Thursday, August 28, 2008

Curbside Odometers?


A reader writes in: "As long as I can remember, I've seen "Your Speed" signs on Montrose between Magnolia and Clark, one in each direction. But I can't ever remember seeing them work.

So some Uptown trivia: Has anyone ever seen them work? Ever? If not, why are they there?"

Okay, readers, your turn: Anyone got any experience with seeing these actually monitor a car's speed? Any clues, guesses, conspiracy theories about why they're there if they're not now, and possible never have been, operational?

10 comments:

  1. I have seen them work, but not in a long time. I thought they only display speed when it is pick up or drop off time at Stockton School. (So maybe that's why they are off all summer or during the evenings)

    ReplyDelete
  2. The worked for a little while shortly after they were installed. It was during the school year... one school year. Don't remember seeing them work since then.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wouldn't that be a speedometer? An odometer tracks total miles traveled. Now that would be a trick.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Agree with the other posters. They worked for a few weeks after they were installed and have not worked since.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Maybe they're advertising the nearest place to buy drugs in the area and instead of numbers the sign shows an arrow?

    ReplyDelete
  6. They work fine, they are meant to clock the speed of the residents of Graceland.

    ReplyDelete
  7. They used to work when they were doing a traffic study a couple or more years ago related to Wilson Yard. Interestingly, they were not in working order during the Summer when traffic is generally at higher levels.

    ReplyDelete
  8. There's one on northbound Ridge Avenue a little ways south of Howard that always gives me a little chuckle when I see it. It's not blank, or reading "00" like many of the others I've seen... no, this one reads "01", which of course immediately makes me think of the Dukes of Hazzard.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just another waste of the tax payers dollar.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've rarely seen them actually working.....it might be
    a general warning to drivers, to slow down so as not to hit a thug who's breaking into a parked car nearby?

    ReplyDelete