Comments on: Fatal Hit-and-Run on North Decatur Overnight

By: PMcG

PMcG — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:40:54 +0000

Just to clarify this location…apparently the lady was hit on N. Decatur Road near I-285, east of Ponce de Leon (where the softball fields used to be and the Citgo station where Shanon Melindy was abducted). This is shown in WSB and WAGA reports with reference to the Lantern Ridge development.

That information doesn’t change the horrific nature of the incident, but it should be clarified.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:19:18 +0000

I read in the AJC that the woman killed had 8 children and had visited a convenience store to buy food that night.

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:34:23 +0000

It’s not a cut-through… it’s the main approach to Emory from the east. Some incoming Emory employees drive like maniacs through here and every morning they inconsiderately block the red light at Webster Drive, forcing drivers taking a left onto Eastbound North Decatur to navigate an obstacle course to get turned. I’ve seen drivers (probably some VA employees or patients) pass at that intersection in the not-a-turn lane on the left and take an illegal right from it, cutting across two lanes of stopped traffic and almost hitting pedestrians in the crosswalk. To top it all off, probably 1% of drivers run the red light outright at Webster, from what I’ve seen.

There is a sidewalk on the North side of North Decatur Road where this accident happened, just not on the South side of the street.

I have seen one particular lady walking on North Decatur Road, in the street, right next to the sidewalk (on the north side of the street), and on the other side of the street, numerous times. Weirdly, she always walked with traffic in the street, not against it. I’m afraid this might be her that got hit; I regret never sticking my head out the window and telling her to get on the sidewalk.

Another factor: that night visibility was very low because of the storm… there was standing water everywhere here at that time.

By: Christian

Christian — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:25:53 +0000

How bad is the problem of people speeding through that neighborhood as a cut through to Emory and the VA? I lived on Woodridge until a couple years ago and people would fly through there like it was some sort of speedway.

By: Parker Cross

Parker Cross — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:32:16 +0000

I agree with you that we are often going faster than we realize. I think that’s why those “your speed” indicators are effective. I’d like to see more of those.