To the Safety Committee of the SWCA

We applaud the safety committee for its commitment to the well-being of residents in Shadow Wood. Your attention to dangers and remedial actions are most appreciated. The streets are well maintained, walkways are clear of obstacles, crosswalks are well marked, signings are adequate. The flashing speed signs are most helpful in alerting the driver to his or her speed (maybe we could use more of these), speed bumps around the clubhouse are a good idea. The golf cart paths have requisite stop signs. The four-way stop at the corners of Knollview /Oakwilde and the three-way at Oakwilde/Ciderberry are indeed important, very necessary and effective.

Saving lives and property is everyone’s common goal and we appreciate the committee’s efforts to help achieve those goals.

We are fortunate to live in a community where residents are successful, accomplished and law-abiding citizens. We believe they are indeed responsible and mindful of potential road hazards. This is clearly seen in the near absence of any auto incidents in SW in many years. We are not saying that unintentional mistakes never occur, but we do not see that the current plans obviate such mistakes.

This leads us to question the need for a system of radars and cameras which no doubt represents a consequential cost in equipment, installation, servicing, and monitoring, with, seemingly, minimal improvement in safety. This approach does not prevent accidents, it only alerts you to someone who has not come to a full stop at a sign or has exceeded the posted speed limit. It does not tell you if the action was in any way irresponsible or dangerous.

While some may exceed the posted speed limit from time to time, and maybe stop sign etiquette is not always rigorously observed by everyone, it is not apparent that such action has posed any real danger to residents. Moreover, the notion that SW residents cannot be trusted to look after their own safety and the safety of others is rather disheartening. It would not be good for SW to have the reputation that it’s residents must be so surreptitiously monitored.

We would like the committee to reconsider this current surveillance project from the standpoint of its efficacy and its cost.

Respectfully,

Residents of Shadow Wood