The “Drive Like Your Kids Live Here” signs are a national movement and recently popped up on the east side of Long Beach. We can only hope to see its message creep its way into the residential areas leading to and from Belmont Shore’s 2nd Street area.
Petulia Pugliares, who hails from historical Wethersfield located in the middle of Connecticut, became frustrated by motorists speeding through her neighborhood while out on a walk with her husband.
"I turned to my husband and said, 'This is ridiculous,' "Pugliares said, " 'People wouldn't drive like this if their own kids lived here.' "
This led to Pugliares making signs that read, "Drive Like Your Kids Live Here" to place in the neighborhood. