According to the recent Trib article, 80 percent of drivers found exceeding speed limit in Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park, police monitored Washington Road, Cedar Blvd., Gilkeson Road, and McNeilly Road.
Police selected high-traffic roads where drivers seemed to ignore the speed limit, Mt. Lebanon Lt. Duane Fisher said.Deer killing corrals were placed in these areas, in hopes of reducing deer/vehicular accidents. Deer aren't the problem. It is speeding. On page 5 of her report, "Deer Doctor" Sandy Baker made recommendations concerning deer-vehicle collisions. She cited model community Rochester Hills, MI's Deer - Vehicle Reduction Campaign.
Commissioners, focus on reducing speeding in Mt. Lebanon. You keep telling us that it isn't about gardens, and that it is all about reducing deer/car collisions by 50% in five years. We will have less accidents, making it safer for all two legged and four legged creatures. Get a grip on the real problem. Bad drivers.
The speeding is not limited to the main arterial roads (state & county owned) in Lebo. It occurs as frequently and perhaps more dangerously in the residential streets. I am constantly "tailgated" by impatient and irresponsible speeders who also tend to blow through neighborhood stop signs while texting and yacking on their cells. These all tend to be drivers in their 20's to 40's, not the older generations.
ReplyDeleteThere is little or no enforcement, and state police are the only ones that can legally use radar.
Robb Hollow Road is a race track. 25 MPH speed limit and NO ONE goes less than 40 and that's just a minimum.
ReplyDeleteBoth Sandy Baker and Laura Simon (HSUS' wildlife biologist) told Mt. Lebanon that the main cause of the "deer problem" is the smorgasbord of irresistible flowers and plants that Mt. Lebanon plants in its 30+ public flower islands, 22 public gardens, and that residents grow in their yards. It's this abundant food resource that is the major attractant causing deer to travel to Mt. Lebanon from surrounding communities and crossing roads to browse and causing car-deer collisions. Ms. Baker said, "This is a serious safety hazard."
ReplyDeleteMs. Baker has recommended that Mt. Lebanon plant deer-resistant plants in it's 30 public flower islands and 22 public gardens, and launch a community-wide deer-resistant gardening campaign to reduce the deer attractant that is drawing deer into the community and roads, which results in car-deer collisions.
These are not new recommendations, i.e Laura Simon, HSUS' wildlife biologist, has been making them to Mt. Lebanon for years. Mt. Lebanon has ignored these recommendations. Ignoring these recommendations makes Mt. Lebanon directly liable for any car-deer collisions that have happened in Mt. Lebanon.
Finally, it sounds like Mt. Lebanon is now trying to plant deer-resistant plants in it's 30 public flower islands (so they say), but I've seen no evidence that the same is happening in their 22 public gardens, which are mostly planted and managed by volunteers.
However, Mt. Lebanon apparently will not launch a community-wide deer-resistant gardening campaign to reduce the food attractant drawing all the deer into the community, which is causing deer browsing and car-deer collisions. So this raises the 64 THOUSAND DOLLAR + QUESTION - if Mt. Lebanon is SO concerned about car-deer collisions, why won't they reach out to residents and launch a community-wide deer-resistant gardening campaign? The cost to taxpayers is practically nothing. If reaching out could prevent only one car-deer collision, why won't they do it? Why are they ignoring the core problem drawing deer into Mt. Lebanon? Instead of asking residents to plant deer-resistant flowers, they appear to be dead set with bringing bow hunting and high powered rifle shooting programs into our densely populated community causing a serious safety threat to all Mt. Lebanon families. Can anyone explain their logic, because I'm at a total loss?
You are so right, Elaine. This is what our community needs to address. Also, I have seen many, many cars not pay any attention to the school zone speed limit on Washington Road. I was amazed to see the poor crossing guard constantly signal to the cars to slow down - to no avail. Additionally, it is scary to see how many adults are texting and driving at the same time!
ReplyDelete10:10, you bring up some excellent points and questions. Can we get you to send an email to Mr. Feller and the commissioners with those same questions and see what they respond with. I would like to know the answers as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you 10:10.
Nick M.
The reason for the deer killing in the Fall is to reduce deer/car collisions. Wink. Wink. Pay no attention to the fact that Barbara Logan's garden is on the Mt. Lebanon Library Garden Tour again next week. How many times is this, Barbara? Three or four times now? Everyone, repeat after me. It is not about gardens. It is not about gardens. It is not about gardens.
ReplyDeleteHow many of the deer/car collisions involved drivers DUI's? Texting? Speeding? The commissioners want to reduce the deer/car collisions so let's kill the deer. Don't make the drivers take responsibility. Blame it on the deer. Suicidal deer.
This is a command performance of the toxic turf project. Give the commissioners facts and they look away. They have made their decisions. As the garden women say, there WILL be a deer cull [kill] in the Fall. The July 14 meeting will most likely be when the deer receive their death sentence. With Coleen Vuono's house on the market, I'm sure she wants to seal the deal ASAP.
It is going to be extremely difficult for me to pay my tax bills this year. I wish I could pick up my house and move it out of Mt. Lebanon.
Elaine
Ditto for Mayfair Drive. Especially those female drivers in the Lexus' cars going 60 miles an hour after the blind curve. A cop told me to get their license plates and then he would investigate! Huh! I told him he was more than welcome to park in my driveway. Did not take me up on my offer!
