Speeding in residential areas
 

I live on a nice long road that goes along the water. It's a road where people go for nice walks with their kids, bike rides etc...

It's also the kind of road people use for their sunday drives. Unfortunately, many don't respect the fact that some of us live on this road. The speed limit is 50 kph (31 mph), but people drive by at 75-80 all the time.

They repaved it this summer, and that very night I noticed that people were driving faster still. I called the local police department. They said that if the records showed excessive speeds, they'd increase their patrols. Unfortunately, they placed it in plain view at the end of a long stretch, so everyone just slowed down that day.

Fast forward to last week. A 6 year old girl got hit at a crosswalk with a crossing guard just a block from me. The next day, as the head of traffic enforcement was being interviewed on the radio, I could hear cars going by at 75-80 kph in front of my house.

I was mad, but I was also tired of complaining about it.

The fun started at lunch today:
http://gondolapointgrandprix.blogspot.com/

I've finessed my technique a bit in order to get the license plates. I've switched to a larger format, and now have the camera set on continuous mode to nab 3-4 pictures as they go by.

I'm using a Bushnell sport radar gun. It's accurate to +/- 2 kph.

After work I'm going to spend an hour at the bottom of my driveway and see how it goes.

http://www.jakepalmeristheman.com/theman.jpg
Are you wearing the hat while you record the speeders? :D

that's my dunce cap.

Wow, that picture is only 3 years old and I had WAAY more hair then

Good for you Jake!

I have a similar problem, but it has to do with asshats who think that stop signs are for everyone except them.
Please let us know how this little project turns out, I've often thought about doing something like this.

Let me know hoe it goes and what the set up is. Like ot do something similar by me.

Send the link to your local PD and newspaper.

Good luck. However, there's one thing to consider. If they put in a speed bump near your house, would you prefer to hear the cars accelerate from the speed bump over the speeding.

Seriously, I think you're doing a great service to the community. Drivers speed on my street, sometimes going close to 50 mph (over 80 kph) on my block alone.

I've thought about contacting our city councilwoman and asking her to have speed bumps installed on our street. Though that won't slow the feverish little mommies in their SUVs, late to pick up their brood for tennis and soccer practice. :rolleyes:

Hey Jake, definitely send those pics to the local PD. I'm sure they'd be interested in the potential revenue!

Lots of residential streets in Toronto have speed bumps and they're really effective. They're wide (couple feet) and tall (maybe 6 inches) - more like the bottom of a driveway than a little bump in the road. You can't take then at any more than a crawl or else you'll bottom-out the car, guaranteed. And by place them every 50-100m down a street, you can't get any speed up at all.

My neighborhood also has folks that speed and the speed limit is 20mph. I believe that there are folks doing 40-60mph through my neighborhood. Once or twice, they've setup the radar sign, but folks just slow down for the thing, so the data is useless.

Funny you should mention this, there is a spot where I walk my dogs that is right next to a big field on one West side, gated community on East side of street. Have seen people go pretty fast on this street, but saw a guy in a newish 'vette pull down the street, which sort of dead ends into a creek, only to come flying back in a cloud of dust, brake lights and smell of something hot as he hauled it down from triple digits(25 mph zone, so fully four times the limit) That was the most extreme example I have seen.

Good point about the speed bump. Will get a lot more engine noise as they accelerate back up to speed, stop sign even worse.

Yeah I was surprised by who is speeding. My assumption was that it was going to be mostly punk ass kids. They are the ones doing 90-100 kph, but they aren't nearly as common as the soccer moms RACING down the road with an SUV full of kids, going to get ice cream. It's a warm sunny day, so they will be in full force tonight.

My "setup" is pretty basic.

1)Bushnell sports radar gun:
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c..._1966_35789294
http://www.opticsplanet.net/busspeedrads.html

2)Canon a510 digicam

3) free blogger space

And yes, my plan is to email the link to the PD & local paper, but only after I get a few days worth... with license plates. I'm sure they'll run a story on it

My issue is half the speeders on my street are people who actually live on my street.

Good luck...I know the problem well. Only a few speeders who live on the road, but one of these days a child will dart out....scary thought.

Totally agree. Get some better shots, post them and after you get a list then turn it over to the local newspaper.

If the cops ask tell them that you got tired of calling about the speeders and no action, so you did what you could to protect the kids on your street.

Joe

Well even when I was down there at lunch, I clocked a neighbor doing 68.

I'm sure seeing a guy with a radar gun + camera drives the message home.

I'm going back down there now, will post more later!

Fun stuff

Why do the cops usually work wide open highways on the downhill side when there are real problem speeders in residential areas? Good for you Jake!


And what is with cops zooming by at double the limit with no lights / sirens. If they are in such a rush, add a few lights for safety...

Great idea!

Put on the heat and hopefully you'll get some enforcement.

Long-run, I believe people will drive as fast as they feel is safe for them given the road conditions. If the road is a long open straight, they'll drive fast.

So maybe give some thought to so-called "traffic calming" modifications. Big-ass speed bumps are one. Pinched areas of the road (forget what they call these) and chicanes is another.

Maybe you'll get enough attention that the city/county will look at these alternatives.

The question is will he still be a neighbor who will speak to you once you turn in a photo of him speeding? I'd like to see how that part of this comes out.

I walk my dogs at o'dark 30 , and around 6pm each day, so the limit is 20....if you go fast....I seem to drop my basketball, if you have issues...talk to Pascha, she doesn't eat until after the walk.
Rika