speed indicator on the Highland side of Davis

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

Anyone have a good idea why there's a speed indicator sign sitting on Highland Ave coming into Davis Square? It seems to start flashing around 24-25 mph, but as far as I've ever seen, the speed limit on all the roads around the square is 30 mph. If this is the city's passive-aggressive way of saying "slow down", I wish they'd actually include a speed limit sign with the expected speed somewhere nearby.

Comments

[ron_newman]

Is it sensitive enough to measure bicycle speeds?

[xuth.livejournal.com]

Most of them are. I've used them before to measure running (or stilt running even) speeds as well as biking. But they respond to the biggest, fastest moving (I don't know the heuristics associated with this) signal they get back so if there are moving cars around it will be hard to get a good result from you on bike.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

I don't know, but I think it'll be there through the 13th. I'm not sure what the temporary no parking signs say now, but Friday morning they said that it would be no parking "7/11 through 7/13", which I guess was supposed to be 10/11-10/13.

And, yeah, they should really indicate what the appropriate speed is. (I think they borrowed that from Cambridge, because a Cambridge PD vehicle delivered it.)

[ron_newman]

the HONK parade doesn't go down any part of Highland Ave, so I don't know why there would be any need to ban parking there.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

No, this was just a no parking sign for the message board. About 2 car lengths' worth of street parking across from the TAB.

[ron_newman]

Now I'm even more confused, because the TAB isn't anywhere near Highland Ave.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* You're right. I read "Highland" as "Holland". I'd encountered the message board on Holland when it was going up on Friday, and so assumed it was the speed indicator in question because I can't read...

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

If they put it up to slow cars down before they plow into the Davis Square Honk! crowds, I'd say it was a good idea.

[hubidajubidaba.livejournal.com]

Kinda crazy that the speed limit going into the square (Union as well) is 30 in the first place.

Anyone know why the permanent* speed indicator on Summer St. by the dog park went away a while back?

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Technically there isn't allowed to be a "Speed Limit X" sign unless that street has a special speed regulation approved by MassDOT.

If the default speed limit applies (30 mph in thickly settled areas), speed limit signs aren't allowed. And the rules are different. Going faster than an unposted limit in a thickly settled area is only evidence that you're going an unreasonable speed if you do it for more than 1/8 mile. (As opposed to if there's a special speed regulation and a Speed Limit sign, where instantaneous readings are allowed).