Another Tragedy in Our Front Yard

Dyre Straits · Jul 27, 2003, 12:25 AM

We have lived in this house a little more than a year now. It's on a very busy street that could be called a main side road.

Our house is on a large curve of that road and has a metal guardrail in the front. That guard rail stretches across each of our neighbors' yards to the left and right of us.

Just about a year ago the son of someone in our neighborhood lost control of his pickup truck on that curve and hit the utility pole in front of our neighbor's house. He died instantly. There's a small memorial display still there.

Just tonight, only a couple of hours ago, a motorcyclist lost control on that same curve and his bike crammed him and it under the guardrail. He also died instantly.

These deaths are even more tragic when you consider that the speed limit on this street is 35 mph. NO ONE should be losing control of vehicles on this street. AND, in neither instance was it -- or had it been -- raining.

As we were moving into this house, one of our neighbors next to us told us that they had to fight city hall to get the guardrail installed at all. It took FIVE accidents, one of which tore out a corner of their house, before the city finally relented and installed the guardrail.

Without the guardrail, my office would be right in line with where the last two accidents took place.

It's really very sad that these young men died. But, it happened only because they failed to observe the speed limits posted all along this stretch of road.

Judas · Jul 27, 2003, 03:08 AM

Everyone person who has "their own" control.... makes the desicion to make or break what laws have been set... they knew the risks involved... In no way am i saying, that to bad...they should have obeyed... and they deserve it.... but people nowadays are so much of a rush.... pushed by todays standards of how much work they have to accomplish in a set amount of time or at a set deadline that is constantly changing.... And we are taught somehow that things just aren't coming ourway fast enough, so we push the envelope at things we can control such as speed on the raod.... (enless you abviously get caught..... We are in a way slowly killing ourselfs. I consider the jobs, (considering i grew up on a farm) not hard, even lazy.... but time cosuming and tirering... (excuse me, i just lost my train of thought seeing as it's late)

digitalwanderer · Jul 27, 2003, 08:37 AM

I've been driving too fast lately, thanks for the reminder of why that's such a moronic thing to do.

LeanWolf · Jul 27, 2003, 01:26 PM

When I was a teenager I drove like a moron, I guess i'm pretty lucky nothing ever happened. Nowadays i'm never in a hurry, not that i drive like an old lady...

Judas · Jul 27, 2003, 01:46 PM

In saskatchewan, although the roads are rough as hell..... it's flat as a pancake.... and you can see for MILES in every direction... thus, some of our speed limits are 120+

Dyre Straits · Jul 27, 2003, 04:07 PM

Some Photos I Just Took:

In this one you can see the beginning where he lost control. The paint spots were done by the investigators. Also, you can see the small memorial from last year's death. It's against the guardrail on the right. It's about 100 feet from the beginning of this to where he hit the end of the guardrail.

If you'll note the beginning of the 2nd guardrail just down and to the right of the 35 MPH speed limit sign. This is the area of final impact.

In this one you can begin to see the deep gouges in the concrete curb and sidewalk....as well as in the ground between them.

A much closer look at the gouges and you can get a glimpse now of the damage at the beginning of the 2nd guardrail.

A closeup of the impact on the guardrail: Note that the 6x6 inch pressure treated post is completely broken away.

The End

Judas · Jul 27, 2003, 06:17 PM

Maybe the mamorial caught his attention and lost controll...... I must say that road looks rather deadly being a curve and no angle of incline at all.....

Dyre Straits · Jul 27, 2003, 06:50 PM

Actually, there is a slight embankment to the curve and it can be taken safely in nearly any kind of weather (other than snow and/or ice) at 45 MPH.

Driving at the posted 35 MPH poses no problem in just about any conditions.

Like just about anyone else, I normally drive a little over the posted speed limits.

These two deaths occured at exceedingly high speeds for the area.

Judas · Jul 27, 2003, 07:44 PM

I do at most 20 Km/h over the speed limit here... AT MOST and in excellent conditions.... (which is about 10-15mph over) ... They abviously made the wrong decision to do just that at the wrong place....

Dyre Straits · Jul 27, 2003, 09:31 PM

UPDATE:

This evening my newly married son, daughter-in-law, and her son from her ex-husband dropped by for a visit.

I led them out to the street to show them what had happened.

There were two women and a young boy about 10-11 years old at the scene.

They were the man's widow, his son, and a sister.

Such a tragedy to leave behind loved ones so needlessly.

ZzzombieBunny · Jul 27, 2003, 10:01 PM

People should watch the speed limits a bit and be more responsible on the road... its not like its just the drivers life thats at stake... and no one really has the right to risk someone elses life just cause they are in a hurry or whatever...

Personally i hate cars and all that comes with it, i just take the subway/train... or the bus when those options are missing.

Judas · Jul 27, 2003, 10:18 PM

I want teleportation myself..... but the muscle cars are going to stay around.. and i hope they do!

LeanWolf · Jul 28, 2003, 06:28 AM

by the pics it's clear people just drive too fast through there. sure its tragic, but you've probably heard of Murphy's Law...

Dyre Straits · Jul 28, 2003, 03:38 PM

Today, I learned that the man who died on Saturday night was 43 years old. He was not killed instantly as I previously reported, but died of his injuries at the hospital.