What to do?
Observation:
Folks around these parts pay absolutely no attention to flashing school zone signs. Whenever I drive past Sidwell Friends school on Wisconsin at about 3, the sign that says 'School Zone Speed Limit 15 When Flashing' is flashing, but everyone keeps on driving 40. The speed limit is 30, I think.
Question:
What should I do in this situation? Should I...
a)Drive 15 and ignore the honking and gestures this creates?
b)Drive just fast enough to avoid being honked at (about 25)?
c)When in Rome...?
I usually end up doing (b), and trying to be extra vigilant for small dashing pedestrians. I'm then going quite a bit slower than the other cars, but still fast enough to do serious damage should I hit a child. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure I've ever seen any of the students near the road. It is Sidwell Friends after all. Those kids are too rich to walk anywhere. They all have their moms or chauffeurs pick them up in those weird Mercedes SUV's. But still, one may wander out to the road, and I wouldn't want to hit it, even with my small car. Anyways, what do you do in this situation? Or, if it's not like this in your neighborhood, what do you think I should do?
Folks around these parts pay absolutely no attention to flashing school zone signs. Whenever I drive past Sidwell Friends school on Wisconsin at about 3, the sign that says 'School Zone Speed Limit 15 When Flashing' is flashing, but everyone keeps on driving 40. The speed limit is 30, I think.
Question:
What should I do in this situation? Should I...
a)Drive 15 and ignore the honking and gestures this creates?
b)Drive just fast enough to avoid being honked at (about 25)?
c)When in Rome...?
I usually end up doing (b), and trying to be extra vigilant for small dashing pedestrians. I'm then going quite a bit slower than the other cars, but still fast enough to do serious damage should I hit a child. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure I've ever seen any of the students near the road. It is Sidwell Friends after all. Those kids are too rich to walk anywhere. They all have their moms or chauffeurs pick them up in those weird Mercedes SUV's. But still, one may wander out to the road, and I wouldn't want to hit it, even with my small car. Anyways, what do you do in this situation? Or, if it's not like this in your neighborhood, what do you think I should do?
posted by Maggie | 10:48 PM
5 Comments:
I would drive 15. First, it's the law, and second driving 25 vs. 15 means that you are actually carrying 2.8 times as much kinetic energy that would go into any kid that you hit. And that's not good.
I would drive 15 ... you never know when the police are going to decide to stand out there and start pulling everyone over for speeding in a school zone and then won't you be the smarty pants. Not to mention ... Schuyler's point ... which is actually more important than mine.
Sticks and stones may break your bones ... but honks and gestures can't hurt you!! Especially since you don't know the drivers making them. Maybe you'll encourage some other timid drivers to do the same thing.
I would drive 15, and rather relish the reactions of other drivers. But then, I'm filled with self-righteousness.
Alright, with all of your moral support, I can do it!
Insert Chelsea Clinton joke here.
I'd do b) -- if you hit a child, it's going to have a horrible impact no matter what. But I think if you're very, very careful -- and i'm assuming you're driving on Wisconsin here, right?, so it's a major arterial -- you're going to be fine. And also, I'm not wild about being rear-ended. People around here just don't care.
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