Dear Red Phone, I live in an area where there are two apartment
complexes and there are children that play in the yards.
“Dear Red Phone, I live in an area where there are two apartment complexes and there are children that play in the yards. People speed down our road like it’s a freeway. Can’t the city put up speed limit zone signs on our street, Ronan Avenue? There are speeders who don’t consider that children play in the area.”
and …
“What are the necessary steps to have a stop sign placed on Third Street between Wren Avenue and Santa Barbara Street? The police department is way too under-staffed and far too busy to be babysitting these irresponsible reckless drivers that believe Third Street is free of any speed limits. Preventive measures need to be taken before a person is seriously hurt or killed. Driving is a privilege, not a right.”
Red Phone: Dear Sign Me Up, We can’t blame you for being concerned about speeders in your area.
Some people have added small temporary signs in front of their homes reminding people to slow down, but the city discourages anything that looks like an official traffic sign.
The city reviews areas and makes recommendations for improvements from time to time, City Engineer Don Dey said.
“We do receive periodic calls from people complaining of speeding,” Dey said. “We do take a look and assess the conditions. Private individuals can’t put up a sign that looks like a traffic control device. Prudent drivers will see them, but others will just ignore them anyway and continue driving recklessly.”
Gilroy Police Sgt. Jim Gillio said anyone who has traffic issues should contact the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Board, which may be able to assist with their concerns. The number is 846-0524.
And just a reminder for those who think speeding through a neighborhood is worth the few minutes that you save, slow down.
Traffic fines can range into the hundreds of dollars. You can lose your license for some offenses, and your insurance premiums may increase.
What’s up with broken slide?
“Please find out why the slide at Rainbow Park has been broken for so long. There is a pole sticking out of the ground that held the missing slide and it has sharp metal edges on it. Is the city waiting for a child to get injured?
Red Phone: Dear Slippery Slope, The city parks staff completed the work on the Rainbow Park slide replacement on Aug. 3, said Parks and Landscape Supervisor Bill Headley.
“The slide had been removed in May 2009 because of unrepairable wear damage to various plastic parts of the slide unit,” he said.
So, good caller, hope your kids are now safe once again.
