I have been trying to get a response from Red Oak Sanitation about when they would be picking up our cans and refunding our $50 deposits. Today when I called for the 3^rd time, I received the famous “due to large call volumes” voice response and had to leave a voice message. Frustrated with the lack of response, I sent an email to the company website. Below is the response. Roger and I plan on taking them up on their offer ...

Yesterday, June 21st 2010 my dog was struck and killed by a speeding auto on Oakwood Hills Dr. I am ultimately responsible as my dog was not on a leash. While I don't have any ill feelings towards the gentleman who struck my dog, bottom line he was speeding and doing so way over the limit despite his own testimony to the opposite. I have lived in this neighborhood for 17 years and speeding has been problematic always. In fact I am watching cars racing down Oakwood Hills as I write this. Most speeders don't even realize they are going fast. Being used to driving 65 MPH on Peachtree Industrial and 50 MPH on Suwanee Dam I can understand why.

The average stopping distance for a auto traveling at 25 MPH is about 30 feet given good reflexes. The same car at 30 MPH is almost 45 feet. At 35 MPH it is over 60 feet, twice that of 25 MPH, our neighborhood speed limit. At 20 MPH the stopping distance is about 15 feet which under most any circumstance is enough time to stop.

Over the years I have stopped many speeders, including a speeder yesterday after my dog was struck. The argument is always "I was only going 30 or 35 MPH". This small "perceived" difference is the difference between life or death for a child or animal entering the road. In reality many speeders in our neighborhood are driving 45+ MPH (I have clocked) and often times on the cell phone which exaggerates the stopping distances considerably. A few years back I even watched a teen loose control of his car at the bottom of the hill on Oakwoods Hill, destroying the front end of his parent Station Wagon. Honestly I am surprised this does not happen more often.

I offer this challenge to everyone reading this: Try consciously driving between 20-25 MPH next time you come down our road. You will notice quickly how "fast" you are going and also sense immediately how much more in control you would be should something jump in the road. Also next time you are driving without thinking too much, look down at your speedometer. My guess is you will be shocked.

For those of you who don't care I only pray to God for you, as one day you may be standing over a child wondering what happened and what you could have done different ... Frank Ditore