Speeding on Vestals Gap!

Snow removal??? What's that? Seems to be a foreign concept here in Broadlands...

 

I am in total agreement about calling child services. Kids in the street are the responsibility of the parent and if their children are playing in a risky area, they are at complete fault.

 

We've had issues with speeders too. I contacted LCSO by email and a deputy was out at my house the next day. Here is his suggestion:
If you see someone driving too fast, have a witness present and identify the car. Better yet, video tape it. Contact the Sherriff's office and swear a complaint before the local magistrate. The owner of the vehicle will be issued a citation. I think it would be a reckless driving ticket, which is very expensive. I like this idea an plan to use it as often as necessary. I to have stopped drivers and asked them to slow down. Driving 15 mph is not an unreasonable speed in neighborhood.
Sorry if people don't like this approach, but we watch our kids like hawks and realize we can't control every situation. Accidents happen, but we will do everything in within our abilities to slow people down in our neighborhood.

 

Aren't the neighborhood streets 25 mph? Which is even easier to comply with!

 

I had heard that the Ashburn Village HOA was responsible for the "Fines are Doubled" speed limits on Ashburn Village Blvd. I don't know what they had to do, though.

--Joy

 

Actually, I thought the signs say "Additional $200 Fine."

Whatever they say, people still pass me all of the time on that road (even though I'm a little over the speed limit). But the signs certainly get MY attention.

 

My parents live in a private community in PA. The commuity has their own radar equipment and patrol car. If you are caught speeding you get a $75 fine. Perhaps we could generate a revenue stream for local improvements -- of course we would have to increase enforcement at the end of the month to meet our quota...oh, thats right we wouldn't have quotas.

If we are going to video tape, we would need to have two markers in the frame to allow for estimated timing to gauge an estimate speed. Similar to VASCAR. Simply having a fast moving car on tape may be difficult to gauge its speed. A tripod & camera on the front porch, marked trees across the street, press record and enjoy the afternoon. If someone is speeding, review the tape, forward it and a formal complaint to the authories.

 

That's completely insane...

 

Whats more insane, the previous recommendation or yours. I didnt see one from you.... Its always easy to say thats not going to work or thats silly WITHOUT giving any constructive input.
Lets hear your great idea, apparently whatever is in place right now is NOT working, else this post never would have started.

DwArFlOrD

 

Well, if in fact the Ashburn Farm HOA had the "Fines Doubled" signs attached to their speed limit signs, whattaboutit Cliff? Is this something the HOA, working with VDOT and/or LCSO, can have implemented? Just asking.

 

My great idea was calling child and family services about a family whenever their child is caught playing in the street.

As far as the speeding problem, there is only one real, practical solution...petitioning the sherrif's office for more partols and possibly (best case soloution) speed-triggered traffic cameras. I'm sure the good citizens would help foot the bill for these rather than wasting days on vigilante justice that would yield minimal results.

The aforementioned 'solution' fails to take into account the fact that if you use two markers to gauge speed, you would need to have the camera pointing perpendicular to the road in which case, it's more than likely you won't get the license plate on tape.

 

Perhaps we can retrofit all of our cars with governers that will be regulated by bluetooth transponders in each different speed zone.

Of course, we'll need to come up with an elaborate authentication system to make sure no 31337 script kiddies will hijaack our cars!

I think will will work beatifully, and shouldn't cost more than $600 per car if we buy in quantities > 10000.

If for some reason the car does not slow down in time, it will temporarily disable, by harmless electric shock, all kids within 20 meters of the roadway and alert their parents by email.

Thank you for your time.

 

How about 5'x15' hydraulic-powered steel barriers embedded every 30 feet in the pavement that are pop up whenever a child wearing a radio transmitter breaks the perimiter (the curb)! This will surely shift quite a bit of parenting responsibility away from actual parents!

Seriously, someone should look into the speed-camera angle. It's legal, enforcable, and attention getting.

 

Everyone is forgetting the simple fact that as long as human beings are in control of automobiles there will be "accidents". We can only take steps to minimize them, not eradicate them. The accidents that is.

 

Yes, not to mention if a kid runs into the street less than 35 feet in front of you, you'll probably hit them regardless of how fast you are going.

 

....wwwaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy too much time on your hands

 

Clarification: It was Ashburn Village HOA that got the fine adjustment not Ashburn Farm HOA. I am not sure of the details, nor do I know what fine was doubled. I believe their website has some archival references to the effort and may lead to a chronology of the effort.

 

I believe that Ashburn Village, working with their Supervisor Chuck Harris, were able to get VDOT to agree to the additional $200 fine for speeding on Ashburn Village Blvd. I'm not sure if that is something we want to persue for Claiborne.
If there are a large number of residents interested in this, I would suggest getting petitions signed and presenting it to the Broadlands Board of Directors.
Cliff

 

FYI, there was a cop in a Cherokee parked in the center median of Claiborne tonite...

 

I'm for brim's solution! It's about time that someone thought about the children!!! These days, most parents just have much better things to do than watch of their *own* children.

In the meantime, I think that the policeman in the unmarked car will be a great help. If people start getting tickets, then I bet speeds will drop.