Redfish Drive Speed Bumps

22 July 2010

Dear Editor Kathleen Williamson Russell,

After reading today’s letters to the editor in opposition to my letter (July 15, 2010, ‘Speed bumps on Redfish are questioned by resident’), I was inclined to not respond and to only focus on redress in the venue that will determine whether the speed bumps and speed limit remain in effect, primarily concerned that your readers in other parts of the county would see this as only some incessant bickering between neighbors; however, I soon realized that there are more meaningful issues relevant to all of your readers that need to be addressed. While letters to the editor will not likely change policy or procedure, when well thought out and presented in an intelligent manner, they are an important form of sharing educated thought and opinion. Since the authors of the letters in favor of the recent street modifications are using flawed reasoning, I feel it important to clarify some misinformation that your readers may accept as fact, as well as share the implications of what all this means in a broader sense. Redfish Drive is a dead-end street with a length of approximately 8/10 of one mile. Many GPS units claim that it is a through street, and may be responsible for so many wayward visitors. Contrary to your first author’s assertions, when we moved to Redfish Drive in April of 2007 there was no posted speed limit. Being a residential street, we drove 20-25 M.P.H. The author was also incorrect in stating that I said my wife didn’t see the 20 M.P.H. speed limit sign; I didn’t see it (likely due to being overseas), although my wife insists there was one posted prior to the 15 M.P.H. signs going up. This author apparently wasn’t paying too much attention to the contents of my letter. The dog that was struck by a car was unleashed and running freely into the street. Unfortunately, the little cocker spaniel in that same area also runs free, and has followed me as far as the intersection with Blounts Crossing Road several times when I have gone jogging, causing me to have other neighbors hold onto her while I continue my runs. When we have another pet there are many reasons why we won’t let her run loose, including fearing for her safety even if motor vehicle operators are driving the speed limit. The author goes on to write, ‘We first tried lowering the speed limit…” Who are We? Does she refer to the neighborhood or simply her and a neighbor or two? It must be nice to enjoy so much clout that one or two families can preside over traffic control measures. Who made the decision to lower the speed limit? Was a formal hearing held? Was there a vote? Or was there a phone call to a friend/politician who could get it done? My wife and I obey the posted speed limits although we maintain that 20 M.P.H. is a reasonable and safe speed to operate a registered motor vehicle on Redfish Drive, allowing for unregistered golf carts, children’s electric cars and four wheelers, and larger motorized four wheelers, none of which belong on this road. The speed bumps were installed by two men shoveling asphalt out of the back of a pickup truck then driving back and forth over it to compress it. They are not of regulation height, width or markings. As do most neighborhoods, we do have a speeding problem, primarily by delivery persons and others who are lost. My neighbors and I keep a close watch on our neighborhood, and we have called the sheriff’s department several times for people and vehicles who are acting suspicious. While neighborhood watches are all well meaning, we are doing our part even if we haven’t had the opportunity to attend a meeting. Those who have attended the meetings have stated that speed bumps were never discussed. The four most recent real estate transactions in our neighborhood commenced their sales agreements prior to the installation of the speed bumps, and all of the home owners in those four houses oppose the speed bumps. Children should certainly be seen playing in the neighborhood, but not in the street and not unsupervised in the front yard. Speeding vehicles are not the only concern here. My strength during my law enforcement career was in investigating complaints of crimes against children. I was involved in removing some dangerous individuals from my community, and I learned how easily and how quickly abductions can take place. Even if you think lower speed limits and speed bumps make it safe for your children to play in the front yard and out in the street unsupervised, I hope you take a moment to consider an even greater potential threat that, unfortunately, all concerned parents should be aware of. It’s unfortunate that two young children and the cocker spaniel were out in the road and the front yard unsupervised again this evening, but you truly cannot teach common sense. The speed bumps pose a real threat to operators of emergency response vehicles responding to a serious complaint such as an assault, burglary in progress or the like, and could very well damage or disable