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Speed limits = staying the same
Despite Don Scott’s 500+ signature petition to repeal the lowered speed limits of 2009, City Council isn’t budging, for now at least. By a “consensus,” they agreed to look at the issue again . . . but not until August.
Would you:
a) keep speed limits where they are now
b) raise speed limits to pre-Summer of 2009 levels
c) call Freddy Kruger and tell him “got something for you that won’t die”
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 12:49 pm and is filed under North Coast News.
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I think you need to read her statement again. Cops know if you are intentionally speeding? If they were writing tickets, everyone would be complaining? Our minds are elsewhere? I think enough was said to justify my statement. You assumed too that I have a newer car. The book says it will not work below 30. However, I gave it a try and it worked. I also asked a mechanic friend who told me that the limits can be adjusted on many of them. Oh, the motivator to check out the speed control was because the person who got the ticket drove the OLDER car. What is the difference between roadkill getting hit and a person? Both can get hit by inattentive drivers. Maybe it is time to put down the cell phone, coffee, burger, and other distractions and focus on driving the car.
from Ken Lanfear:
The 2008 list of animals collected, and disposed of, include:
52 deer
13 possum
9 seagulls
9 cats
5 rabbits
3 ducks
2 crows
1 pelican
1 beaver
1 squirrel
1 seal
1 goat (on the beach)
1 cow (on the beach
”From observation, there are many other small animals that do not get picked up – usually taken care of by carrion eaters, such as crows, or tossed in garbage cans.
Well then you have a newer car, mine doesn’t hold cruise below 35 either. And I don’t see where Karlie ever said it was an excuse for hitting someone. Talk about taking it out of context. And I also don’t think he/she every said anything about the cops always giving warnings. Geesh, it’s one extreme or another, isn’t? But you will never ever ever get a ticket because you have fantastic cruise control and you have no excuses. So why the discussion, this apparently doesn’t apply to you.
I do not think they consider inattentiveness an excuse when you hit someone. By the way, they do give tickets without a warning on Dolphin. So here is a complaint. Honest on not, they get a ticket. I still want to know how the radar knows who is or is not an honest speeder. They cost $154 dollars. I have tried two cars with cruise control and both work at 25. They will set at that speed but will not resume when that button is hit. However, when you reach the speed and hit the set button, it works. I decided to try it after someone we know got a ticket there.
I agree that low speed limits are good in some areas, but Pt Brown has how many different speed limits? And some of these straighter stretches, like Dolphin, 25 is rediculously slow. I have rarely seen dead animals on the road so I wouldn’t notice a decrease from say two to one, I really don’t think road kill here is a serious issue. And Phillip, I agree, if the cops were writing tickets everyone would be complaining but because they are not, everyone is complaining that they are not being enforced. I have talked to several people that were pulled over for speeding and given warnings. They said the cops were polite and respectful but told them not to do it again or they would get a ticket. I think it’s a nice wake up call. And honestly folks, most of us don’t speed because we mean to, it’s because our minds are elsewhere and it’s hard to keep it at 25 even if you’re actively trying. So of our cars don’t allow you to set the cruise below 35 mph. I think there is a difference between intentional speeding and simply spacing out, and I think the cops know the difference too. Pulling people over to remind them give them a break and a wakeup call, adn I bet they don’t do it again. The bigger threats are taken care of, I have faith our cops are taking care of those boogers.
Seems to me that I have seen a significant decrease in the amount of dead carcases on the road since this was put into place. There are bike paths on Pt. Brown and I shudder at the thought of someone driving any faster than 35-40 with kids riding in them. I think for around here the “that is the way it use to be” arguement is dead. Can you imagine what people would be saying if the police were writing tickets all this time? Nothing better to do……Why don’t you catch real criminals…
not to mention the added court costs for everyone that wanted to fight the ticket with some lame excuse. Damned if you do damned if you don’t.
I don’t need to read a study or go to a meeting to know that a lower speed limit is safer. It’s just that easy.
Can anybody explain why it is so important to get from point A to point B in maybe 5 minutes less time? I don’t think anyone is going to be held up by traffic and the road repairs are over.
However, I do admit I have a hard time keeping it down on Dolphin between Albatross and the Post Office. I’ve been having to use my cruise control.
