Concerned About Speeders
Dear Editor,
Carnage in Greensboro! Is there any hope to reduce it? Yes, vote for new leadership in our unfortunately delayed city elections.
Once again my concerns over speeders and traffic law criminals have been a broken record from me requesting action by contacting city leaders, law enforcement, DOT and the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office for over 10 years.
Finally, I thought It was not fair to accuse law enforcement for not doing their jobs because the city leaders are dictating to them about how they will enforce the law and not enforce the law.
The state of North Carolina has done a fine job with their “Click It or Ticket It” and “Booze It and Lose It” campaigns. The Greensboro Police Department and the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office will not initiate such campaigns, but they are obligated to assist the state. It appears our leaders are more concerned about ACLU lawsuits than protecting our law-abiding citizens?
Two years ago, High Point had a crackdown on speeders and it was amazing how many arrests, fugitives, stolen cars, outstanding warrants, no insurance, expired registrations, drugs, and illegal guns were discovered. This is how you protect law-abiding citizens. We all deserve better from our local leadership.
Jim Donaldson
The street lawlessness ramped up several years ago, and has progressively gotten worse, when City Council instructed GPD NOT to stop vehicles for minor infractions. Their reason was that minorities were being stopped more than white folks. NEWS FLASH – minorities are the ones who break the laws! Now, many drivers of all races are driving as they please, because they reasonably expect that they will not be stopped, for anything.
I’ve had an expensive white sports car pass me on I-840 doing at least 150 MPH. It literally almost blew me off the road! My busy street has a limit of 25 MPH; I see vehicles pass at twice that. Many drivers think nothing of pulling out in front of you if they think they can get straight before you hit them.
These drivers are totally out of control and need to be dealt with by law enforcement.
I hear you Jim. All the (ha-ha) leadership we have will do is take your money and give it to “non-profits”.
Elections get politicians in office, and non-profits which gets money from the City keeps them in office.
Elections get new comers in office, and political “gifts” to non-profits keeps them in office.
I have only lived in Greensboro for 18 months. In that time I have concluded that there is almost no traffic law enforcement here. The speeding is outrageous. Almost no one stops at the pedestrian crosswalks, despite very visible signs at some indicating it is a State Law. I have lived in many different cities and have never witnessed such disregard for speed limits and other traffic laws. Thank you for bringing attention to this serious issue.
“Speeding” is nonsensical, a farce, and a victimless crime. It is also a pretext for revenue raising – in case you hadn’t noticed. Thirty years ago the speed limit on East Cone Blvd – a 4 lane divided highway – was 55mph. Then a bunch of busybody residents (like the letter writer) complained and HEY PRESTO! the limit was dropped to 45mph. But even that wasn’t good enough for the NIMBY crusaders. They bitched again – and now it’s 35mph. No change in the road or its safety, mind you. Just speed limits set by political pressure, and an agreeable local govt, that knows it’ll see its coffers swell.
How corrupt. How irrelevant to “safety”.
And that is how speed limits are determined in America.
Except that over 30 years the population has grown by 64% so you can estimate that usage has increased by a similar amount, making it less safe. Don’t forget that there have also been more businesses and homes built off of Cone in that time.
But yes, the road itself hasn’t changed. You’re so right as always.