At first glance -- no, scratch that -- it will take WAY more than just one glance to work out what a sign on Bogie Lake Road in White Lake Township, Michigan, is trying to say. And that's the problem.
Consider that a driver moving at 45 miles per hour only has seconds to read and comprehend any given street sign, then consider how long it would take to read, comprehend and calculate the information on this epic:
SCHOOL SPEED LIMIT 25
6:49-7:15 AM
7:52-8:22 AM
8:37-9:07 AM
2:03-2:33 PM
3:04-3:34 PM
3:59-4:29 PM
SCHOOL DAYS ONLY
Seriously?
Special speed limits near schools are not unusual. It's typical for the speed limit to change from 45 miles per hour down to 20 or 25 during certain times of day when kids might be walking to or home from class. It's common sense, which in this case seems to have been thrown out the driver's side window.
What's going on? Why not just change the speed limit starting at 6:45 a.m. till 9:15 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. until 4:20 p.m.? A combination of proximity and bureaucracy are to blame for leading to the road sign equivalent of War and Peace.
There are three schools on Bogie Lake Road. Each one with a different starting and ending time. Due to some very specific guidelines in the Michigan Vehicle Code, drivers cannot be legally compelled to slow down except when it's "...not less than 30 minutes but not more than 1 hour before the first regularly scheduled school session until school commences and from dismissal until not less than 30 minutes but not more than 1 hour after the last regularly scheduled school session..." (and in some cases at lunchtime).
With those restrictions in place, school officials tell HLN affiliate WDIV that they had no choice but to put up the very specific signs. It was either that or spend $50,000 for timed flashing lights or speed display signs.
In order to come up with a more street-smart solution, a meeting between city, school and county road officials will be held later this month. Til' then, next time you find yourself on Bogie Lake Road in White Lake Township, just slow down to 25 no matter what time it is.
Better safe than sorry.
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