Gunning For Speeders On Dead-Man’s Curve

Robert Mankin has watched cars speed past his home on Empire Way long enough.

Now, the retired boilermaker has armed himself with a Sheriff’s Department radar gun and reader board and is fighting back.

Mankin says speeding cars and delivery trucks frequently use his Millwood neighborhood street as a shortcut around the Argonne underpass construction detour.

Sitting in a plastic chair in front of his home at 9621 E. Empire, Robert Mankin operated the radar gun and reader board, which displayed each passing car’s speed. He used a video camera to record the worst offenders.

Aimee Mankin, his daughter-in-law, sat nearby keeping a log of offending drivers’ vehicle makes and license plate numbers. The list will be forwarded to sheriff’s deputies, who will send a warning letter to motorists.

On Wednesday morning, they watched as traffic passed signs prohibiting large truck traffic and noting the 25 mph speed limit.

As a large delivery truck drove past his home, Mankin yelled to his daughter-in-law, “This guy shouldn’t be up here. Get his license plate number.” She quickly recorded the truck’s license number.

A few minutes later, a white minivan scooted around the corner at 47 mph. The driver hit the brakes when she saw her speed posted in big red numbers.

“See how fast they slow down when they see this,” said Robert Mankin, pointing to the sign.

On Wednesday morning, Mankin noted more than 70 drivers traveling faster than 32 mph, a threshold the Sheriff’s Department recommended. At least 18 registered speed of 40-plus mph.

Tuesday had been even worse. In about 2-1/2 hours, they recorded 117 speeders.

“I didn’t realize how bad the traffic was,” Aimee Mankin said. “He’d always say so, but I didn’t realize it until I came out here.”

Robert Mankin has lived in his home on Empire for the past 27 years. He said he has watched traffic worsen along his once-quiet neighborhood street as snarls along Argonne Road have increased.

This week, he turned to the Sheriff’s Department traffic unit for help. He checked out the radar gun and reader board on Monday, and was given five sheets to record speeders’ license plate numbers and vehicles types. After monitoring traffic for three hours Tuesday morning, Mankin went back that afternoon to ask for log more sheets. He plans to spend eight days monitoring traffic.

Sheriff’s Cpl. Jim Speaks said he sympathizes with Mankin. A sharp curve east of Mankin’s home makes it difficult to see, Speaks said.

“I felt uncomfortable trying to pull out of his driveway the other day,” Speaks said.

Mankin knows that bend only too well.

“This is dead-man’s curve on the Millwood freeway,” he said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: Saturday’s People is a regular Valley Voice feature profiling remarkable individuals in the Valley. If you know someone who would be a good profile subject, please call editor Mike Schmeltzer at 927-2170.