Talk of The Villages Florida - Motor Vehicle vs Pedestrian fatal accident The Village of Dunedin

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill14564 (Post 2019787)

I understand the concern about speeding and 50 in a 30 is a bit much. Do you really think that if the car that struck the pedestrian had been traveling only 20mph then the person would have survived? When 4000 lbs of vehicle strikes 150 lbs of human the vehicle always wins.

Rather than determining how slow a vehicle needs to go in order to safely strike a human, perhaps it would be wise to look into why the collision occurred and work to prevent that. Was the driver not paying attention? Was there a blind curve (doubtful)? Was the pedestrian walking in the center of the street or crossing the street without looking?

I'm not proposing to blame the victim , I'm just suggesting not to jump to the conclusion that speed was the primary and only cause.

I don’t think anyone is suggesting there is a ‘safe speed’ to hit pedestrians. A big benefit of going slower is that it provides more reaction time to avoid accidents.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dorebea (Post 2020132)

I don’t think anyone is suggesting there is a ‘safe speed’ to hit pedestrians. A big benefit of going slower is that it provides more reaction time to avoid accidents.

Well there isn't, after all you can die of an epidural bleed after tripping over your own feet. There also has to be a happy medium in this "no such thing as risk free" world. If a pedestrian is walking a 2 1/2 mph, then a speed limit for vehicle of 1 mph would probably prevent all accidents of this type, however........

Also, while reaction time , IN GENERAL, slows with age, nobody knows the reaction time of every driver out there, and therefore the generalization that "everybody needs to slow down" is ridiculous. The people exceeding the speed limit need to slow down to abide by the law. There are others that need to "speed up". And once you are out of the bubble and on an interstate, you need to stay the **** out of the left lane if you are going 55.

I love conspiracy theories. Over 38,000 traffic deaths in 2020. We drive to the Villages from Illinois. Over half the cars are exceeding the speed limits.
Not a front page story!
Speeders everywhere in America. Traffic deaths, tragic as they may be to friends and family, not extraordinary newsworthy events. No point to accuse the newspaper of hiding the facts which they published. Sad enough without needlessly pointing blame.

This is a very sad situation. The loss of someones life is awful.

Why do the majority of us rush through the few years we have left??

Yesterday I was going around the roundabout towards the Sanibel gate
and didn’t think the cars coming to the circle were going to stop.

WHY do you rush at 40 mph knowing you’ll be coming to the roundabout
and then JAM on your brakes?? Why not slow down as you approach?

WHAT IS THE RUSH????

Pedestrian Killed

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncic50 (Post 2019735)

At approximately 6:34 PM, Oct. 19th, a 69 yr old Villages Resident was struck and killed by a motor vehicle while walking on Piney Woods Path at Valleybrook Way in the Village of Dunedin. The victim died from his injuries. Even though not clearly posted, this area as per Section 17-5 has a 20 mph speed limit.

We recently moved back to The Village of Osceola Hills in TV. Our house is on Deskin Lane which has a designated (but NOT posted) 20 mph speed limit. While out walking on Deskin Lane, cars and trucks zoom past us going 30 mph and more. Like almost all of TV streets there are NO posted 20 mph speed signs here.

On Sept. 9th, I telephoned the Sumter County Public Works to inquire about having 20 mph speed signs posted on Deskin Lane. The County Commissioner stated that he would look into it. In a very short time I received a call from a Sumter County Sheriff's Supervisor. The SCSO Supervisor was receptive to my concerns, conducted himself in a highly professional manner and is a great ambassador for the SCSO. SCSO placed a Mobile Electronic Speed Monitor on Deskin Lane near St. Stephen Street. Most motorist slowed down when seeing the device but others just flew by repeatedly at 25-35 mph. After about 3 weeks the sign was relocated to another street in TV.

Unfortunately the SCSO is understaffed and under paid so the likelihood of the SCSO doing more traffic enforcement does not appear to be happening in the near future. We residents of The Villages collectively pay a lot of money in taxes and unfortunately more people will die in TV from motor vehicle vs motor vehicle and motor vehicle vs pedestrian accidents. SLOW DOWN people. We need more SCSO's on the streets.

Like most noteworthy news articles the 2 1/2" long article regarding Tuesday's fatal accident was buried in Section C, Page 4 of The Villages Daily Sun. Instead of hiding news worthy items like this, which is a disservice to Villages Residents; stories like the fatal accident should be on the front page of the paper. We deserve better!

I read that the pedestrian stepped off the walkway and into the path of the pickup truck. Can’t blame the driver when that happens. Sad situation!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilyclub (Post 2019862)

Says the person traveling in the left lane of I-75 doing 70 MPH.

Can drive there all day long if not blocking traffic. Only against law if impeding traffic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Driver8 (Post 2019980)

You ain't seen speed until you lived on Boone Ct. in Orange Blossom. It's Talledega my friends. Cars, trucks, golf carts, motorcycles, Segways, walkers, joggers and those true daredevils, bicyclists. An everyday occurrence is to hear tires screeching, horns blowing. curses being exchanged. Makes for quite the theater.

Can’t hold candle to calumet Avenue. B/V, el Camino Reno. MB. Or dozens of other through streets to get from a to b.

Quote:

Originally Posted by talonip (Post 2020043)

I walk very day. I see dumb stuff every day it’s dangerous out there. It is the problem in this world that nobody is held accountable Anymore. It’s always the dead guys fault because of what he is wearing. Come on.

It’s you’re also responsible to protect yourself. Which means don’t put yourself in life threatening position, never depend on the other guy to do the right thing. You maybe dead right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive (Post 2020004)

Agreed. I’ve noticed some intersections have red-light cameras. Why not speed cameras as well? Both serve the same purpose. Stop lights and speed limits are there for good reasons and people drivers do NOT have the discretion to ignore those reasons.

Driving is a privilege, not a right.

Why stop there? There should be a way to verify vaccine status before driving any vehicle including golf carts. But again, why stop there? Government could make us all safer if we all had to submit 'flight plans' before going out in order that our travels be more accurately tracked and controlled. 1984 can't come soon enough for our total government mandated safety!