Social and behavioral problems within communities are rarely caused by the majority—they’re more often the result of a few misguided people whose selfish behavior either directly or indirectly affects those around them. Such is the case with drivers who exceed the speed limit in and around Highland Lakes. Many people who use our roads respect the law and the importance of safety by resisting the urge to drive faster than 25 mph. They recognize that our roads are narrow, and the lines of sight are often limited by turns, sudden changes in elevation, and vegetation. But then there are some—members, and commuters who pass through—who have no regard for speed limits or, more importantly, anyone else who happens to be on the road.
These people—the indifferent, the inattentive, the self-absorbed—act as though the law doesn’t apply to them. Their behavior served as the catalyst that recently drove the Roads committee to recommend to the Voting Board that speed humps should be installed in specific locations around the Main Lake. And the same behavior drove the Voting Board to approve the Roads committee’s recommendation—the first round of speed humps are scheduled for installation later this month.
The fact is, our roads are shared by bicyclists and pedestrians (many of whom are pushing baby strollers, walking with small children, or being dragged around by pets). Injuring or killing one of them with an automobile (or having that fate befall you or a loved one) is a nightmare that ruins lives. Ignorance or disregard of the speed limit (legally it’s 25mph, with 15mph as the suggested speed limit on our roads) is not a viable defense. Neither is “I was running late.”
The speed humps are a physical reminder that will act to dissuade scofflaws from speeding through our community, but the message they send to members and non-members alike should be heard much louder and taken much more seriously: The Club values human life more than any individual’s commute time, and our roads do not exist as a high-speed shortcut or risk-free motor skills test. Plan to leave your home a few seconds earlier so that you don’t feel compelled to speed… at least not inside the very community in which you live. Demonstrate some self-awareness, show respect for your neighbors, be a responsible member of your community, and use a modicum of common sense and decency—please slow down on our roads.