the vehicle. An ambulance would certainly need to slow for each bump, especially if a patient is being treated on board. In spite of the prevalence of manners and grace, we understand that some residents in the southern states share the view of the author, and have a noticeable edge when it comes to residents who don’t live in their homes year round. I would certainly like to find a well paying career here that is challenging, rewarding and beneficial to others. In the meantime, I will continue to work overseas in hopes that my small efforts there are making this part of the world a little safer and possibly helping to bring our troops home sooner. That being said, I have experienced nothing but friendly handshakes and warm smiles from everyone I have met here, and since we pay taxes to the county and the state the same as every other resident, our voice is no less significant. Commission Chairman Boyd Gault was quoted as saying that there was a petition signed by neighborhood residents in favor of the speed bumps. I would like to see that petition because it certainly didn’t make its way down to my end of the street. Granted, I spent most of the last two years training the police in Afghanistan and my wife and daughter stayed out-of-state with my in-laws so it very well may be that we weren’t here; however, none of our neighbors recall hearing about the petition. The second letter to the editor is from a police officer who is mistaken in his callous assumption that I would place wear and tear on my vehicle above a human life. That was simply one of several points I made in opposition to the speed bumps. Whether it is during these difficult economic times or any other, having unnecessary damage caused by illegal and unprofessionally-installed speed bumps is simply unacceptable. That said, property is replaceable, human life is not. The officer states that he would rather have deputies ‘working to find the crime occurring rather than sitting and looking for someone that is unable to operate a vehicle in a safe manner on a residential street.’ That comment rang a familiar tune with ones made by some of the hundreds of motorists I cited for traffic violations during my law enforcement career. With a little experience and seasoning, the author will hopefully one day learn that quite often a diligent police professional is capable of discovering more serious crimes from such traffic stops which, by the way, are violations of state law or ordinance. I would certainly prefer having deputies on our street rather than speed bumps, and it is my hope that they do not begin to shy away from patrolling our street and looking for the ‘more serious criminals’ elsewhere since the officers will be held accountable for the damage to their patrol cars. I commend the author for being aware of his surroundings regarding the story he shares of stopping for a child on a bicycle; however, I fault the child’s parents for a lack of supervision. Since we do not have sidewalks, when I ride bicycles with my daughter I am constantly looking behind and in front of us for vehicle traffic. When a vehicle is approaching, my daughter moves onto the grass and I place myself on the grass between her and the automobile. That child’s parents, unfortunately, let him get too far away from them. He cites Georgia Code regarding the right to lower speed limits due to special hazards (speed bumps); however, the speed limits were reduced prior to the speed bumps. Can he cite the traffic safety study that was conducted to justify either action? He and the first author still do not grasp the greater implications. That shines through when the officer closes his letter by saying he didn’t care whether the speed bumps were installed due to complaints or a favor rendered, and that brings me to the heart of my complaint. Stating that the end justifies the means is a dangerous statement. Is it just for an officer to beat a confession of guilt from an innocent man? Where do we draw the line on our rights and due process? I share the feelings with both authors of not liking or condoning speeders and other unsafe drivers on our street or on any street, including impaired drivers, texters, those wearing iPod headphones, putting on makeup, etc; however, my main issue is with the failure of due process. If every resident on our little, dead end street was properly notified of the proposed traffic measures, voted on installing the speed bumps and lowering the speed, and there was a majority of one then the speed bumps were installed properly and to code in both dimensions and markings, your readers would not have seen my first letter or this last one on the subject. While I doubt there was a petition circulated, such drastic measures as these must require letters sent to each resident by registered mail (when I’m overseas our mail is forwarded to where my family is), and each tax-paying resident must be afforded a voice. Kind Regards, J. Scott Hornoff 1586 Redfish Drive SE Darien, GA 31305 912/437-6456 jshornoff@yahoo.com