Can’t they read?
(Well, maybe they really can’t)
It’s like passing that ordinance early in Reagan’s term proclaiming Madison WI a nuclear-free zone. That’s how the Head Groundskeeper feels about the signage on S. Whitney Way announcing, in solar-powered electricity, the speed limit is now 25 miles per hour. On a four-lane thoroughfare divided by a grassy median strip.
NOW do we feel so much safer!
Neighbor Bob W. here in Orchard Ridge reports that “I was going toward the Beltline on Gilbert [Road] and coming up to the stop sign at Hammersley [Road]. As I slowed to stop a car from the right going towards Whitney came through the stop sign going at least 60 mph.”
Can’t they read the signs?!
Terrell S. chimed in, via social media: “I’ve seen two cars drag racing down Hammersley, one coming straight at me in the wrong lane! The other passed a car by driving in the bike lane! Someone is going to get killed.”
Over in the Jamestown neighborhood, Cliff R. responded, “Oh, didn’t you hear? Stop signs and red lights have become optional in Madison. I see it everyday! Pretty stupid and dangerous. I’ve already been T-boned once and feel pretty lucky I wasn’t seriously hurt.”
Mike T. at Orchard Ridge also reports “narrowly escap[ing] being T-boned twice this summer at Raymond Rd and Whitney Way. It’s totally ridiculous.”
Susan B. in next-door Greentree encouraged them to file a police report. “The ones the moron mayor supported defunding?” asked Brad from Military Ridge.
A Midvale Heights neighbor proposed a police stake out to catch the speeders. At this point, a certain much-banned troublemaker in Orchard Ridge could restrain himself no longer. He posted:
“How quaint. The police are going to do a stake out for speeders.
Madison’s defunded police.”
Far as we can tell, the Squire of the Stately Manor retains his NextDoor posting privileges. Even got a couple hearts and a smattering of smiley faces for his effrontery.
25 mph on Whitney Way, a four-lane divided highway?
Driver’s ed for car thieves?
Over on the East Side of town Wednesday 09-22-21 a police officer noticed a dark gray Mercedes, with no registration plates, in the 3500 block of Milwaukee Street driving recklessly and speeding, eventually colliding with an innocent motorist near Walter Street. Three kids fled on foot but were eventually retrieved. Yeah, the Mercedes was stolen (they don’t steal junk). The kids were aged 16, 15, and 15.
About the same time, a sheriff’s deputy located a stolen vehicle on the Beltline near Fish Hatchery Road. Tried to stop it, gave chase but then gave up. Last seen on Willy Street downtown.
Early this Friday morning, shortly before 1 a.m., man arrives home in the newly constructed Glacier Ridge neighborhood on the city’s far, far SW side, south of McKee Road. He is greeted by “two suspects who were brandishing handguns,” according to the police report.
The only suspect description is that one suspect was short, the other tall. The suspects demanded money and then struck the victim in the back of his head with one of the handguns, causing significant injury. The suspects stole the victim’s wallet, keys, and vehicle. The victim was transported to a local hospital by Madison Fire where he was treated and released.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: But Mayor Satya is lowering the speed limit on S. Whitney Way and numerous other streets around town so we’ll feel safe. The judges are spinning the revolving door faster than an Iranian nuclear centrifuge. And progressive alders Nikki Conklin and Yanette Figueroa Cole are “reimagining policing.”
Education
Blaska Policy Werkes 
https://www.channel3000.com/two-hospitalized-in-4-car-street-racing-crash/
Weird how the 25 mph limit on Whitney Way didn’t prevent this.
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The reduction in speed limits in part of a national initiative called Vision Zero, which our mayor actively supports. Vision Zero is aimed at the regular person, not the criminal. The goal is zero deaths and injuries by 2030. The priority is the following, from Madison’s Vision Zero webpage:
…people walking, biking, taking transit, and driving.
Our mayor is on record for the elimination of cars. It appears that one of the tactics to arrive at that destination is to make it increasingly more frustrating to drive.
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re: Vision Zero:
“Sometimes they let what might be termed the mad pursuit of zero, in this case zero risk of anyone contracting the virus, block out other competing concerns, like the protection of mental health, the educational needs of small children, or the survival of small businesses. Pursuing one goal to the utter exclusion of all others is not to make a choice but to run from it. It’s not leadership; it’s abdication.”
– Purdue President Mitch Daniels
https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2021/Q2/purdue-president-daniels-biggest-risk-of-all-is-that-we-stop-taking-risks-at-all.html
This applies to traffic deaths as well … it’s absolute folly. Never gonna happen.
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I know the initiative is a euphemism for zero cars, zero individual rights, and zero responsibility (in other words: government-run everything including transportation monopolies— in other words totalitarianism) but they should just flip the words: Zero Vision.
They always fail spectacularly and expensive with their social engineering efforts.
The reduced speed limits on E.Was. is a RESOUNDING FAILURE. It has led directly to greatly increased road rage, aggressive driving, speeding — and numerous deaths, crashes, and injuries.
This B.S. does not need to be expanded with “cry harder” further reductions. We need to revert to the former speed limits which were actually safer and moved traffic more efficiently instead of traffic backups which directly cause higher pollution and higher fuel consumption as people aggressively drive to make up lost time.
Mayor Satyaphatassdown and Co. are such losers!
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And right on cue yet another bad crash on E.Wash. tonight.
The City has failed miserably and should restore the former speed limit. What is happening now is exacerbating the problem with terrible results.
The lowered has INCREASED aggressive driving, speeding, pollution, traffic snarls, death, and destruction.
This news article tonight should have been headlined “Ummmmm, duhhhhh, uhhhh, errrrrr”.
https://www.channel3000.com/its-deeply-frustrating-despite-efforts-to-slow-east-washington-ave-racing-and-accidents-continue/
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Even the progressive morons in charge of Madison must realize in their heart of hearts that those most likely to disregard the shiny new 25 mile-per-hour signs are the chronic speeders and drag racers who will continue to collide with pedestrians and other vehicles no matter what kind of signs are planted alongside East Wash.
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Only the pro-cop crew goes looking for more cash when their men in blue fail the community so badly. We pour more into the MPD than any other aspect of local government, and they can’t even crack down on brazen traffic violations occurring in the light of day. What are they up to when they’re not having sex in the squad cars?
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If you really want to know Michael put in for some drive-alongs, different shifts, different zones, different cops, and report back.
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