Residential neigbourhoods: speed bumps, kids at play, speed limit signs

**Misbijoux** · 07-05-2008 05:37 AM

What does it take to get this damn city to put up signs like that?

I am so PO'd right now. Beyond pissed off.

We were sitting outside watching the fireworks from a distance. We were able to see some great fireworks from the city (Dallas). We live in the outskirts, in Forney. A little suburb 15 minutes from Dallas. There were about 20 kids out, their parents, and then some. This was actually the first time I've seen our neighbors out. It was fun. I call them the hermits because I never see them, and have never met a lot of them. It was actually fun, tonight, and the kids were having a blast.

So, we're sitting by our mail box, when I see this car just zoom down our street. I mean, it was speeding beyond speeding. When it passed us ( I yelled at Aharon to run to the sidewalk. I freaked out), I saw it was a police car. I can understand if it was an emergency (especailly on the 4th of July), but put your damn lights on!!! Give us a warning you're coming! We all thought it was some idiot speeding (we get them all the time).

My kids were all just running around, loving the fireworks, and so were the rest of the kids.

Don't you think a cop car should have had the decency to slow down in a residential area? Of coarse, unless it's an emergency...then put the sirens on! But no. The guy(or gal) kept going at full blast, like he had something stuck up his ass, and needed to get it out. No lights on or anything. I respect cops. I really do. But not ones who think that because they are a cop, they think they can take advantage of things (like speeding unecessarily). I hate the mentality "Well, I'm a cop. I can do whatever I want cuz I 'protect' everyone".

I never do this, but I called 911 non-emergency to complain. The woman seemed concerened, and said she would let everyone know. Not 5 minutes later, another (could have been the same one, who knows) cop car flies down our street with no lights on.

Is there any way to get my point across?

Two streets down, they were able to get a "slow kids at play" sign up. I wonder if there's a way to get speed bumps up. Not only do cop cars speed by because they feel entitled to, but others do to, and it pisses me off to no end. My kids are very cautious, and I'm always out there when they're riding their bikes, but there's always some idiot going super fast, and it's ALWAYS my kids fault if the person has to slow down ( I had one lady yell at me to keep my kids in check because she was seriously going like 60 down the road and my 9yr old wasn't fast enough to get to the sidewalk ).

Where do I go? Do I get the neighbors to sign something? Do I just complain to the city? UGGGGHHH! I've just had it! Especially after hearing at how many kids have gotten run over, hit, or whatever in the city of Dallas.

Do you think it would be worth me going to the city and complaining?

I hate confrontation, but I have had it. We live in a super small town (population 5,500), and I just hate the fact that every other person who drives down our cemented road(we don't actually have roads, just cement) feel the need to speed.

I'm just mad right now.

Help. What should I do? Where should I go? It's got to stop, or at least SLOW DOWN before one of these kids get hurt...and I bet nothing will be done until one of these kids does get hurt.

**Marvo** · 07-05-2008 06:46 AM

>...he had something stuck up his ass, and needed to get it out.

wut

**Universal Mind** · 07-05-2008 08:12 AM

There are a few very effective things you can do. One of them is to call a local radio talk show and talking about it. That will get some politicians giving a damn since you will have planted an idea in the community that people will be thinking and talking about. You could also write a letter to the local newspaper. There is probably also a community web site where you can start a thread. All of that will probably result in cops getting told to stop speeding in neighborhoods. After all of that, you could get a large petition signed to get speed bumps put up and take it to city hall. You might want to make it known in those public arenas that you are starting the petition and will get back to them with what city hall says about it.

**ThePhobiaViewed** · 07-05-2008 07:09 PM

I'm not trying to justify what happened by any means but sometimes when police respond to certain emergency situations they will not use lights or sirens so they will not give themselves away by warning a suspect.

And the reality of things is that no matter what you do people will speed, happens everywhere all the time. A speed bump would get people to slow down but they are a pain to drive across. If you are worried about the kids then tell them to stay out of the street. Again I'm not saying thats the way it should be but thats the way things are.

It's obvious you were caught up in the moment and very angry when you typed that up, and I don't blame you. Just realize that we are talking about local government people getting stuff done and we all know how well that goes. Getting all the neighbors to sign a petition would be a good thing to do probably.

I'm just guessing that if you try to do something about this it is going to be a major hassle to get anything done. And putting up a sign telling people to slow down seems like it would just entice them to speed up.