Letter to the Editor – Dan Topolewski

Dear Editor,

I had to chuckle with familiarity when reading of the plight of residents of Harper’s Ridge. We live in a neighborhood that was once known as “Tamie Farms,” which also exits onto S. Houston Lake Racetrack, I mean, “Road,” as well.  

Regarding speeding WITHIN the neighborhood, the residents will just have to man-up and learn to “self-police.” We once lived on a “cut-through” street in a neighborhood full of families with young children. Back then, I had a troublesome rake that would accidentally slip out of my hands and fly across the street in front of speeding cars (the speed limit was 25, and my flying rake could EASILY recognize speeders before it launched out of my hands).

But the problems the Harper’s Ridge residents experience when getting INTO and OUT OF their neighborhood will require official action. Over the past few years, I have informed the Houston County Sheriff’s Office many times that they could easily make their monthly budget in a single week of merely ticketing speeders on Houston Lake Road, but nothing has changed to date. We are “one of those” couples that you cuss at when you are trying to get around us, because we try to keep to the speed limits, and we know enough to stay in the RIGHT lane unless turning.  

As an aside, my careful and conscientious wife was starting to make a left turn onto Westridge Drive from HLR when she determined that the opposing driver heading north at a break-neck speed was closing too fast for her to get through the intersection safely, so she decided to stop and waited for him to pass. During that time, the light changed, and SHE got a ticket for running a red light. I have subsequently reached out to the Chief of Police for an explanation why, but no answer has come.

Dan Topolewski

Kathleen, Ga.  

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