ICYMI: Baltimore County Residents Sound Off on Safety Issues

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD– Sunday morning in Baltimore, a cruise ship crashed into a gangway, causing the gangway to fall and damage three cars underneath, according to a statement by Carnival to WBAL editor Mia Rosas.

While worrying about death by rogue cruise ship isn’t something to lose sleep over, there are other possible dangers that affect Baltimore County residents.

Don’t forget to like Towson Patch on Facebook!

We asked Patch Readers what they thought the biggest safety issues were in their town. Here’s a list of the most pressing problems, from break-ins to traffic jams:

• "Daytime security for elders living alone"
• "Constantly reading about break-in attempts and successes, people being accosted while walking at night, and armed robberies at local businesses are at the top of my list. Another huge safety issue is with the extreme over-building on every patch of grass that can fit a home or apartment building, traffic is insane and the roads are too small, allowing texting/talking drivers to become a hazard, driving over the line while not paying attention. More than once a week, I get passed on Ebenezer going past the school (and I mean car full of kids zooming over the double yellow lines and going 50 around me) since I don't speed. Most people I talk to want out of this once quiet and beautiful area. Can't pick from so many awful things."
• "People walking in the roads rather than on the sidewalk."
• "Speed on side streets. Drive 25 and keep a kid alive! Children are playing outside now that the weather is warming up. Also, PARENTS - your kids should be in bed at 8:00pm on a Sunday night, not knocking their neighbor's door to ask permission to shoot hoops in their yards!!!!"
• "Overcrowding at the high school due to crazy boundaries, people using others addresses'!"
• "The "bike lane". They made a bike lane on a heavily used road (the Towson bypass) and made 3 lanes into even tighter lanes--to make room for the bike lane . Now you can't see the lines on the street and there isn't really room for a bike lane. I see people using it and it's very dangerous for them."
• "Moved her from California in the 90s and fell in love with hne country atmosphere. Now like everywhere it is way over grown and they just keep on building houses. I agree With the Section 8 housing as well. I can't get out of here fast enough"
• "Drag racing on Sunday nights."
• "Speeding on side streets where kids run out between cars and poor animals get run over or into. Speeding but also tailgating those who ACTUALLY are driving the speed limit as if you can intimidate or bully me into going faster."
• "Too many speed bumps messing up vehicles."

According to HealthGrove, a medical news site, dying by assault is more common in Maryland than many other states. There are 6.7 deaths per 100,000 in the state from assault, compared to 3.2 deaths per 100,000 for the country.

And it’s not just assault. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 442 traffic fatalities in 2014, thankfully down from 614 deaths almost a decade earlier.

But it’s not all bad in Maryland!

From lucky moms winning the lottery to animal success stories, plenty of good happens in your neighborhood.

Just last week, a humpback whale was spotted breaching in the Chesapeake Bay. Humpback whales may soon be moving off the endangered species list, where they’ve been since 1970, after an increase in population.

Each week, Patch works to bring Baltimore County residents the latest news from their area. Some good, some bad and some delicious.

Is there an problem that wasn’t mentioned? Share it with us in the comments below or on our Towson Patch Facebook page.