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For many, humps a hated hindrance

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published January 28, 2007

Lots of debate about speed humps spurred us to invite readers to share their thoughts on the topic. While there is no argument that speeding along some streets has reached ridiculous proportions, not everyone agrees on traffic calming devices, speed obstructions, undulations, bumps and sleeping policemen. The stout bulges of tubular concrete sprawled across city streets inspire nearly equal intensity of praise and scorn. But the hump-abhorring mail far outnumbered that of hump devotees 20 to one. Here's a small sampling of what readers had to say:

KEN SCHAEFER: "I'm a hump-hater. The ones out in my neighborhood, south of Azalea Park, are amateurish and ugly - seemingly erected by mean-spirited kids under cover of night. I slammed into my first one, in fact, at night and almost lost control of my auto. The speed limit on these is a joke. I'd like the city to reimburse me for damages to my car, as I hit one at the then-posted speed limit of 25 mph."

MARILYNN MYERS: "I am very much opposed to speed humps. They are the biggest nuisance, and I hate driving over them. It seems that all of the neighborhood associations have just gone hog-wild on having speed humps installed in their neighborhoods. It has gotten out of hand. An example of that is the recent installation of two speed humps on 72nd Street between Ninth Avenue and 22nd Avenue. I don't consider this to be a neighborhood street; this is a major artery. Raytheon is located on 72nd Street as well as a convenience store; there are actually very few houses on this street. If people choose to live in a house on a busy street, so be it. I think the city of St. Petersburg Traffic Department has allowed the neighborhood associations to take over. I wonder just how much money has been spent to install these speed humps all over the city when that money could have been better used for other things."

DALE KONING: "I live on 53rd Avenue in unincorporated Pinellas, a regular cut-through from Duhme Road to Seminole Boulevard until speed humps were installed. On several occasions, speeding cars damaged yards, mailboxes and speed limit signs along the road. Studies prior to the installation showed 1,800 motorists used the road daily to avoid regular arteries. I'm not surprised: 53rd is a beautiful, tree-canopied road and was fun to drive at speeds unattainable on main roads during rush hours. Those who did not like slowing down have now chosen to stay on main roads where they know they belong anyway. I would recommend them for every neighborhood road. They have returned my tree-canopied road to a place I love to live."

DAVID L. DRAKULICH: "I fully agree with the idea that speed-bumps should still allow a driver to proceed safely at the posted speed limit while driving over those annoying bumps. I agree that if the cities/county/state traffic authorities are going to install speed-bumps on every residential street when requested, every resident on 62nd Avenue N between 34th Street and Mangrove Bay Golf Course should request speed-bumps! Surely, speed-bumps every two blocks would slow down the drivers going 60 mph plus, or cause them to wreck in very dramatic fashion!"

ALLENE GOWER: "Pinellas County is packed to the gills with more people coming here every day. Drivers will always seek an alternate route to avoid traffic tie-ups, long lights, etc. I am one of those who take the back roads, not to save time, but to save my sanity. I don't have to keep up with the fast pace of the traffic flow rushing from one red light to the next, no zippy lane changers, no befuddled tourists turning left from the far right lane. I don't mind that my journey takes me over multiple speed humps; I don't mind going slower through residential areas.

What I do mind is that some areas go overboard with these so-called traffic calming devices. There are some neighborhoods in Pinellas Park where there are three or more humps in the space of two blocks. Perhaps our traffic engineers should spend more time timing traffic signals for better traffic flow, which might reduce the need for drivers to seek alternate routes."

LAURA KINGSLAND: "I am afraid that I am going to have to jump on the bandwagon about those speed bumps. They do serve the purpose of slowing down the speeders in the Lakewood Estates neighborhood and I am all for that, but my particular gripe is: If the speed limit is 25 mph, why do I have to slow down to 15 mph? We have at least six speed bumps in about a 1-mile section."

JEAN GOERGEN: "Hi Doc. Last Week I traded in my 2-year-old van (30,000 miles) for a new car. Enough said."

DOWNTOWN ST. PETERSBURG

Prepare for delays

Downtown motorists should be prepared for some delays and detours this weekend. The "Race for the Kids" to benefit the Ronald McDonald House will be held Saturday morning. The event will include 1-mile, 5K, and 10K courses. The start time is 8 a.m., but roads will begin to be cleared about an hour before, with the event expected to end by 10 30 a.m. The start and finish lines will be at BayWalk, and the routes will follow Fifth Avenue S and 19th Avenue NE, from Mirror Lake to the waterfront. Organizers expect between 500 to 800 participants to attend the event, and SPPD will be on hand to manage traffic.

Please share your traffic concerns, comments and questions with Dr. Delay via e-mail at docdelay@yahoo.com.

[Last modified January 27, 2007, 21:43:56]