Thoughts after reading the speeding thread.

[Anonymous]

I sometimes speed. I don't mean to, but I have a heavy foot on an open road. When city driving, I am much more careful.

Two weeks ago, I was walking through a crosswalk with my three year old in Old Town and an SUV darted around a turning car, and hit us. We weren't injured, but REALLY shaken. I jumped in front of my daughter, and the bumper hit my leg with enough force to leave a pretty big bruise.

Folks, be careful out there. Don't gun it at lights, or take over another lane to bypass a car at stoplights or stop signs. Don't think that going 20 miles an hour can't be dangerous. My experience could have been MUCH worse. NPR had a story about this a couple of days ago.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry that happened to you! Did the driver stop?

[Anonymous]

what you describe is not speeding, though.

it's simply failing to drive carefully and prudently.

on many roads one can drive safely and prudently and yet exceed the speed limit.

important to keep the issue straight imo.

Hope you are OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what you describe is not speeding, though.

it's simply failing to drive carefully and prudently.

on many roads one can drive safely and prudently and yet exceed the speed limit.

important to keep the issue straight imo.

Hope you are OK.

this is an oxy-MORON

[Anonymous]

Yes, we should all learn when we begin driving: if everybody else is slowing down, just slow down too. It's unlikely that everybody else is just being dumb and you're the only one to figure out the quick route. More likely there's a good reason to slow, like OP in the crosswalk!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we should all learn when we begin driving: if everybody else is slowing down, just slow down too. It's unlikely that everybody else is just being dumb and you're the only one to figure out the quick route. More likely there's a good reason to slow, like OP in the crosswalk!

Yes! This is the OP, and I appreciate what you contributed to this thread. I can't run without pain, and my husband thinks I might have suffered more than a huge bruise.

[Anonymous]

I stopped for high schoolers at a crosswalk in a school zone in the rain. I didn't stop suddenly b/c I was going the speed limit and paid attention to people standing waiting to cross so I could slow and stop appropriately.

Another car almost hit the car next to me, leaned on her horn the entire time the kids were crossing, waved her arms, obviously cursing at me. My soon was in the car with me and asking why she was doing that. So I feel like shit for doing the right thing and know I will get rear ended for obeying the law.

[Anonymous]

Op I am really sorry this happened to you and I'm glad it wasn't anything worse. Hope it's just a bruise. I think the commotion yesterday wasn't weather people should speed, though many wanted to make it about that, but about dc lowering speed limits in places where they placed cameras. I absolutely agree that people should drive carefully and watch out for pedestrians.

[Anonymous]

It's the automatic $125 fine in DC for 11 mph over the posted limit with no questions allowed on a sunny day on a four lane road with nothing anywhere around that bugs me. The $40 in MoCo is annoying and will get me to slow down but the $125 in the District is over the top.

[Anonymous]

"It's the automatic $125 fine in DC for 11 mph over the posted limit with no questions allowed on a sunny day on a four lane road with nothing anywhere around that bugs me. The $40 in MoCo is annoying and will get me to slow down but the $125 in the District is over the top."

Well where in D.C. do you think it would be okay to drive more than 10 mph above the posted speed limit?