The January 10, 2018 article on the increase in traffic citations is of no surprise. The article was right in-line with a commentary I was preparing. Over the last few years I have noticed a sharp increase in pushy, speeding and reckless drivers in the valley. I obey the various speed limits and unfortunately seem lately to be, more often than not, in someone’s way. On numerous occasions, cars have passed me in the Logandale section crossing the double yellow lines, tired of traveling at 35 mph that far south of the city. I did not invent the speed limits, so why get so furious with me?
Tailgaters traveling into the north end of Overton has become a normal occurrence. I have recognized that many of the pushy cars continue through town and probably represent tourist traffic. Drivers from other cities where traffic laws are only a suggestion. I am amazed at the high numbers of local folks speeding and tailgating though. I grip the wheel and cringe as I see them come up quickly behind me, relieved when they zip off to the side on Andersen Street or to Maverik.
One elderly lady hugged my rear bumper half way through town before speeding around me to the right, only to cut off the car in front of me making a desperate multi-lane change to the left into Lin’s parking lot. On another time, a truck pushed me hard into Overton, speeding up to my bumper and then locking up all four of his tires to try to scare me out of his way.
My real sore spot is around the high school. Every day I experience many drivers that ignore the speed limit around the school. I guess if you cannot immediately see a kid going to school, the 15 mph speed limit goes out the door. After all the sign reads “Speed Limit 15 MPH When Children are Present”. Never mind that this is the school start commute hour. And yes, about 25-percent of the time I do see a kid walking or biking around the school in the morning. The really surprising thing here is that very few of the speeders/tail-gaters are students. Most of them are parents and local through traffic.
So from my perspective, more than doubling the traffic citations seems to coincide with my recent behavioral observations of drivers in the valley. Matter of fact, it kind of puts a small grin on my face.
Sadly, this all is a function of the changing times. Younger generations with different morals dominate our highways now. Those of us that live within society rules without challenge are now in the way of progress. I hear many exclaim around the valley “If you are not growing, you are dying”. In recent years’ spectacular progress has been made to draw events and visitors to our community, bringing returned growth to local businesses. But with this growth and prosperity comes the agonies of change. One of these changes seems to be to a morality that savors the challenge of trying not to get caught, rather than obey the law. I am sure very few of the citations issued were for operating a motor vehicle correctly.
Tom Morris
1 thought on “LETTER: I Didn’t Invent the Speed Limits”
You didn’t invent the speed limits, but do you really follow them?
A few weeks ago, I read the opinion piece by Tom Morris, and something stuck out that just doesn’t seem to make sense. While Tom claims he follows the speed limits, he makes this reference, “On numerous occasions, cars have passed me in the Logandale section crossing the double yellow lines, tired of traveling at 35 mph that far south of the city.” While it’s never good to pass anybody regardless of how slow they’re going in a double yellow line section, saying “traveling at 35 mph that far south of the city”, makes me wonder if he really is going the speed limits.
The only spot in Logandale on Moapa Valley Blvd that is a 35 MPH zone is the short stretch between the two LDS chapels; the one across the street from the Logandale park, (the 35 mph zone starts just north of the bridge while heading south,) until the Hinckley chapel across the street from the old Water Company building. To the North it’s 45 mph, and south is 55 mph.
Too many times while I’m driving from Logandale down town to Overton (and back) I get stuck behind people going 45, or even 40 in a 55 mph zone. From the Hinckley Chapel, all the way down to just before the Power and Water Company buildings the speed limit is 55 mph. It is not 35 mph, so what does Mr. Morris mean when he says, “…traveling at 35 mph that far south of the city”?
I for one am normally not in that big of a hurry, and if it was mostly people going 50 mph that I can’t safely get around because of the oncoming traffic, then it wouldn’t bother me so much, but going 10, or even 15 mph under the speed limit is extremely annoying.
Just yesterday coming home from Lins’ I was stuck behind a group of cars going 35 mph in a 55!! Fortunately, they finally turned off at Yamashita bridge so I wasn’t stuck behind them all the way up to the Hinckley chapel.
If you can’t go the speed limit then you shouldn’t be driving on the road in my opinion. Most of the speed limit along Moapa Valley Blvd. north of downtown Overton is not 35 mph. It’s either 55 or 45.
I wish Metro and NHP would start pulling over and ticketing those obstructing traffic by going 15-20 mph under the speed limit. That would be one option to fix the issue with all the slow drivers in the valley who do not go the speed limit.
Another option was suggested months ago by Ramos I believe it was, post more of the 55 mph signs along that stretch of road. There’s basically two covering both directions.
So, if you’re tired of people riding your tail, and then speeding around you when you’re driving down Moapa Valley blvd, maybe you need to reevaluate if you’re really driving the speed limit. If you’re going 35 “that far south of the city” then maybe you’re not really going the speed limit, and need to start, or get off the road.