Political experiment: Speed Bumps; Whats your political stance on them???

[Moonglow]

all the speed bumps I know of are on private property.

 

[Wyatt earp]

I want to inquire about an action of the government, and how your political outlook applies. Its not a major issue of the day. Which is the point. Government sometimes must do the LITTLE things, not the breaking national news decisions, but little things that make a city or country run in a civil manner. Things we often times hate. BUT, that are, well necessary.

Please answer honestly.

Speed bumps. I put a poll. But, here is the issue-

Lets say there is a road in your city. People drive WAY too fast down it. Kids are around. Bicyclists. Very dangerous. However, due to having limited resources, your local and county police cannot put a cop on that road 24/7. When they do, folks take to facebook and twitter to warn their friends and neighbors anyway. Modern day, ya know? But, a kid gets hit, and people demand action. What should they do?

A) Increase the budget, and man that road with a cop from 7am-9pm, every day.
B) Put in speed bumps. Inconveniences everyone, damages cars long-term, but, problem kinda fixed.
C) Nothing. My liberty to drive how I want shouldn't be impeded just to stop a few bad drivers.

I think this little example puts ideology to the test about what government can and should, or shouldn't, do to fix or aid in society's daily problems.

When I was a kid I used to do neutral drops on them with an old girlfriends ford escort tlll the transmission fell out....other then that I just go around them.

 

[konradv]

How about if parents keep their kids out of the street?
My parents taught me, and I taught my kids.......
Look both ways before crossing the street, if a car is coming, don't step in front of it.
If the kid is too young to understand that concept, it is up to the parents to be responsible enough to keep the kid out of the street.
The government can't cure stupid with more cops or more speed bumps.

In a lot of places the street is where kids play and I'm not just talking about the inner cities. I grew up in the suburbs and the street is where we played ball games and all sorts of things. It's just not about crossing streets, but the fact that it's where people live. If you're in that much of a hurry, use a major thoroughfare.

If your parents wanted you to play in the streets, maybe they didn't want you in the future gene pool.
Roads aren't a playground, they are a means for people to travel (in cars) from one place to another. Most people understand that and keep their kids out of the street.
Major thoroughfares don't exist in neighborhoods. In order to enter or exit ones neighborhood, one must travel the neighborhood streets. They should follow the speed limits in the neighborhood and kids shouldn't be in the streets.

You hate freedom, don't you? Show me one residential area with lots of kids where they aren't all over the streets.

 

[konradv]

I voted to do nothing, if idiot parents decided to raise children on a dangerous road, why is their poor decision everyone else's problem? It isn't.

Roads aren't dangerous. They don't kill people. It's the people that travel on them.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

I want to inquire about an action of the government, and how your political outlook applies. Its not a major issue of the day. Which is the point. Government sometimes must do the LITTLE things, not the breaking national news decisions, but little things that make a city or country run in a civil manner. Things we often times hate. BUT, that are, well necessary.

Please answer honestly.

Speed bumps. I put a poll. But, here is the issue-

Lets say there is a road in your city. People drive WAY too fast down it. Kids are around. Bicyclists. Very dangerous. However, due to having limited resources, your local and county police cannot put a cop on that road 24/7. When they do, folks take to facebook and twitter to warn their friends and neighbors anyway. Modern day, ya know? But, a kid gets hit, and people demand action. What should they do?

A) Increase the budget, and man that road with a cop from 7am-9pm, every day.
B) Put in speed bumps. Inconveniences everyone, damages cars long-term, but, problem kinda fixed.
C) Nothing. My liberty to drive how I want shouldn't be impeded just to stop a few bad drivers.

I think this little example puts ideology to the test about what government can and should, or shouldn't, do to fix or aid in society's daily problems.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Kind of context driven. Urban, suburban, or rural? Residential neighborhood with children, or freeway?

Fair question. Lets say suburban, but not a residential-inside neighborhood road. A main road, not an interstate or highway, that runs between two large subdivisions. A busy road, where people walk/ride bikes in the evenings.

Obviously, speed bumps on a freeway or interstate are not possible.

I have rarely seen speed bumps in non-residential neighborhoods. In fact, I can't ever remember seeing one. Using a speed bump on a main road with speed limits of 35 to 45 mph could be dangerous for drivers. Hitting a speed bump at 40 could easy result in a blowout or lost of control causing accidents. Speed bumps are designed for residential streets where the goal is to slow down a driver driving 20 to 30 down 5 to 10mph.

I don't think main roads should have speed bumps, only residential streets in residential neighborhoods..

I have seen raised crosswalks (which amount to the same thing) on roads with 30-40MPH speed limits. No problem in my Caddy, but not fun in my F-350, my Jeep, or my work truck!

