Can We Lower the Speed Limit On Rutherford Near Barrow Elementary?

Dear Editor,

As I was turning Left onto Lumpkin from Pinecrest this morning (by the track), going very slowly and looking both ways, a student biker on a 10-speed came barreling out of the Kangaroo gas station (the exit/entrance closest to Pinecrest), looking left to avoid oncoming traffic and not looking right at all as I was turning left. I had a split second to hit my brakes, no way could I have seen that coming at his speed, and I was thankfully looking in his direction. The guy swerved and didn't hit me but came scarily close. He didn't slow down or look back. Had I hit him, then I would have been at fault...and at that speed, he'd have been injured.

Next time, I think I'll lie on the horn and follow him and make sure he knows he needs to bike more safely. It really irritated me--I'm doing all I can to be safe, but some people are completely clueless, risky, and selfish.  I don't ever recall this being an issue at the University of Alabama when I biked and drove all around the campus in the '80's.

Also, I've been testing out the 25mph speed limit on the Rutherford cut-through.  You'd have to be a super speeder to fly over the speed bumps and take the curve at even the 25mph speed limit, possibly bottoming out your car. I sped up between all those and still couldn't hit the 25mph mark. So basically they should lower the speed limit to about 15mph and it'll be safer. It's funny that nobody's mentioned that, just complained about cut-through speeders (who in my estimation are likely not illegally speeding).

Joy Ovington