DEAR EDITOR,
A NOT-SO-MODEST PROPOSAL FOR RIVERDALE TRAFFIC

t has been many months since I brought my concerns about traffic on Riverdale to our Councillors. Here's what's happened since then:

Two police officers told me on three occasions there isn't really a traffic problem. Apparently, it's a "perception problem"; seems I only think cars are speeding. When a uniformed police officer stands in front of his cruiser and points a radar gun at oncoming cars, they all do the speed limit!

I'm told by city staff lowering the speed limit is a problem; 50 kph is the "universal" speed limit and change requires posting signs, something the city doesn't have money for. Given all the taxes I pay, you'd think they'd be able to scrape together a few bucks to put up a sign or two.

It has been suggested an easy way to reduce speeding on Riverdale is to allow us to park on the street. Hurray! Except nothing has been done to facilitate that.

The police suggest if we witness a traffic infraction, we write down the license number and file a complaint. Of course, we have to go to court 6 months later and swear the car owner was the person driving that day. Hard to do when the car is blowing by at eighty.

Why is Booth Street designated a "Community safety zone" with lots of signs and a reduced speed limit but Riverdale isn't? Why has Holmwood a reduced speed limit, but not us? Why can't you swing an old sock without hitting a stop sign in the Glebe but not here?

Safety should not be predicated on how loud one yells or how many meetings one attends. I'm tired of excuses. I call on our elected representatives to do something before we lose one of our children. If they don't, I call on my neighbors to make this an election issue this fall. No more excuses. Time for action.

Chris Knight

Fentiman