 

[alan1]

In a lot of places the street is where kids play and I'm not just talking about the inner cities. I grew up in the suburbs and the street is where we played ball games and all sorts of things. It's just not about crossing streets, but the fact that it's where people live. If you're in that much of a hurry, use a major thoroughfare.

If your parents wanted you to play in the streets, maybe they didn't want you in the future gene pool.
Roads aren't a playground, they are a means for people to travel (in cars) from one place to another. Most people understand that and keep their kids out of the street.
Major thoroughfares don't exist in neighborhoods. In order to enter or exit ones neighborhood, one must travel the neighborhood streets. They should follow the speed limits in the neighborhood and kids shouldn't be in the streets.

You hate freedom, don't you?

Jump to false conclusions much?

Show me one residential area with lots of kids where they aren't all over the streets.

Come to my neighborhood. Not a single speed bump in the entire place, and the kids stay out of the street.

 

[Flopper]

you think speeding is a minority of the population? Surely you're joking

And traffic tickets are beyond stupid, I dont think there should be a speed limit on interstates and I HATE speed bumps, if you kill someone because of stupidity, then welcome to jail.

Without traffic tickets, how do propose traffic laws be enforced, the honor system?

Im for getting rid of most of them. Jaywalking, wtf is that? If getting hit by a car doesnt mame you be careful crossing a street, then youre an idiot....most traffic tickets are a scam,like parking tickets, complete bs

I have no problem with speeding tickets in residential areas since kids may be playing, but most of the rest of them are just money making scams

Like speedtraps, they got so deceitful, then now have to show signs

Yep, they're a pain in ass. It's an inconvenience but saving lives is never convenient.

Do Traffic Tickets Saves Lives? - ABC News

 

[alan1]

Without traffic tickets, how do propose traffic laws be enforced, the honor system?

Im for getting rid of most of them. Jaywalking, wtf is that? If getting hit by a car doesnt mame you be careful crossing a street, then youre an idiot....most traffic tickets are a scam,like parking tickets, complete bs

I have no problem with speeding tickets in residential areas since kids may be playing, but most of the rest of them are just money making scams

Like speedtraps, they got so deceitful, then now have to show signs

Yep, they're a pain in ass. It's an inconvenience but saving lives is never convenient.

Do Traffic Tickets Saves Lives? - ABC News

Geez, if the speed limit was set at 3mph nobody would die in a car accident unless he drove off a cliff.

 

[g5000]

There are a lot of people who buy these gigantic 4x4 vehicles who never go off road. Big huge vehicles.

And then when they come up on a speed bump, they slow down to half a mile per hour!

Not down to the speed limit, down to nearly a complete stop. As if their precious 4x4 will shatter into a million pieces by going over a speed bump.


It's scary when you realize half of all Americans are below average IQs...

My political stance is cops should be ticketing slow drivers as much as they ticket speeders.

 

[Pogo]

How about if parents keep their kids out of the street?
My parents taught me, and I taught my kids.......
Look both ways before crossing the street, if a car is coming, don't step in front of it.
If the kid is too young to understand that concept, it is up to the parents to be responsible enough to keep the kid out of the street.
The government can't cure stupid with more cops or more speed bumps.

In a lot of places the street is where kids play and I'm not just talking about the inner cities. I grew up in the suburbs and the street is where we played ball games and all sorts of things. It's just not about crossing streets, but the fact that it's where people live. If you're in that much of a hurry, use a major thoroughfare.

If your parents wanted you to play in the streets, maybe they didn't want you in the future gene pool.
Roads aren't a playground, they are a means for people to travel (in cars) from one place to another. Most people understand that and keep their kids out of the street.
Major thoroughfares don't exist in neighborhoods. In order to enter or exit ones neighborhood, one must travel the neighborhood streets. They should follow the speed limits in the neighborhood and kids shouldn't be in the streets.

Wow Alan, I don't know what kind of road you grew up on but I had the same deal Konrad describes. We'd play stickball every day using the telephone wires over the road to determine double, triple, homer; we used the hill for sledding in the winter, and I mean everybody was there from blocks around. We'd sled at night if we got a good sheet of ice on the road...

 

[alan1]

In a lot of places the street is where kids play and I'm not just talking about the inner cities. I grew up in the suburbs and the street is where we played ball games and all sorts of things. It's just not about crossing streets, but the fact that it's where people live. If you're in that much of a hurry, use a major thoroughfare.

If your parents wanted you to play in the streets, maybe they didn't want you in the future gene pool.
Roads aren't a playground, they are a means for people to travel (in cars) from one place to another. Most people understand that and keep their kids out of the street.
Major thoroughfares don't exist in neighborhoods. In order to enter or exit ones neighborhood, one must travel the neighborhood streets. They should follow the speed limits in the neighborhood and kids shouldn't be in the streets.

