Speed Bumps

The potholes work very well as speed bumps and we have plenty of them.

Haha. So True!!

Haha, funny and true to a certain extent.

Potholes might work for rational drivers like us who care about safety and the mechanical integrity of our cars.

But.........

They seem to have absolutely no effect on the careless/reckless drivers out there.

I wonder if the pedestrian who was killed near Cassi Hill last week might still be alive had there been a few more speed bumps scattered about in Smith Bay where there are many pedestrians walking on the roads and cars constantly darting out from seemingly nowhere.

A friend of a friend was seriously injured while walking in Red Hook earlier this year by a car driving through the area way too fast.

Many of the tourists walking on the road in Red Hook are oblivious to the danger they face. In many areas, such as down by the ferry docks, they have little choice but to walk on (or very close to) the road.

Also, I notice that many of the tourists forget, or aren't really conscious of the fact that they need to look to their right before crossing the road. Most stateside visitors instinctively look to their left before crossing. Even though I am a slow and careful driver, I have had some "close calls" with tourists darting out from nowhere.

The Donoe Bypass has areas where some of the larger vehicles, like trucks, are more or less forced to cross the yellow line -- especially going around the sharp curves. Mandatory slow driving facilitated by speed bumps through that area IMHO would make the road much safer for everyone. Also, I often see pedestrians on that same narrow, winding stretch of road -- AT NIGHT. Very dangerous for all.

There are many other areas on STT that could benefit, from a safety standpoint, from having speed bumps -- these are just a few.

Although I think that having more speed bumps on the roads is a good idea, there must be a reason why the island doesn't have more of them, and I was just wondering if anyone knew why. Better yet, I was wondering if anything can be done to see more placed in strategic areas.

Mell, I agree with you that there is an abundance of careless and reckless drivers here.

That said, I don't know if more speed bumps will be effective in reducing that number. I have to pass Brewer's Bay every day going to/from home and people speed over those speed bumps with no care whatsoever to the damage being done to their vehicles. And there are four in a row!

Also, I really wonder whether the tourists are given reminders when they disembark the cruise ships that they must look right before attempting to cross. My worst nightmare is hitting a tourist at Emancipation Garden!

Interesting issue...have you asked DPNR?

Thanks Onika,

No, I have not contacted DPNR as I wasn't sure who to contact. I will start there :)!

Mell, as I think more about it, I think you actually have a point (at least with respect to Smith Bay). If I'm not mistaken, the pedestrian killed last week was the third in as as few months at or around that location. DPNR (or whatever agency is ultimately responsible) is probably going to have to start thinking about inexpensive ways to prevent further tragedy.
Please let us know what response you get.
O.

There are two large speed bumps in Smith Bay which were put down a few years ago after some local residents got together, sick and tired of the speeding idiots who not only (no exaggeration) caused a crash a week but also killed numerous dogs and cats.

The first night after the bumps were installed, all was quiet in the 'hood when far in the distance could be heard the ear-shattering thump of huge bass speakers and screaming tires fast approaching.

There was a dreadful thump and undercarriage screaming as the driver hit the first bump. Failing to realize that just over the hill there was a second speedbump, the driver revved up in a fury and, with tires squealing, hit the second with even fuller force...

A couple of days later there was a local worker in the road with a surveying instrument and I went out to ask him what he was doing, just out of curiosity. He explained that the speedbump-dem were just temporary and that the plan was to actually eliminate the hill, just slice off the whole thing. Although I've been here long enough to understand the futility of applying simple logic to such things, I asked him, "So when's this supposed to happen, years down the road?"

"On no," he replied with all sincerity, "Next few weeks."

Thank goodness that brilliant plan never came to fruition.

I'd love to see more speedbumps put in but I understand there's some Federal law limiting their installation on Federally funded routes. The speedbumps by Holy Catholic Church in Smith Bay were installed even longer ago after an elderly lady was hit and killed while crossing the road. People CAN effect change!

Hi Stt Res,

Great story and very entertaining 🙂 🙂 :)!

Honestly, I was hoping to hear from you regarding this, as I figured you would know something about the history of the speed bumps over by the T & T.

I have seen 2 accidents caused by the 2 speed bumps in smith bay due mostly to tourist tailgateing... that coupled w/ the way the island (van) taxi drivers come to a full stop before preceeding over. Also those particular speed bumps have been there since at least 89'

lip: the two older ones you're referring to were the ones I mentioned by the Catholic Church, installed after the elderly lady was hit and killed. The newer set are further up the road on the blind spot rise East of the Kilnworks Pottery.