Over the years living next to the elementary school in Alcester, it has been pleasant and no big issues with one exception.  After school, the high school athletes travel the equivalent of 4 city blocks from the high school to the elementary school where the jocks and jills dress for practice and commence jogging back the way they came running, in some cases, a circuit of the town to warm up.  All but one of those city blocks between the high school and the elementary school is school zone, 15 mph and is duly marked with 15 mph school zone signs wreathed in little bright lights.

In my experience, when the 3:00 p.m. dismissal bell rings at the high school, a handful of students take on the persona of drivers at Daytona after the call, “Gentlemen start your engines!”   Four blocks away I can on a calm day, hear the roar of engines emanating from the high school parking lot and as I look out my window I can see cars pop up over the hill by the pool.

In the past a handful of student drivers have come screaming over sixth street eastbound, down Lincoln Drive and into the parking area by the locker rooms at the elementary school building.  NOTE:  most of this action is taking place while the elementary school is dismissing students into the bus loading area adjacent to the locker rooms.  In addition, homeward bound elementary students are walking up the same Lincoln Drive these handful of self entitled jocks and jills are racing down.

When the lighted 15 mph signs went up and with obvious police presence, the jocks and jills did and do adhere to the 15 mph school zone speed limit.  No police presence?  All bets are off.

Over the 27 years I have lived on Lincoln Drive, I have witnessed this phenomena, filing formal complaints when the situation warranted it and appearing in court.  The local officer cannot patrol everywhere at once.  I am done with silence, so parroting a song lyric, “the witch is on the prowl”, I have a video camera which is ‘best evidence’ to dangerous behaviors.

On March 22, 2018, I witnessed a micro four-wheeler pop four wheelies from sixth street and down Lincoln Drive around 3:15 p.m.  I did not have my camera set up, but after practice and on Master Micro Four Wheeler’s return trip up Lincoln Driver my camera was in place and the resulting video was sent to the police department.

On March 23, 2018, I witnessed  a green DIY truck and red dodge racing down Lincoln Drive but alas my video card was processing.  I immediately drove down to the school parking lot to confirm the vehicle license of the two offending  culprits.  As I walked toward the public entrance of the school I asked some passing students who owned the green truck, they said they didn’t know.  However their memory must have miraculously improved when they passed through the locker room door, ’cause a couple moments later out rolls young JM, (Major Jock Ego for short) and demands to know why I was taking pictures of his truck.  I told him I hadn’t  taken pictures of his truck but I did record his truck license number.  I asked him if he knew that the speed limit was 15 mph?  Major Jock Ego answered,

“I have to drive faster to keep my truck running…”

Yup, honest onion that is what he said!  Major Ego in the words of Mr. Sedaka,

“…it could’ve been me, But it was you, who went and bit off a little bit more than he could chew…”

So Major Jock Ego enjoy the video, apparently your truck WILL stay running at 15 mph.  See those little white waypoints in the ground, they are 22 feet apart and if your little ol’ truck passes those way points in 1 second?  You sir, are traveling at 15 mph.  Oh by-the-way Major Ego, thank you for the suggestion of taking a picture of your truck, that was one fine idea!