Clarks

I have complained few times about riding in my neighborhood early in the morning and being passed by speeding newspaper guys. I've even approached these guys about their speed at various times. Amazingly the guys have all admitted to speeding in my neighborhood, one guy even admitted to doing 50 through here even though the limit is 30.

Anyways back in early sept. a new deliveryguy started, young guy, maybe 22 or 23. Studious looking guy, glasses, timid voice, etc. He moves up and down these streets like its nobodys business. odd thing is he's very polite. He might pass me 2 or 3 times in a single morning, first time he passes he'll always brake and say goodmorning very politely. The 2nd or 3rd time he passes me he's MOVING, I'd say he's doing 45 or 50 at times in a 30.

Well last week as he said good morning I told him he drove fast. He said, "yeah I know, cuz the people at the warehouse were like hurry hurry". He blabbed and blabbed. Then I told him he drives fast every morning I see him. At this point he says it just seems like he drives fast. I asked him how fast he normaly drove thru the street we were on and he said '15'. I said "15 over", he says, "no just 15mph". My jaw drops because there's no way he's only doing 15. That was the first time I had one of these guys so blatantly lie about his speed, all the other guys would say they were doing 30-40 and I new they were doing 45, and there was the one guy who was doing 50 and admitted it. This guy is a new kind of speeder, he tells me he's doing half the speed limit and then tries to convince me it just looks like he's going fast, now I think i know what cops go thru, he must think i'm stupid?

I figured I scared him by talking about his speed and that he would slow down for at least a little while. I figured he might be afraid of getting reported. I was wrong, next day I seen him on the same street roaring down to the stop sign, it was like we never had the talk. Yesterday I seen him on another street roaring by me even faster than he normally drives. I can't figure it out. He's evidentally not afraid I'm going to report him. On the one hand this guy is a polite gentleman, but on the other he seems to show complete lack of respect. I wonder if he would have told a cop 'it just seems like I drive fast'

dobber

OMG !! Quick, report him !!

I-Like-To-Bike

And you can add to your report that because this evil doer can't judge his speed as accurately as your calibrated eyeball, he either has defective safety equipment (speedometer) or must be one of those stoned dopers. Call up his employer just to make sure you are doing God's work.

Clarks

heck, i'm not reporting. if i reported these guys i would have reported 10 of them over the years already an their boss wouldnt take me serious. cops arent going to do anything neither, had speed humps put in after the neighborhood complained to the city, some people have pylons out front of their house to slow these guys down, doesnt work lol. 80 year old woman was out walking her dog and the paper guy shot by like a bullet, she turned around like WTF, was lilke she didnt even hear him till he had already passed her an was in the next town lol

gcottay

Video would be nice.

zeytoun

Sigh.

One question: Do you simply disagree with what you see as people overreacting to problems, or do you simply disagree with the idea that there's a problem?

If you disagree with the idea that speeding in residential issues is a problem for the residents of an area, I'd suggest you ignore this thread. It's hypocritical to simply dismiss other people's concerns. I'm sure you have some things you care about, too. Even trivial concerns are sometimes worth discussing...

If you don't disagree with the idea that the OPs issue is a problem at all, and just disagree with people overreacting, then I'd like to know who is overreacting... It's a bit of a stretch to start satiring a hypothetical event... (kind of like that one bit, where the wife is jealous of her husband because she saw a woman on the train that he would have liked....). How about making some suggestions of your own, instead of just making fun of other people? I know it does take a little bit of guts to actually put something out there, and open yourself up to criticism, but you're a grownup, I'm sure you can handle it...

zeytoun

OP:

It seems like infrastructure is the best way to curb speeding in residential neighborhoods. I know in my neighborhood the layout was designed with this in mind. The streets are super narrow, and some streets were made into dead-ends (except for cyclists, and pedestrians), to force auto traffic onto arterials. I've yet to see one person speed (people drive about 10-15mph down our streets, it's delightful).

That's not much help to you, but what really matters is a community that is proactive, and cares. So you might want to talk to the other neighbors and see if they think it's a problem too. (if they don't, deal with it or move...). You can brainstorm other ideas, and see about doing something about it.

Speedo

He just likes random posts so we have to keep looking at the movie of my cousin, Blue Speedo Guy.

Speedo

frymaster

+1

on a&s we're only supposed to critical of cyclists. drivers are exempt from all criticism. hasn't the op figured that out yet?

degnaw

I've seen the paper guy fly around the wrong side of our culdesac at at least 20mph (emphasis on culdesac) while throwing papers with one hand, and its obviously not safe. But then again, if you had 45 miles worth of routes that had to be done by 6am, I can see why speeding is a bit tempting.

dobber

Double sigh

Carusoswi

I am a little confused about the motivation for this post, especially in light of some of the responses . . . in fact, this thread tends to make me wonder what about the purpose of this forum section as a whole. The OP complains about delivery vehicles speeding through the neighborhood, but, given an opportunity to speak with one of the deliverymen, fails to assert him/herself, but, rather, posts his/her concerns here.

I could have done without the 'OMG' bit, but (to the OP), if you are that concerned, and have identified at least one driver (are there numerous drivers that you encounter each day . . . multiple papers in your area, perhaps?) who speeds on a regular basis, what keeps you from reporting that driver to the cops?

Do you feel safer riding because you post the issue here? Why would you tolerate the continued unsafe speeding of a driver you can identify? The police won't give you the third degree when you file your complaint. They most likely would post a patrol car in the area to check out your story. It's as simple as picking up the phone and dialing them. The offender will get a ticket and learn exactly how fast he is driving, and he probably will slow down in your neighborhood as a result.

. . . or do we, rather, just enjoy coming here to commiserate . . . like some in other forum sections who claim to be riders, but spend most of their time shopping for bikes and related equipment or sitting in front of a computer reading/writing about cycling instead of getting out there and riding the bike.

The situation you describe seems straightforward enough. Just phone the guy in and be done with it. Post back to let us know when you've seen him pulled over or, absent that, you notice that he has slowed down throughout the rest of his daily route.

Caruso

Clarks

LOL, Caruso, you are very theatrical. the cops don't have time for this. Get serious, the cops don't care, most police forces are undermanned as it is. You don't know what the cops would most likely do, you don't live here.

mustang1

Vans doing 50mph in a 30mph is dumb. In a sports car it's ok (they can brake faster).

Carusoswi

I'm very serious, Clark. When did you last pick up a phone to give it a try? I don't know where you live, so can't say if I live in your neck of the woods or not, but most cops are happy to set up a speed trap if they think they will nab speeders.

But you seem more inclined to voice your concern here on this forum where everyone else can chew fat with you rather than take your concern to the authorities who could help you.

Each to his/her own.

Caruso