Schadenfreude on Dale Drive
Yesterday the belt that drives both the air conditioner compressor and, by proxy, the power steering pump in my car broke. So it’s hot inside and it’s hard to steer. And even *I* can avoid the new traffic calming/pedestrian island additions to Dale Drive.
A flurry of emails went out on the Queen Anne’s listserv about someone – who claims they were driving carefully – losing a tire on one of these pedestrian islands. How the hell did they not see the big orange cones?
The moral of the story, people: slow the frak down and don’t be such an idiot. People are walking across Dale from downtown to the Sligo Creek area all the time (hear me, l.b.?). And as I recall, the speed limit on Dale is 30mph (25 near the middle school during school hours). If you bust up your car, stop complaining and shut the hell up. It’s your own damn fault.
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Schadenfreude on Sligo Creek Parkway: I recently saw some asshole in a Suburban cruise through a stop sign at a crosswalk just as a cop was pulling up on the street perpendicular to them. It was immensely satisfying to watch the flashing lights go on.
Awesome. I love it when that happens. I had someone pass me on Sligo Creek just south of the golf course one time only to get pulled over just before Colesville.
I got a huge laugh from the person who responded to that listserv message and pointed out that it’s an incongruity to say you are driving carefully when you hit a stationary object that’s not in your lane.
Oh, man, you have to laugh at that so you don’t cry.
I’d love to have them comment here. Sort of like “Justify Your Existence” in The Onion.
These things are NOT calming. They suck, just like the people who slow down to minus 5 MPH upon approach to one. Why not just put in a roundabout with some pretty flowers and a fountain. And don’t forget the bridge.
This project may not be perfect, but it shows the county is finally getting serious about traffic calming. I hope we’ll see a lot more of this kind of thing.
@Pablo: I think a roundabout would require bumping the lanes out to the point where DOT would need to take additional right-of-way out of someone’s front yard.
Access for all!
Where’s that confounded bridge?
Well this thing just makes me want to speed up. I threaded the needle @ 60 the other day – with my dangle hanging out the window. Yee Haaa!!
Your posting is exactly why I read your blog. Keep saying it like it is, brother. I live one block from Dale and use it all the time. Couldn’t be happier the county put in the traffic calming devices because it is having the desired effect.
Preach it!
It appears that Pablo is gunning for a Darwin Award. Let’s hope he doesn’t take anyone else out in the process.
Bonifant,
I only swerve to engage high pants, black knee sox with sandals and the occasional big garden hat i.e. ESSCA. If you’re not one of those, your probably safe.