Over the past few weeks I have witnessed a large number of pickup trucks and cars speeding on the county road on which I live. I would guess that my gravel road is not unique to speeders but the speeds at which I have witnessed are dangerous for residents and other drivers using the roads. My road, Maries Rd 505, has a number of hills which prevent drivers from seeing on-coming vehicles until you come to the top the hill. Many of my neighbors drive ATV’s in the performance of their farm work on and which are traveling at slower speeds. Reaction time is minimized in all cases.
Some of the people I have seen appear to be deer hunters, others are just young men and women driving like idiots without a care for their safety, other drivers, or residents. Coupled with this, many places along the roads are only one lane wide making it even more likely for collisions or losing control and driving into the ditches and trees that line the roads. Because of the lack of rain, the roads are extremely dusty as well which causes visibility problems for approaching vehicles. I have never seen speed limit signs on any of the county roads I travel nor I do not know if there are statutes that set speed limits on unimproved roads in Missouri. Common sense tells me 50 plus miles per hour is too fast on our gravel roads.
Someday, someone is going to be hurt or, worse yet, killed by drivers who have no concern for the speeds they are driving. Just slow down and be considerate of others.
Cliff Oesch
