DATE: Friday, October 17, 1997              TAG: 9710160282

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: THE ROAD WARRIOR 

SOURCE: Road Warrior  

                                            LENGTH:  119 lines

SPEED BUMPS AREN'T A SURE CURE FOR RESIDENTIAL SPEEDING PROBLEMS

John Kerr wrote Road a letter a couple of weeks ago asking what Road thought about the city installing speed bumps in residential areas to slow down rush hour drivers and others?

Road has pondered this question before. And, frankly, Road has thought that maybe speed bumps aren't such a bad idea, especially seeing as quite a few residential streets in our area have become major thoroughfares or short cuts for motorists.

Once Road talked to engineers, however, things changed. Engineers say that speed bumps are not the answer a lot of people think they are. Engineers are as concerned about speeders in residential areas as the next guy, but it is not their intent to govern or change driver behavior and speeding is a behavior.

Engineers say that speed bumps, usually 8 to 12 feet long and about 4 inches high, actually punish everyone for a crime a few commit. Every neighborhood has speeders, but not everyone on the road speeds. The speeders are the ones you're more likely to notice. So, there's one speeder and about six non-speeders on the road. A bump would slow down the one bad guy as well as the six good guys.

Then, there's the idea of safety. You cannot go 25 mph over a speed bump without losing the undercarriage of your car or losing control of the vehicle, which needless to say, is even more dangerous.

There are other alternatives to slow folks down, but they all cost a small fortune. Even speed bumps cost a pretty penny.

Norfolk engineering recently installed what's called a ``hump'' that cost thousands in a residential area. We'll talk to Norfolk engineers next week and see if their ``hump'' has actually slowed drivers down or if it's causing more problems than it's worth. Stay tuned . . .

SNARLS OF THE WEEK

The following people wrote to Road:

I'm writing to see if you can get a left turn signal at Aragona Boulevard and Witchduck Road. When you are trying to make a left, the traffic backs up and when the light turns green, you have to wait for all the cars to go through. If you don't edge your way and wait for the light to turn yellow, you will never get to make a left.

June Coggins

Witchduck

RW: Engineers said they'd be happy to take a look at the intersection to see if there's enough left turners to warrant another phase in the light's cycle.

I invite you to come to the intersection of Level Green Boulevard and Indian River Road any weekday between 4:45 and 5:30 p.m. There is a ``Do Not Block Intersection - $100 fine'' sign there. Very few observe it. Why don't police check this occasionally? They could collect a lot of money from fines.

George and Betty

Level Green

RW: What are you nuts? Road wouldn't consider heading to Level Green and Indian River at rush hour for just that reason. The intersection is a zoo. Maybe a bored police officer will take note and start handing out tickets.

Regarding your column concerning left turn on red.

If I read right it doesn't jibe with the Virginia Driver's Manual 1997-98 pages 2 through 19 and what was printed in The Virginian-Pilot when it put out the list of new laws in effect as of July 1.

The Pilot said, if I remember correctly, that you can turn left on red after a complete stop and there is no traffic to speak of from left or right. The Virginia Drivers Manual says you can turn left on red when you are on a one-way street and turning onto another one-way street. Your column stated you stay stopped because it's red.

Richard Baldwin

Virginia Beach

RW: You definitely do not remember correctly, Richard.

Under no circumstances, other than the one mentioned in the driver's manual (turning left on red when you are on a one-way street and turning onto another one-way street), can you turn left on a red light.

Period.

Even though you may have gotten away with it before, do us all a favor and don't do it again.

Our problem is that some traffic engineer does not seem to know where to put his ``yield'' signs. Little Neck Road runs just about four miles from Virginia Beach Boulevard and is considered a ``main'' road except when it gets to the end. Here this genius put a yield sign in favor of West Little Neck Road (total length less than a mile). It is very dangerous and certainly confusing for strangers. The yield or stop should be on West Little Neck sides. Any help you can give would be great.

Robert Dedman

Little Neck

RW: The reason the yield sign is facing Little Neck traffic is because the road comes to a T meaning drivers must decide to turn right or left and should yield before they do so.

However, because the area's not majorly congested engineers will consider turning the sign around. No promises though.

In reference to falling asleep at the wheel, please advise your readers that there is a device called a Doze Alarm that fits over your ear and emits an audible alarm if your head drops forward as you drive. It's available in The Safety Zone stores in major cities or by mail order at: The Safety Zone, Hanover, Pa., 17333-0019. The item number is A843995. The price is $13.95. It's a great gift for your loved ones. It works for us!

Pete Jalbert

Holbrook Road

RW: Great idea, Pete. For those who seem to nod off several times a week on short drives, a trip to the doctor probably wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Traveling east on Virginia Beach Boulevard there is a left turn signal onto Little Neck Road. Rather than turning left, many people make a U-turn which interferes significantly with the flow of traffic. At this intersection, it is strongly recommended that ``no U-turn'' signs be permitted.

Robert Beard

Kings Grant

RW: Engineers try not to make a habit of restricting U-turn traffic unless there's a big safety problem. There are two left turn lanes turning onto Little Neck, if U-turners are holding you up you may want to use the rightmost left turn lane so you won't be stuck behind them while they make their turn. Otherwise, the intersection has plenty of room and plenty of lanes, meaning everyone should be accommodated comfortably.

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