RAPID RESPONSE
Readers pointed out streets where drivers speed; The Morning Call hit the road to check them out
Holy mackerel. Two weeks ago, I asked readers to send suggestions on where I should go with my new, handy-dandy speed gun to check for speeding drivers. The response was overwhelming, making this the most popular Road Warrior project conducted since I took over the column.
There were so many requests that you can expect this to become a recurring feature of the column. If your suggestion didn’t show up here, just give it some time.
I tried to pickdiverse locations across the Lehigh Valley during normal business hours.
Here are the guidelines:
1. At each location, I parked on a side street nearby and stood by the side of the road. I monitored speeds for about 15 minutes. To witness motorists in their natural habitat, I avoided spots with construction or obvious hazards. That said, plenty of drivers slowed down when they saw some yokel with a radar gun on the side of the road.
2. Only cars traveling 10 mph or more over the speed limit were tallied. While my own testing found my radar gun to be accurate within a mile per hour, I wanted to provide a wide buffer to appease the doubtful. Also, state legislators are eyeing that 10-mph buffer as they consider a bill allowing local police to use speed guns. What’s good for the goose is good for the Road Warrior.
3. Because I was handling the speed gun, taking notes and shooting photos, I couldn’t clock every vehicle. I know some speeders slipped by before I could take a reading. As a result, this is not a comprehensive list.
The goal is to raise awareness among drivers by talking about speed limits. Ideally, people will take steps to correct bad habits.