The reason they lowered the speed at the bridges and Ocean Lake was because it is hard to see vehicles entering the roadway and also for those going down the road to be seen by the people entering the roadway. Now with so many more people traveling down the road it only makes sense to reduce the risk. We are not the small burb of 1500 to 2000 people we used to be. The change in speed also keeps people attentive on that long section of roadway. The Ocean Lake intersection is also where the school children cross. The road intersecting that is 25 MPH. So, your logic about school areas applies here too. Heck, if you complain enough Ken will put a roundabout on Ocean Lake and Pt. Brown too.
I wonder what the people on Dolphin want? Has anyone asked them?
I somewhat agree with you Mark. Pt. Brown used to be 45MPH and that was years ago before it was redone, it certainly can be made 35 MPH the whole length. I think the boulevard was 45 also at one time, but 35 will do. I’m kinda liken Duck Lake at 30, even at that, it’s only a matter of time before I end up thinning the deer herds.
I believe the lowered speed limits through downtown and by the schools are certainly warranted.
Speed limits don’t protect people in the rest of the town from someone not paying attention and driving too fast. Careful attentive driving does that.
The speed limits outside those areas I’ve listed should go back up to the former ones posted.
Process is important, and the city went through one. I’m certainly not arguing that. But the desired results are not what I expected, and I would like them reversed in part.
I think on main roads they should raise the speed limit. On the roads like the one that I live on I think they should keep it the same or even lower it. There are so many people speeding down my road. I’ve got kids and there’s people out there speeding what seems to be 40-45 in a 30. These people will not only do this going one way..they will get to their destination and come back going the same speed. When I drive into the store, I have people riding my bumper when I am going THE speed limit. I’m not one for going over the speed limit, specially in a town. I don’t want any tickets, it’s not fun to pay a new bill
. I say to all those people that have to ride other drivers bumpers when they are going the speed limit, slow down and enjoy the view, life is short. Otherwise, you might be paying a new bill ;p
without any “supervision” people just ignore the speed limit signs anyway. anyone for speed bumps?
b) raise speed limits.
Can’t we keep Pt. Brown at one speed and not go down and up down and up.
The “study” was done only for one reason: to institute a cover-up for weak to no enforcement that had been going on in the department for many years. A real study would be to see statistically if the pedestrian accident rate has been reduced with the reduced limits. Can anyone remember other than the recent hit and run out of the bar, when the last pedestrian accident was? If the accident rate hasn’t changed, set the speed limits on the residential streets back to what they were.
Restore speed limits to pre-summer 2009 levels. Inforcement is the key issue. For those who don’t know, Pt. Brown was designed for a 45 mph speed limit.
A. Keep them the same. A study was done. An opinion based upon the study by the police was formed that changed the speed limits. The amount of inconvenience is minimal. The wildlife, children, disabled and healthy people are protected from vehicles that represent a great threat to them on the new roads without sidewalks and tall grass on the sides. Even bikers are protected. What is needed is education about the rights of all the road users. Vehicle owners think they own the road, but state law disagrees with them. First it is diaabled people such as those who are blind and have a companion animal. Then you have the people with wheelchairs. Then you have pedestrians. Then you have wildlife and finally the vehicle driver. They have the least right to the roadway. They have to yield to all the others and make sure they provide sufficent distance when they can safely pass. They also have to stop for all of them when they cross the road. This is even a greater duty at crosswalks, marked and unmarked. Maybe too we can start having people use the LSV (Low Speed Vehicles) which can go 25 MPH in 35 MPH zones. There are also MSV (Medium Speed Vehicles) which can go 35 MPH in 45 MPH zones. However, the MSV need higher safety features. So, keeping the highest speed at 35 MPH in Ocean Shores makes LSV and option at a reasonable cost and also a more pleasant environment. The bottom line is where are we rushing to? Maybe all the signers of the petition should be required to take an obstacle avoidance class at the convention center. Maybe our police could set up something like the Washington State Patrol program. http://policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1053&issue_id=112006
I like option C
I really can’t recall any residential area where a speed limit over 35 is tolerated.
Cars go by so fast, you have to slam on your brakes backing out of your own driveway lest some leadfoot nails the back of your car.
What’s the hurry? Slow down, a few extra minutes isn’t going
to make a difference.
the actual speed limits are not the problem. i walked pt. brown yesterday and folks were driving at what appeared to be 35-40 mph. what difference does 5mph on the speed limit sign make if it is not enforced?