I would love to hear the reasoning behind the speed bumps in the middle of downtown. The speed limit is 25 mph, and most people stop before going over them. Then within 75 yards they are back up to speed of whatever they were doing before they stopped for the bumps. Why don't we put some on the freeway to make sure that people do 65 mph on Highway 101? That makes just as much sense as the ones in town.
Dear Downtown Racer,
We contacted Morgan Hill Deputy Director of Public Works Mori Struve regarding your question: "The speed humps were placed in Monterey Road to provide traffic calming in the downtown area. Pedestrians crossing Monterey Road at Third Street do not have the benefit of a traffic signal to stop traffic. The speed humps slow traffic down and help alert motorists that they are approaching a pedestrian crossing."
Red Phone didn't know that they're actually speed humps, rather than bumps. As for the idea of bumps on Highway 101; it sounds good on paper ... but in practice, not so much. It's bad enough that drivers have to deal with the random abrupt stops: people cutting into the commuter lane and not speeding up, drivers who follow close and just ride the brakes, etc. Plus, hitting speed bumps at 65mph would probably damage suspensions. We'd have cars flying in all directions.
Sending the non signals
My beef is with drivers who are entering Jackson Oaks Drive from East Dunne Avenue and who do not signal their intentions to turn right onto Jackson Oaks Drive. This causes unnecessary waiting for the driver trying to exit Jackson Oaks Drive onto East Dunne Avenue. Why is it so hard to just flip the lever on the steering post? It's the law, and also the courteous thing to do.
Red Phone:
Oh, but it is difficult! You see Blinker Watcher, extending a finger and flipping the signal lever costs approximately one joule of energy; which is equivalent to .24 calories. In each hand, there are about 29 major and minor bones, 29 major joints, 123 ligaments, 34 muscles, 48 named nerves, and 30 named arteries that are all involved with hand movement. Let's not forget the steps required to generate the signal in the brain, propagate it through the central nervous system to the peripheral nervous system which eventually stimulates the muscles required for performing the action.
There are also a number of chemicals involved in the signal transmission, not to mention the ones required for muscle contractions. But all these actions and processes require a simple thought involving either courtesy, common sense, or habit. That might be asking a little too much from the typical non-signaling drivers you've been seeing.
Price of admission
Why do they no longer have any big name entertainment at the Mushroom Mardi Gras?
Dear Mushroom Mardi Gras band fan,
When the festival was held at Community Park, admission was charged, and the cost of admission is what financed big name entertainment. The location of MMG was changed because of the construction of the Centennial Recreation Center, which is situated on the area that was used for parking. Now since the MMG was moved downtown and most recently, the Community Center, there is no cost of admission but at the price of big-name bands.
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Behind the brews: the origin and making of El Toro beers
