I wish Elk County would----------

[greatguns]

Maybe we should teach oour children not to play in the street or the middle of the road and especially if there are speeding automobiles on it.

[Sarah]

Maybe we should teach oour children not to play in the street or the middle of the road and especially if there are speeding automobiles on it.

Uhm, excuse me, but since when are children not allowed to walk down to neighbors homes to play?  And since when did the laws change that pedestrians have the right of way?  And since when are drivers not going to get their very lives sued out of them for killing a child and when are they not held criminally liable for doing so especially if they're exceeding the speed limit where they can safely stop?  Why can't adults learn to be responsible and not act like idiots???

[Sarah]

That road might also be the longest straight stretch of road in Elk County.  Makes a good speedway.  Maybe a "Cattle Crossing" sign would slow them down.  I have seen signs that say "Children Present" but only in residential neighborhoods in town.

Actually, there is a ranch just west of us.......uhm, it would be Wedman's and they have signs that say CAUTION: Children at play on each side of their property out on the road. 

[srkruzich]

Wouldn't these truck drivers driving 60 and 70 mph down these gravel roads be breaking the speed limit laws??

[Sarah]

Wouldn't these truck drivers driving 60 and 70 mph down these gravel roads be breaking the speed limit laws??

I think county road speed limits is 40mph.  But I could be wrong.

[Joanna]

The speed limit is actually 55 on county roads  (according to the KDOT website) unless it is posted slower; however the book states that you must also consider what is 'reasonable and prudent' for the road, traffic and weather conditions; so concievably they could get a traffic ticket while going 55 or even less ~ if there was someone there to give them one.  55 is much too fast for most gravel roads (IMO) but the folks who think their business is more important than other people's safety probably wouldn't slow down even if a lower limit was posted.

It's not 'fair' or right, but I hope you are teaching your kids to watch out for the bad drivers...  It's a skill they can use even when they are adults and/or drivers themselves.  I warn my adult kids to watch out for other drivers all the time.  They know that no matter how much I trust them I'll always worry about 'the other guy' doing something stupid.

[Sarah]

The speed limit is actually 55 on county roads  (according to the KDOT website) unless it is posted slower; however the book states that you must also consider what is 'reasonable and prudent' for the road, traffic and weather conditions; so concievably they could get a traffic ticket while going 55 or even less ~ if there was someone there to give them one.  55 is much too fast for most gravel roads (IMO) but the folks who think their business is more important than other people's safety probably wouldn't slow down even if a lower limit was posted.

It's not 'fair' or right, but I hope you are teaching your kids to watch out for the bad drivers...  It's a skill they can use even when they are adults and/or drivers themselves.  I warn my adult kids to watch out for other drivers all the time.  They know that no matter how much I trust them I'll always worry about 'the other guy' doing something stupid.

I agree and I do, but it's pure stupidity to drive that fast down these roads and as you go past any area where children are you will always see signs to slow down.  Why?  Cause children, like animals, are unpredictable.  Sometimes they jump out.  We have our whole house fenced in and a gate on the driveway.  They can't go too far, but it's the principle of the matter and from that I won't back down. 

[srkruzich]

Uhmm whats wrong with making the folks slow down?  As a former truck driver, I know there is no possible way that
these cattle haulers could safely come to a stop driving as fast as they do. IF they lose a steer tire right there where Sarah lives, they would most likely end up with the whole rig sitting in her house! 
So teaching kids wouldn't do any good if they lose it there and end up in the yard or the house.

Another thing i noticed one morning is that school bus that goes down rd 9, flys down it.  Doesnt' stop for nothing.  Went past the buss one morning and it didn't slow down a bit and took up the whole road. I had to take the ditch to keep from getting hit.

[greatguns]

Whew!  I didn't realize we were talking about how to make money by suing the socks off somebody.  I thought we were discussing the safety of children.  I didn't say you should run over the children.  I still do believe you should teach them to walk at the edge of the road and to face oncoming traffic as they do.  After what happened to the two girls in OK., I don't know that you should let your children walk down any country roadfor a fourth or a half of mile anyway.  So Steve you might sue and get you some money , but that wouldn't bring back a precious child.

[Sarah]

Whew!  I didn't realize we were talking about how to make money by suing the socks off somebody.  I thought we were discussing the safety of children.  I didn't say you should run over the children.  I still do believe you should teach them to walk at the edge of the road and to face oncoming traffic as they do.  After what happened to the two girls in OK., I don't know that you should let your children walk down any country roadfor a fourth or a half of mile anyway.  So Steve you might sue and get you some money , but that wouldn't bring back a precious child.

I agree that children are to be taught. 
But that doesn't exactly take away the responsibility of drivers on the roads does it?  We were watching rock trucks go down this road today and they were easily hitting 60 mph or better.  If ANYTHING were to jump in front of them they would never be able to stop safely.  No possible way and chances are in that gravel they would slide sideways and end up on their top side more than likely. 

I agree ditches are safe and that's usually where we tell them to go, but this time of year you try to stay out of any tall grass with all the rattle snakes around.  Anywhere where you can't see the dirt is questionable.  And as far as bikes are concerned it's a little dangerous to ride in the ditch.  It's impossible to ride in our yard.  It wasn't meant for bike riding.  But this is no major highway.  If we needed to have to worry about that I would have moved beside 400. 

I did actually noticed some big cattle haulers go by today and they actually slowed down when they went past these houses.  Miracles of miracles their brakes do work!!  They went by here at about 35 maybe.  I was very impressed!!  Thank you to who ever that was!! 

This road is not a big huge road.  And just south of us it turns to one car wide with grass in the middle of the road.  It's not like it's a major road.  Why the rock haulers choose to go roaring down this road is beyond me.  But people shouldn't have to fear for their lives when walking on the road because truck drivers think they need to show off a little and show just how fast they can go.