Wow Alan, I don't know what kind of road you grew up on but I had the same deal Konrad describes. We'd play stickball every day using the telephone wires over the road to determine double, triple, homer; we used the hill for sledding in the winter, and I mean everybody was there from blocks around. We'd sled at night if we got a good sheet of ice on the road...

I grew up in the country. We didn't play in the streets, we played in the woods or down at the creek.
I raised my kids in the city, they didn't play in the streets. They played in the yard or at the park.

 

[Pogo]

If your parents wanted you to play in the streets, maybe they didn't want you in the future gene pool.
Roads aren't a playground, they are a means for people to travel (in cars) from one place to another. Most people understand that and keep their kids out of the street.
Major thoroughfares don't exist in neighborhoods. In order to enter or exit ones neighborhood, one must travel the neighborhood streets. They should follow the speed limits in the neighborhood and kids shouldn't be in the streets.

Wow Alan, I don't know what kind of road you grew up on but I had the same deal Konrad describes. We'd play stickball every day using the telephone wires over the road to determine double, triple, homer; we used the hill for sledding in the winter, and I mean everybody was there from blocks around. We'd sled at night if we got a good sheet of ice on the road...

I grew up in the country. We didn't play in the streets, we played in the woods or down at the creek.
I raised my kids in the city, they didn't play in the streets. They played in the yard or at the park.

Then I'd say you're a tiny exception to a very common practice. The country might be a different case if the road is a country highway, but we're talking stucco suburbia in my case and Konrad's. When you went out of the house to play, you either went to the street or somebody's back yard. Automatically. Nobody would be driving through except one of the residents. We're also talking kids old enough to know what they're doing, like over the age of 6.

And then of course, where but the street to you ride your bicycle?

 

[Duped]

Speed bumps suck, because they ware out your suspension. When someone gets caught racing down neighborhood streets, they need to be fined hard. It would only take a few vehicals in random neighborhoods with big fines to curltail it. DC places camera vehicals randomly with large fines which works. My sister was killed by a diplomat going over 50, in a 25. It won't do shit to stop them though!

 

[Pogo]

I answered the poll as "Nothing", not for any political reasons (I've never thought of speed bumps as political) but because I don't believe in speed bumps. When I become emperor, they're all going the next day. All of them and I mean everywhere including parking lots. All they do is either slow cars down temporarily (after which they resume speed and at the expense of fuel they didn't need to burn) or tear up suspensions. Why we would want cars with stressed suspensions running around eludes me.

Speed bumps are just plain evil. How about speed depressions -- instead of rising up it drops down (concave)? Or my latest idea, if a clocking device determines you're going too fast, a cement wall drops down in front of you...

OK that prolly won't work, but the same device could, say trigger a siren that would serve both to warn nearby pedestrians as well as the driver having attention called to his car....

Anything but speed bumps. I'm with Bear-- I drive around them whenever possible and if I have to go over them, I tend to speed up so it's more like a bump than an undulation.

 

[Pogo]

In Germany, the Autobahn is safer than any highway here in the US, and requires far less oversight that does our highways. Why do we need speedbumps or more police to patrol the highways?

Because they're better drivers than we are, I suspect. I don't think you see drivers on the Autobahn sitting in the left lane, for one thing.

Good point, analagous to what I keep saying about the gun question, i.e. rather than changes in gun laws we need changes in popular attitude. Same here: we need changes in attitudes on speeding in residential areas. It should carry a sense of shame. We did it with drunk driving, so it can be done with this.

 

[ClosedCaption]

This...this Is a good thread

 

[konradv]

If your parents wanted you to play in the streets, maybe they didn't want you in the future gene pool.
Roads aren't a playground, they are a means for people to travel (in cars) from one place to another. Most people understand that and keep their kids out of the street.
Major thoroughfares don't exist in neighborhoods. In order to enter or exit ones neighborhood, one must travel the neighborhood streets. They should follow the speed limits in the neighborhood and kids shouldn't be in the streets.

You hate freedom, don't you?

Jump to false conclusions much?

Show me one residential area with lots of kids where they aren't all over the streets.

Come to my neighborhood. Not a single speed bump in the entire place, and the kids stay out of the street.

Pretty sad place to have grown up, if there are no children in the street. Sounds like a dysfunctional burg.

 

[whitehall]

We lose a little bit of freedom very single time the president signs a bill into law. Keep that in mind when you think about the ten foot high stack of pages in the health care law. The United States seems to hum along a little better when the government shuts down for a period of time. Reagan said it best when he said (half in jest) "government isn't the solution. It's the problem".

 

[Moonglow]

We lose a little bit of freedom very single time the president signs a bill into law. Keep that in mind when you think about the ten foot high stack of pages in the health care law. The United States seems to hum along a little better when the government shuts down for a period of time. Reagan said it best when he said (half in jest) "government isn't the solution. It's the problem".

See, even Reagan liked to put himself down.