I think that speed humps constructed on public streets upon the request of a single homeowner is illegal. These homeowners do not own any particular section of their street.

We all pay taxes to maintain our streets with the very best travel surface. To place an elongated glob of hot mix across it compromises its surface and its aesthetic appeal. For one to impede our travel on our streets is an injustice to all of us. They may be slowing down a few bad guys, but they are harming a multitude of good guys.

It would seem to me that the tons of hot mix, expenses for equipment and labor and money spent for signage etc. used for speed humps could have been better spent in repairing pot holes around here.

I spoke with Supervisor Henry Watts several years ago, letting him know that should a speed bump be placed on any of the streets that I use in going to and from my home, that I would test the legality of these things in court. I am still as adamant about this, and believe I could present a very strong case.

A speed bump constructed upon the request of a signed petition by the majority of the neighborhood, to me would seem legal — perhaps not.

Speed bumps look awful and make a neighborhood look like a high crime area of drive-by shootings and fast getaways. To me, watching a line of cars traveling down one of these “washboard” roads looks like a Mexican barrio complete with jumping cars.

In addition, speed humps cause excessive wear and tear on our vehicles. They cause excessive wear on tires, brakes, suspension systems, shock absorbers and cause rattles in our dashboards.

The first step in solving a problem is to define the problem. Why would certain individuals want speed bumps and others do not? Have there been any children harmed lately by an influx of speeding accidents?  The last child I can recall was about 20 years ago and involved a drunk driver driving his car in the gutter of a street. He drove up on the rear of a child riding his bike in the gutter, with disastrous results.  Speed was not a factor. A thousand speed bumps would not have deterred this accident.

Do certain people want speed bumps since they are having difficulty getting onto the street because of traffic? These folks should have realized before they moved onto their busy street that traffic would be a problem. It is tantamount to buying a house near a busy airport and later complaining about the noise. We all must cope with something.

Speed control is, without question, a function of the police. My solution to this problem is, don’t tear up our cars with speed bumps, just call the police. I can guarantee that if enough people ring their bell enough times they will get results.

In addition, with a few extra tickets, the city may get a few extra bucks to hire a few extra policemen.

Ed Field

Natchez