Forum Post by Leanne:
I don’t even know where to start, but I have to say something because this has gone too far. Fairfield Avenue South here in St. Petersburg, Florida, has turned into an absolute madhouse. Every single day — morning, afternoon, and night — cars come speeding through this street like it’s a racetrack. It’s gotten to the point where I honestly fear for the children who walk to and from school across the street from where I live.
There’s a speed hump right here on our block that’s supposed to make people slow down, but it doesn’t. These drivers don’t care about rules, safety, or even common sense. They hit that hump so fast it sounds like their cars might break in half, and then they just keep going like nothing happened. It’s pure recklessness. You can literally feel your house shake when some of them speed by.
What’s worse is that this isn’t new. I’ve called the police multiple times. I’ve filed reports. I’ve given descriptions of the cars. But nothing has changed. The same chaos continues, and the same group of people keep treating our neighborhood streets like it’s the Daytona 500. Where is the law enforcement? What’s the point of calling when nothing happens afterward? It makes you feel like your safety — and the safety of our children — doesn’t even matter to them.
The most heartbreaking part of all this is knowing that something tragic could happen any day. These kids walk right alongside the road to get to school. They cross the street. They ride their bikes. And with how fast these cars are going, it’s only a matter of time before a child gets seriously hurt or worse. That thought keeps me up at night. I don’t understand why people are this inconsiderate. Do they not realize that this is a residential area where families live, where children play, and where people are just trying to have peace in their own homes?
I’ve lived on Fairfield Avenue South for years, and it never used to be like this. There was a time when it felt like a real community — neighbors talked to each other, traffic was calm, and kids could play outside without fear. Now it feels like we’re living in the middle of a drag strip. Every time I step outside, I’m watching over my shoulder, praying a car doesn’t come flying around the corner.
Something needs to be done, and it needs to happen now. We need more police presence. We need speed cameras or patrols set up near the school. We need stronger enforcement of traffic laws before a preventable tragedy happens. I don’t want to wake up one morning and hear that someone’s child was hit by one of these reckless drivers because no one took the warnings seriously.
If anyone from the city or police department happens to read this, I’m begging you to take a closer look at Fairfield Avenue South. This is not an exaggeration — it’s a serious problem. We need patrols, signs, tickets, something — anything — that shows drivers this street is not theirs to abuse.
As a resident, as a mother, and as someone who genuinely loves this community, I’m speaking from the heart. We deserve better. Our children deserve to walk to school safely. Fairfield Avenue South should not be a place of fear and chaos. It should be a place of safety, family, and peace — the way it used to be.
