is low enough? How would you feel if you injured or killed a child going 20 MPH? Probably no different than if you were going 15 or 30 right?

Speed limits are arbitrarily set by some bureaucrat and don't reflect how safely I can drive. There are some roads I stay right at the limit because it seems "fast" for the sorrounding environment. Then there's others I drive over the limit. One road in particular is a very long, flat, divided road with sidewalks on both sides. And it's barely a residential area.The speed limit is 25 and I usually drive 35-40. My only reason for staying under 50 is fear of a ticket.

I respect school zones which are 15 MPH in my state. It feels like I'm standing still. I don't know your neighborhood, but from your description I would probably drive 30MPH or so. SAFE driving is just that. SLOW driving doesn't always neab safe driving, and vice versa. If my 88 yr old grandmother was driving 15 MPH through your neighborhood, the children would be much safer with my 30MPH I assure you.

 

[Magickndm]

I don't speed since I don't want to pay for the ticket.
My cousin lives in a very exclusive neighborhood in south Florida, and the neighbors do watch for speeders. If they are caught speeding they have to pay the HOA x amount of money. It must be a hefty fine since it has stopped my lead footed cousin from speeding in there.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I don't speed since I don't want to pay for the ticket.
My cousin lives in a very exclusive neighborhood in south Florida, and the neighbors do watch for speeders. If they are caught speeding they have to pay the HOA x amount of money. It must be a hefty fine since it has stopped my lead footed cousin from speeding in there.

Holy crap. Does the HOA have radar guns? How do they "track" the speeders? Does it have it's own Law Enforcement Agency? This doesn't sound quite right.

 

[Southern4sure]

I know you mean well, but who's to say 20 MPH is low enough? How would you feel if you injured or killed a child going 20 MPH? Probably no different than if you were going 15 or 30 right?

I would feel horrible if I injured or killed a child at 5 mph or at 50 mph. But a curvy road + kids playing outside = obeying the speed limit....period.

Speed limits are arbitrarily set by some bureaucrat and don't reflect how safely I can drive. There are some roads I stay right at the limit because it seems "fast" for the sorrounding environment. Then there's others I drive over the limit. One road in particular is a very long, flat, divided road with sidewalks on both sides. And it's barely a residential area.The speed limit is 25 and I usually drive 35-40. My only reason for staying under 50 is fear of a ticket.

I'm talking a strictly residential community. You go whatever speed you deem necessary. It's your life. Just don't come to my street.

I respect school zones which are 15 MPH in my state. It feels like I'm standing still. I don't know your neighborhood, but from your description I would probably drive 30MPH or so. SAFE driving is just that. SLOW driving doesn't always neab safe driving, and vice versa. If my 88 yr old grandmother was driving 15 MPH through your neighborhood, the children would be much safer with my 30MPH I assure you.

Then I'd call the cops to you for speeding, I assure you. Maybe your grandmother doesn't need to be driving.....

 

[Magickndm]

Holy crap. Does the HOA have radar guns? How do they "track" the speeders? Does it have it's own Law Enforcement Agency? This doesn't sound quite right.

No idea, I don't live there. But they showed me the pretty fountain that the HOA was able to buy with the speeding fines.

 

[WIcruizer]

Then I'd call the cops to you for speeding, I assure you. Maybe your grandmother doesn't need to be driving.....

It was an example, neither one of my grandmas are still alive. You could call the cops, but it would be your word against mine. No proof. It's ridiculous IMHO, that you believe 20 vs 25 is more important than the abilities of the driver, weather conditions, condition of the car's brakes, and so many other factors more important. Here's another one. Would driving 25MPH at 6:00AM with no children present be more or less dangerous than driving 20MPH with the streets teaming with kids?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have a corner before my street. I am compelled to slow down to a crawl which is rediculous as the speed limit is posted. But the tweens and teens think they own the road and one day they will end up flipping over someone's windshield b/c they choose to not obey the rules of being a pedestrian.


Streets are not playgrounds and while yes cars should obey speed limits--parents need to be teaching their kids about the rules of the road as well.

Around here we can petition for speed bumps but that is a long process and Fire/Rescue prefers not to have them--but in the end--maybe it will prevent a portion of responses if an accident can be avoided.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Because they are Speed Demons! I know, I am one. I don't whiz through residential areas where there are kids, but I don't pay any attention at all to Speed Limit signs. If I thought 20 was safe, that's what I'd go. If I thought it was too fast, or too slow, I'd adjust accordingly. When there might be kids, I'm going slow, because...duh. You never know when one might run out...especially in our neighborhood, where all the homes are hidden by trees.

Yes, parents ought to teach kids to stay out of the street. But, kids forget and run after a ball, or away from a wasp, or whatever. It wouldn't help me feel better if I killed a kid to tell myself, "Well, he shouldn't have been in the street."

I'm one of those people you're all shaking your head at on the highway. I'm in the left lane, going as fast as the car in front of me allows.

Speeding is my vice, I do it all the time. And it has nothing to do with being late, either. I get in the car and it is like one of those video games have started, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" I just have to get where I'm going as quickly as possible, even if it is to the mall.

I also do not wear a seatbelt. Adults in my car can make up their own minds, kids gotta wear 'em.
I know everyone is going to flame me and tell me how dangerous it is. But, you asked why people do it, so I thought, as a Speed Demon, I'd tell you. 'Course, I don't speak for all of us.