Who knew speed tables (big speed bumps) were so controversial?
People seem to either love them or hate them, no in-between or indifference.
We published a story last Friday about how North Cowichan is so pleased with the positive results (slowing down drivers) on Drinkwater Road in Duncan, they are now considering installing speed tables in a number of other areas as well. We asked people on Facebook where they’d like to see speed tables go in and got a long list of replies. It seems a lot of people feel that slowing down drivers in their neighbourhoods would be a big plus.
The tables only cost about $5,000 each to install (in terms of roadwork, this is peanuts) and even more importantly, they actually work. The municipality calculated that the Drinkwater speed tables have slowed drivers down by about 10 kilometres and hour.
The municipality has said they’re looking specifically at playground areas right now, but it looks like they may get an influx of requests if the response to our Facebook post was any indication.
Of course there was the other side of the coin as well. Some seem to believe they should be able to drive as fast as they want to without interference. It’s an unconvincing argument when one puts it up against the safety and enjoyment of people in their own neighbourhoods.
Unfortunately, far too many people seem to feel that as long as their neighbourhood is quiet and safe, what happens — what they do, even — outside of that bubble doesn’t count, somehow. So you get people who would be enraged by someone gunning the engine past their own home where their kids are playing outside, speeding through someone else’s neighbourhood because to them, it’s just pavement on the way to point B.
The best solution would be for everyone to drive as if everywhere was their own neighbourhood — but since we have plenty of evidence that’s not likely to happen soon, speed tables seem like a great addition to our communities.