Sorry for your loss.
Key item is the driver, who has a disability and does not do things "reasonably" the way she clearly should, at her age. Such behavior is actually an indicator of mental illness/disability. Understanding cause and effect relationships and modifying behavior to avoid the undesirable effect is not something that such people can or will do much of.
The benefit of this is that the neighborhood is now more aware and can take precautions... and hopefully the neighbors and their daughter will find a way to change behavior or get furtrher medications/help. The problem of mental illness/disability is far greater than most of us are aware....
President Bush's
Commission on Mental Health says:
"In any given year, about 5% to 7% of adults have a serious mental illness, according to several nationally representative studies. A similar percentage of children - about 5% to 9% - have a serious emotional disturbance. These figures mean that millions of adults and children are disabled by mental illnesses every year."
Thus, dealing with mental illness and its effects is very likely something we must do, either in our families or with our neighbors.
ultrarunner, you seem to have handled this admirably well under the circumstances.
I doubt that a speed bump/dip will do anything but cause problems for everyone living down the road.
Years ago I was taking my two boys, age about 10 and 12, to an Indian Guides meeting after dark. Two blocks from the house a large dog ran in front of the car. I was going maybe 25mph and braked the maximum while keeping the boys from being slammed into their seat belts too hard. I knew this would likely result in bumping the dog since it simply appeared out of the dark running straight across in front of the car and implemented my long ago decision that I would spill animal blood, if need be, before spilling people blood by
NOT completely panic brakeing when an animal (deer, dog, rabbit, cat, etc.) runs in front of me. The dog bounced off and continued into the night yelping. I stopped and exited the car to see what I could do and in about 30 seconds the owner appeared... a late teens fellow who had been out running with the dog thru the streets and vacant lots inside the city limits.
He didn't follow the dog to render aid, but attacked me immediately using a martial arts rotate 360 degrees and slam the opponent in the head/face with the foot approach. Taken aback and with the wind knocked out of me, I managed to reenter the car and drive off with the boys, leaving the owner to his anger and injured dog. Thus I can attest that stopping immmmediately and dealing with the dog and its owner can be a dangerous path.
May Rudy rest in peace and be long and fondly remembered by all.