ReplyDeleteGreenhouse drive gets tons of speeders. Its amazi,g what little is done about this.
ReplyDelete8:50 pm It's deliberate indifference to hazardous road conditions from both the municipality and school district. Imagine the speeds when traffic is light and/or the radar signs aren't posted.
ReplyDeleteThe issue with speeding is not so much with drivers going too fast, but the speed limits are unrealistically low. Studies show that more accidents are caused by a variance in speed (slow drivers) than speeding (http://www.vox.com/2014/6/16/5804590/why-you-shouldnt-drive-slowly-in-the-left-lane). A realistic speed limit for Cedar is 35 m.p.h. (which, I would bet, is the average speed or traffic on Cedar). The 35 m.p.h. speed limit on Gilkeson is unrealistically low for a four lane road. (The issue with Gilkeson is that drivers get themselves in the wrong left turn lane on Cedar and then decided to switch lanes before they complete the turn from Cedar onto Gilkeson).
ReplyDeleteIf drivers are constantly tailgating you, the simple solutions are to pull over and let them past, drive faster, or let someone else drive you around. If people are constantly tailgating you, that ought to tell you something. They are not the problem drivers. You are the problem driver.
So are you saying that the people who are driving the speed limit are the problem because they can't keep up with the speeders?
ReplyDeleteDid you type that with a straight face? Because I'm laughing at your comment.
Elaine
Yes and yes. The inability slower drivers to keep up with the pace of traffic is statistically more likely to cause accidents than keeping up with the flow of faster traffic.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I amused you.
The problem with 9:27's advice is that whether he (and it's a "he") is right or not, what he advocates is flouting the law. I, too, think some roads are marked too low; but I'm realistic enough to know that no matter what they might increase them to, the majority of drivers will go faster. It seems to be human nature. "If people are constantly tailgating you, that ought to tell you something." It sure does! It tells me that when I'm driving at the legal, posted limit and some idiot in a Volvo is pissed about it, it is she, and not me, that has the issue. If I am driving at the legal limit there is no need for me to "pull over"; I am doing nothing wrong. By the way, the kids in her car are learning a real lesson in vulgarity and arrogance. They'll make great school board directors someday.
ReplyDeleteInsurance statistics have ALWAYS indicated that there are more car accidents at higher speeds. Duh, higher speeds kill more people. I have always noticed that when one drives the speed limit,or 5 miles over the limit, it allows other drivers to make turns hoes with the flow of traffic. Driving at the speed limit cordinates with the timing of the stop lights, etc... Everyone gets to take their turn. What is wrong with that? We have a large segment of older adults in our community. There is no one that has the market on time. Please slow down and save a life! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteA number of factors go into determining speed limits. It strikes me that no one considers that many children here walk to/from school. Making Cedar Blvd 35 MPH would be a major disservice to children walking there. I drive the speed limit and I often go under it since this is a "walking community". I am especially careful on Washington Road, which is a classic example of poor urban planning now that the trolley cars are gone and the drivers have made it a raceway. When will the next person be hit? The street is already officially hazardous by state code due to the number of students that have been hit by cars during school walking hours.
ReplyDeleteWe are no longer a country of laws... So pick your speed limit.
ReplyDeleteMake all of Mt. Lebanon 25 MPH and enforce the law. The article mentioned by 9:27 is pertinent to highways and irrelevant to a densely populated, pedestrian heavy community like Mt. Lebanon. If you make Ceder 35, people will drive 45, because they already drive 40+ most of the time. Didn't you see the results from the speed tracking in Mt. Lebanon? People will speed on wide, smooth roads regardless of the limit. Resurfacing and reconstruction of roads should be built with speed reducing measures, such as chicanes, narrowing, etc. Also, more aggressive enforcement will reduce the rampant speeding and injuries form auto accidents. This has been proven countless times and was part of the recommendations previously made to Mt. Lebanon from one of the countless consultants that were hired by the municipality.
ReplyDeleteWhen you tailgate me when I'm driving the speed limit or slightly above, I will slow down to a crawl. Most of the time, the tailgaters are distracted and don't even realize they were tailgating and back off when I almost come to a stop. 10% of the time they continue to tailgate and get angry. Move! I need to endanger your lives so I can get home to watch TV or go to the mall or get groceries or some other routine part of my life.
Our speed limits provide safety for children walking to school. A lot of folks put up yard signs in Mt. Lebanon saying,
ReplyDeleteDRIVE LIKE YOUR KIDS LIVE HERE.
Fake Lebo updated their cover photo to demonstrate the transportation infrastructure and speeding problems that we have in Mt Lebanon. The speed in one collage item is listed as 79 in a 25 mph zone and there's a nice big sign that says "CHILDREN WATCH OUT".
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/fakelebo
In responding to Elaine's hysterical remarks on July 2 at 9:48, I'm wondering if the real problem isn't that of people driving the speed limits because they can't keep up with the speeders, at all. What if the real problem is that we need faster deer so that they can successfully dodge the speeding vehicles? Or maybe deer with driver's education so that they know what they should be watching for? I've learned to assume that other drivers are going to do crazy things without warning; maybe the problem is that the deer have less highway experience and don't know what to watch for. Hmmm...
ReplyDelete