Letter to the Editor: People should slow down

By Sun Advocate

Editor:
If you have ever been on 100 east between the hours of 11:15 a.m. and around 3:00 p.m. on a weekday then you can relate to this story.
We own a home one 100 East and we also own a home on 200 North, two streets that intersect where you can turn right or left with no stop sign. On any given weekday at about 11:15 a.m, when the local high school breaks for lunch you can only hope that your children, your pets and even yourself don’t happen to be crossing this street on 100 East.
It is a sure given that from the canal on 100 East down to the stop sign at the intersection of 100 North this particular street turns into a modern day drag strip.
The race is on. The goal? To see who can get out of the high school parking lot first, make it to the local drive thru and back to the high school parking lot first in order to get the best parking space.
Sept. 19 will be a day our family will soon not forget. Our family pet was struck by a vehicle on this street and left to die in the road. They did not stop to even move our pet out of the road. Just by the grace of God it was not my daughter or I attempting to cross this road.
The average speed on this residential street on a weekday at 11:15 to 11:45 is 35 to 50 miles per hour. Not even a human being crossing in a crosswalk would have time to react let alone a driver have ample time to stop.
Our home is located just feet from the canal on 100 east. What a fascination drivers have when approaching this area. The impulse to hit the gas pedal to get some enjoyment going over this canal angers me. I think to myself they must not live in this neighborhood. This is not the kind of behavior they would want on there street in front of their homes where there children and pets play.
I see mothers with vans full of children coming from the local junior high and high school flying over the canal laughing as they go. Their speed is easily around 40 miles an hour. While they’re laughing and I’m standing on my front lawn angry that a parent could be so careless and thoughtless.
On Sept. 29 I was watering the flower bed and I heard them coming. A familiar sound heard all too often. Cars racing from the city park heading toward my street. I look up and there driving a small white Integra sports car is a boy I know. Speeding by I watch him as he spots a police car across the road. His brake lights come on but it is too late. As my anger grew I was glad to see the officer that just happened to be there. As the officer makes a u turn in the road another car comes flying over the canal ending up right behind the officer. I remember thinking if he does not get a ticket I will surely place my own complaint.
How many accidents, speeding violations is it going to take for people to realize the seriousness of speeding in a residential neighborhood.
The speed limit on 100 East is 25 miles an hour. Certainly not a speed that is unreasonable for people in this community to abide by.
My hope and prayer is that when parents hand over a car and a set of keys to their teenage driver they counsel them on respecting speed limits especially in residential areas.