Who is responsible for public safety?

[Ghost]

I was reading this story in today's news. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25716115/

The story is about an 11 year old boy that got tired of yelling at speeders in his neighborhood, so he started wearing an orange traffic vest and started recording the speeds of drivers with a toy radar gun (which scares the hell out of me that Hot Wheels would sell a functional radar gun). The story reports that many people are driving 55 mph in the 25 mph zone. The residents have complained to the city, and the city's response was that they are willing to install speed bumps if the residents are willing to pay for half of the cost.

This is a neighborhood with children on the street, including a child that stands on the street in an orange vest with a toy radar gun. These children are going to be killed in the city doesn't enforce the speed limit.

So who is responsible for protecting the public from these speeders? Should the city install the speed bumps and charge the residents half the cost? Or should the government consider it part of the cost of doing business and pay for it, diverting funds from somewhere else? In addition, shouldn't the police be sending patrol officers there to enforce the speed limit? Many people are driving 30 mph over the speed limit, that' constitutes felony speeding, something that can result in jail time.

[bettie]

What a load of horse shit. If people are breaking the law, it is the responsibility of the law enforcement agencies to ENFORCE IT. Whether that means posting a squad car or ponying up the money for speed bumps or something else that hasn't been mentioned yet. (I do, however, agree that the residents should have approval of the speed bumps. I believe that's how it works here -- the neighborhood gets signatures, the city installs the bumps. I think.)

Awesome kid, though.

[Sam_Spade]

Several years ago, one UK police force set up a speed trap outside a primary school (a 30mph zone), anyone caught going over 37 mph was prosecuted (3 points and a fine), anyone over 30, but under 37 was offered a choice, take the 3 points and the fine, or talk to the children, the children gave the drivers the facts about survival rates versus vehicle speed, and how many children are killed and seriously injured by speeding motorists every year, the drivers who were interviewed on tv were rather shocked and ashamed of their driving, they all promised to watch their speed in future, not sure how many meant it though.


As to the question, people pay their taxes, it's up to local government to pay for road safety.

[Julia]

Screw that "toy radar gun" crap! Go out there with a REAL gun and start sniping!

I bet just ONE wrecked car with a bullet-riddled corpse and the words "SPEED KILLS" spelled out in bullet holes on the side of the car will make folks slow the hell down!

[Jonathan]

God Bless his wee heart! Just think, if only he could balance the budget and pull troops out of Iraq he could be the perfect presidential candidate.

[Guest]

First things first: have a very serious word with this kid. Impersonating a police officer is a serious crime. On top of that, it's well documented that badly placed speed cameras and traps have a dangerous impact on drivers (usually in terms of emergency braking); a kid with a flourescent jacket is going to cause problems (the article already notes that people were locking their brakes as a result of seeing him).

Second things second: it's the local authority's responsibility to deal with the issue. People pay taxes in return for improvements to infrastructure. Seeking the approval of those affected (local residents, through traffic etc.) is a worthy place to start, though.

Third things third: "many people are driving 55mph in the 25mph zone"? That implies that either the speed limit is inappropriate for the area (since it's routinely ignored) or the area needs some pretty major modifications (if I get it right, going at double the speed limit in the UK is an instant DQ) to make it clear that that isn't the right speed. I'm presuming this isn't a road with cars doubleparked along it's length and one car width down the middle - most drivers are relatively sensible. Of course, it might also imply that that statement was hyperbole.

Fourth things fourth: I'm not convinced it would be a good idea to have kids routinely on the street even if the speed limit was 5mph.

Fifth things fifth: speed doesn't kill. Suddenly coming to a stop is the killer. [/Clarkson]

[Guest]

etc

Bah. That was me, by the way. I know, I should get round to actually registering at some point.

[Duane Dibley]

etc

Bah. That was me, by the way. I know, I should get round to actually registering at some point.

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE. I hate CAPTCHAs - I forgot to fill it in and then it blanked the username box...

[peaks]

Just think, if only he could balance the budget and pull troops out of Iraq he could be the perfect presidential candidate.

I believe he could.