School zone speed limits

JakAHearts · Post by **JakAHearts** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:43 pm

Does it tick anyone else off when theyre cruising along at the speed limit (and its 35 in my city!) and someone blows past you in a school zone? Every morning someone will give me a dirty look or flash their lights from behind me while im very kindly following the speed limit through the school zone. When I used to live in Phoenix AZ, EVERYONE followed the school zone speed limit and it was 15 mph, less than half of what it is here. Im not sure why that was, maybe the fine was outrageous or maybe the people there just arent as dense as they are here. Anyway, whats everyone elses thoughts on this? I almost wish I could join the police force just the enforce this one law.

Shane

ChemErik · Post by **ChemErik** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:57 pm

I was always irritated by people doing that in California. Much better in Colorado where I live now. Still the occasional jerk, but we do need to take extra care around kids. Speed limits in the USA (and I assume elsewhere) are based on the level of school and factors such as fencing, size of street, etc. 35 mph is typically at high schools.

KAV · Post by **KAV** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:08 pm

As Wyatt Earp and his brothers first drove into Tombstone another frieghtwagon deliberately passed close by and drew blood on his prized breeding horses tied behind.
Earp found the teamster in town and beat him to a pulp, his brothers restraining Wyatt from shooting the man.
Nothing changes.

wenestvedt · Post by **wenestvedt** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:00 pm

...Nothing, KAV, except that I can't vent my righteous fury on my fellow drivers. :7)

But oh! how I would like to some days!

- Will

Esoteric83 · Post by **Esoteric83** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:13 pm

School zones here in Ottawa are 40 KMH (25mph)...Now 2am on an August night is a different story!

KAV · Post by **KAV** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:38 am

To be fair, we invision the kids from PEANUTS walking out smelling of Playdough.
The school near me is more like Rocky Horror Picture Show as these probationary human beings burst out like an Alaskan salmon run on skateboards, first cars or mommie in her SUV slamming on the brakes without warning, picking up Alice Cooper and speeding off @ 85 mph with a latte in one hand and cell in the other.

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:53 am

It is no different here, gentlemen...every morning I get the same treatment of headlights, horns and fingers as obey the speed limit through the multiple school zones I pass through during my commute.

I take solace in knowing I am doing the right thing...and reflect on those drivers that don't, and the resulting cross in front of a high school. Special needs kid didn't even see the car coming, they say...

infotech · Post by **infotech** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:11 am

I guess I'm fortunate where I live. People stick by the school zone speed limits and I've never been honked at, flipped off, or anything else. I'm not sure about every where else, but If you get ticketed in a school zone here the traffic fine doubles and you can bet that you'll see a cop camped out somewhere at least once a week. Our school zones are 20 mph and depending on which way I take I drive through multiple school zones on the way to work or to get breakfast before work.

jww · Post by **jww** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:15 pm

We live close to the elementary school where our children attended many years ago. This particular school zone has seen three deaths related to speeding and lack of observance of traffic lights (read -- running red lights) in the past 15 years -- and that's three too many imo.

Even though our children are now young adults and long past the elementary school age, I still get peeved at drivers who refuse to observe the school zone speed limits. It's a simple thing to go a bit slower for a few hundred meters to ensure you have extra time to react to the unpredictable actions of children - no matter what the age.

We have a pretty diligent police force, who have two or three nice hiding spots nearby where they nab these people regularly. When they are speed checking, there is always a queue of cars lined up by the guy writing the speeding tickets. It still doesn't stop the foolhardiness and ignorance of some drivers.

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:32 pm

school zone speed in my area only counts if kids are present. from what I have seen, the worst offenders are the bus drivers, followed closely by the soccer mom with latte and cell phone, but those I forgive for cuteness has its benefits

clive

JakAHearts · Post by **JakAHearts** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:19 pm

I live just outside DC in Silver Spring. Ive been driving this way to work from my new house for over 5 months. Ive never ever ever seen a police officer monitoring speed through the 3 school zones I drive though. I dont even have kids and it still ercks me. I also drive through a speed camera where all the speeding idiots slow to 15 mpg UNDER the speed limit since obviously the cameras will give you a ticket even if you are doing the speed limit.... but thats a whole other story.

Shane

scruffy · Post by **scruffy** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:16 am

I have nothing against school speed zones. I try to obey all speed limits within reason. I just wish that all communities would post the signs conspicuously so drivers can see them. I got pulled over in Bridgewater CT for speeding through a school zone. Neither me nor my wife saw the sign. I explained to the office what happened; he was kind enough to give me a warning.

Now when I drive through the area I have to keep my eye out for that hidden sign.

dash maverick · Post by **dash maverick** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:48 pm

I saw this thread title and without even reading the post immediately thought "crazy maryland drivers". It's true, people down here are nuts, and I'm a professional truck driver so I see it everyday, all day. And the one thing I usually don't see... the police. People here are either 15 miles over the limit or 15 miles under. The MVA will give anyone a license.

dash maverick · Post by **dash maverick** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:55 pm

KAV wrote:To be fair, we invision the kids from PEANUTS walking out smelling of Playdough.
The school near me is more like Rocky Horror Picture Show as these probationary human beings burst out like an Alaskan salmon run on skateboards, first cars or mommie in her SUV slamming on the brakes without warning, picking up Alice Cooper and speeding off @ 85 mph with a latte in one hand and cell in the other.

Once again KAV, you explain things with vivid clarity! I find this to be overly true as well.