There is a mom with a 2nd grader and a year old toddler three doors down. When she walks to school we walk together, but she does not do that very often. She is usually running really late. The kids are supposed to be sitting in their desk ready to start school at 8:45 (doors open at 8:30 so that is when we are to try to get them there). Well, on my way back everyday she is leaving at, oh, 8:42 on a good day. That is fine, none of my business.

BUT, the part that gets me is she peels out of her driveway and drives like a bat out of you know where through our neighborhood!!! There are a lot of walkers with smaller children at this time of day- one lady has a daycare with four toddlers that she walks with her to drop her daughter off. We are not talking 30 mph, but maybe 40-50 mph. Her husband is just as bad. I have asked her to slow down on our walks for the children's safety, I have given her mean looks and mouthed slow down, nothing seems to work. She is driving so fast that one time her tires squeeled!!!

So, what should I do? We don't have a homeowners association or anything. Should I call the police and ask them to set up a speed patrol in the neighborhood for the time kids go to school? What can I do that I have not already done?

Today she really scared me as I was coming around a corner and I KNOW she did not see me until she was on me. If I had been across the street instead of the side I was on, she might very well have hit me, the stroller or Molly (the mile to and from school is good exercise for the dog, too.). Thanks for any advice.

i would call the police department and ask them to patrol during school hours. until that happens, you could 'accidentaly' leave a toy in the street that they would have to slow down and move around.
i'm very surprised that you have asked her to slow down and she still doesn't. i would think that embarrasment would have taken over and she would be concious (sp?) about her speed.
we have a younger guy who does the same thing. he has his music blaring and acts like our street is the warmup for the indie 500. i usually try to park my car in the street... it makes it very narrow to speed through. and, my car is usually a good foot away from the curb!

good luck.
shannon

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I would definatly call the police to get a patrol to do a speed check around the time people are getting their children to school. I would not leave something in the street to slow her down, at the speeds that she is described as driving, she could swerve and wreck or hit someone on the sidewalk while losing control. Maybe you could call her house when you get up and ask if her children could walk with you and call a couple more times to make sure that they are going to get ready on time?

I would write her a nice note and leave it in her mailbox. Be sure to sign it and tell her to call you if she wants to talk about it so she doesn't think you are taking a cowardly approach. Just write down what you told us - the kids are walking, the daycare mom is trying to keep up with 4 toddlers and her own child, it is a busy time of the morning, etc. and you need her to slow down. We had a dad that did this every single day on our old street (and he was a good friend of ours!) and we mentioned it several times and he never took the hint. Everyone on our street called him Mario Andretti to his face and he STILL didn't slow down. I feel your pain. It is so annoying, especially when these people have kids as small as yours and you think they should know better.

Definately call your local police department, tell them what is going on and they will probably gladly do extra patrols in your neighborhood.

You have already verbalized your concern with her and she has chosen to disregard it. I would contact the police and let them know exactly what you told us. Perhaps they will set up a speed trap, perhaps not. Either way, it will be on record. If others have noticed this too, you might want to get them to call. You needn't tell the other neighbors who in particular you are talking about, just speeders in general. The mone neighbors who call the police about the problem, the more likely it is they will do something about it.

I vote to call the police as well. We were dealing with the same thing so I talked to an officer about it finally. I noticed the cops patrol the street more. He also told me that if there's a specific car that continually does it, to let them know the license plate number and they would keep an eye out for them. Definitely let them know the times that she normally takes off like a bat out of h***.

You have already tried talking to her about it. And her dh is the same way. Honestly, about the only thing that's going probably make them slow down is a good scare. I would not put anything into the street- as someone else said, she'd swerve to miss it and at her speeds, would likely lose control and hit someone or something.

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Devin

I agree with the other posters. I would put a letter in her mailbox (or mail it) explaining your concerns, in detail. Also you could offer to take her kids with you if that would help her from running late. I would also contact the police and talk with the other walkers to contact the police also. Police are usually very strict with speeders in a school zone. I hope you are able to get it worked out. Speeders in the subdivision are a big concern of mine around here too.

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Jennifer
dd Sarah 1/4/02
ds Brady 1/15/07

my inlaws street is like this. People use it as a "go through" street to get to other places like the park, schools, churches and a shopping center. It's a side street so no stop lights and less stop signs then the main street. They (along with neighbors) complained to the police department. They'd patrol or put out the speed signs that shows your speed. After years they've just installed speed bumps a month ago. They've done wonders and have slowed people down. They live in a nice residental area and people drove up their street like they were on the freeway.

Throw out a spike strip!

I hate speeders in parking lots too! I hate when big SUV's park next to me (cant see through them like I can a car's window), I always back out real slow and am constantly watching out for speeders.

While in your neighborhood get a rubber ball and wait for the speeder to come through, as they get right in front of your home- throw the ball and then that person skids and stops and they try to say something to you, say to them - that could have been a child!

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