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To the Editor:

I’m concerned about large trucks speeding through Mecklenburg Avenue.

I’ve been a resident of Mecklenburg Avenue for nine years.  There are children all around my block, and their presence really brightens up the community. I always take time to speak to them, and I make sure that I’m never too busy to listen to what they have to say. I’ve given families in my neighborhood food and presents at Christmas because I really love these youngsters. The thought of a child/truck collision is cringe-worthy to say the least.

I’ve also observed traffic patterns on Mecklenburg Avenue. I’ve observed large trucks driving at excessive speeds, and I’ve seen plenty of passenger vehicles also driving at excessive speeds. Although the number of large trucks passing through is small, they make a big statement by their sheer size and the noise of the diesel engines. However, the majority of vehicles driving through at excessive speeds are passenger vehicles, and the odds of a child being struck by one of these vehicles is greater than the odds of a child being struck by a large truck. The sheer number of passenger vehicles speeding through Mecklenburg Avenue makes excessive speed, not the presence of large trucks, the real culprit.

Unfortunately, the majority of the speeding vehicles belong to residents of Mecklenburg Avenue or the adjacent streets of Lunenburg Avenue and Virginia Avenue. I’m disappointed at this fact, because Officer King lives on Mecklenburg Avenue, and Officer Gatlin lives on Lunenburg Avenue. The home I purchased and live in was the childhood home of Victoria Police Chief Keith Phillips.

The real and implied police presence is all around the area, yet people continue to break the speed limit. The residents of Mecklenburg Avenue are not victims of truck drivers from outside the area;  instead, they are victims of their own disregard for the speed limit and lack of caution.

A sign prohibiting through trucks might help with some of the problem, but it only applies to a statistically small number of vehicles.

I have my doubts about increased police patrol through the area to check for speeding passenger vehicles. After all, if a person will break the speed limit while driving by an off-duty officer’s home, what’s stopping them from speeding while he’s on duty?

Further, both of these proposed solutions take away tax dollars that could be used to repair and maintain the roads in the community.

My proposed solution is to simply assume personal responsibility and drive cautiously through the neighborhood.  This isn’t a popular solution, but it’s cost-effective and does the most good in reducing the likelihood of an accident involving a child.

 

Robert Scott

Victoria