date posted: 2003-01-01
Traffic moves too fast on my street; cars are driving above the speed limit; there are too many cars taking shortcuts through my neighbourhood; and other complaints with a similar theme are regularly received by Councillors in Richmond Hill. Sometimes the complaints are accompanied by requests for lower speed limits; restricting traffic from entering certain streets, adding stop signs, and more recently requests for speed bumps.
Okay, so let's build speed bumps. Did you know that each speed bump costs approximately eight thousand dollars to build and that they are expensive to maintain and repair? - not to mention the damage these bumps inflict on snow removal equipment. Did you know that an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance or fire truck will lose an average of 10 seconds for each speed bump it must cross on the way to an emergency call? and for ambulances the
total delay in getting to the call, then transporting a patient to hospital is then doubled?
Let's say we do build speed bumps on a residential street and actually slow some of the speeding cars - where do the rest of the uncaring drivers go? - why, onto another neighbouring street where they can alarm those residents.
Is there a solution to this problem - you bet there is! Everyone of us has a responsibility to drive our vehicles safely and to have regard for those around us.
Please make your New Year's resolution to be a careful considerate drive and respect our neighbourhoods.
Happy New Year Everyone!