Traffic Calming by Ryan Ockey

January 6, 2010 09:24 by Norm Rousseau

December 2, 2009

Shawnee Evergreen Community Association

Attention:  Ms. Gloria Dingwall

I thought I would take a few minutes to let you know my opinion about the new “traffic calming” features that were installed a few months ago in Evergreen.

I have to admit that at first I was not particularly fond of these gigantic speed bumps.  In fact I may have accidentally muttered some unprintable words under my breath the first time that I drove my sports car over them and scraped the bottom of my carbon fiber frame.  Right at that moment I wondered why these brutal things had been installed.

Since then I have noticed that traffic has to slow down a little now as it moves through the playground zone just down the hill from my house.  I remember a few years ago when my son and his friends were almost hit by someone flying through that clearly marked area.  I also notice that the traffic that used to speed down Evergreen Street is also moving slower.

I have now learned how to angle my car over the speed bumps without scraping the bottom and although my commute now takes me about 22 seconds longer than before (I have 5 sets of them to go over) I am happy that people are now complying with the speed limit that they might not have been complying with before they were installed.  At the end of the day the safety of our children and people in our community is worth the extra 22 seconds and a scraped frame.  Besides, the car is so low you can’t see the scrapes under it anyway!

Sincerely,

Ryan Ockey

Community Resident    


Comments

February 5. 2010 10:34

Okay, so you’ve learned to live with them (you wouldn’t happen to be a friend of Gloria’s are you? Your letter sounds a little suspicious).

Well the majority of the people in this area AREN’T happy with these speed bumps. If the speed limit is 50 km/hr along these streets, we should be able to drive at that speed. The speed bumps installed are of the wrong size, shape and quantity for this situation and are more like a parking lot style of bump. They aren’t at all like what has been installed in other areas or what was described to us in the beginning.

Some people in this area don’t realize that Shawnee Drive, Evergreen Street and Evergreen Drive are our versions of Acadia Drive/Fairmount Drive. Can you imagine having our speed bumps installed on these streets? There is going to be a higher volume of traffic on these main feeder roads into the area. And, sometimes human perception is completely different from the actual facts. Yes, there is speeding happening on these streets, but I don’t believe it’s to the extent that people think there is. I’ve lived on Evergreen Drive since 1996, so I know what it actually is like. I think there are some people living on these streets (and on the SECA Board) that think they should be as quite as a side street. I would be very curious to see the statistics comparing Shawnee Drive to a street like Fairmont Drive when you adjust for population of the two areas.

On another related topic, I’m VERY disappointed in how the Community Association Board members are handling this situation. I am seeing a lot of personal agendas being forced upon us and people taking all of this personally. Not every situation is going to be easy to deal with, but last time I checked, this is a democracy, and majority rules. If the majority of people in this area aren’t happy with the way this has turned out, then changes have to be made. I would like everybody that’s unhappy with these speed bumps to get involved. I believe there is a lot of people thinking that ‘well there installed – so nothing can be done’ and that’s not true at all. Changes and outright removals have been done in other areas in the past. So get involved!

Kelly H

Kelly H. is a non community supporter!

Kelly H

February 25. 2010 11:09

Regarding Mr. Ockey's Letter on the Traffic Calming, I have the following comments:

1. I would like to know what type of "sports car" that he is driving that actually utilizes a "carbon fiber (sic) frame".
2. If Mr. Ockey does indeed own such a remarkable vehicle, he should cease driving it immediately and have it professionally assessed for damage. Carbon fibre, while exhibiting interesting properties in some applications, is highly vulnerable to abrasion, with resultant potential catastrophic failure of structural integrity.
3. Regardless of what Mr. Ockey claims to be driving, any road obstacle, traffic calming or otherwise, that incurs damage of any kind to a vehicle in the course of normal and reasonable operation is unacceptable.
4. It is utterly irresponsible and rather ignorant to dismiss damage of any type to the frame, suspension, etc. of a vehicle as something simply cosmetic, regardless of whether or not it can be seen.
5. In accordance with the fiduciary responsibility of the SECA and its President to fairly represent all residents and viewpoints in the community, I trust that the next edition of the newletter will contain communications from a resident opposed to the traffic calming.

Gordon Shymko

Gord Shymko

March 6. 2010 11:08

Did the SECA write this letter? Shure sounds like it.

Personally, I toot my horn every time I go over the speed bumps. If the people are so desperate for traffic calming, then try and calm me down when I have to go over them. I hate them. I have not yet met anyone in the community who actually likes them. "It seemed like a good idea" is the best response I have had ...

Our community association is rotten and I intend to do everything I can to get them tossed out, and then these ridiculous bumps removed.

Toot your horn and show people how upset you are!

Bob D

March 6. 2010 11:09

Sorry for the typo...

Bob D

March 13. 2010 12:56

How interesting ans amusing that some comments are deleted. Why is that? Does SECA not like critical comments? Will this post be deleted as well for pointing this out?

Bob D

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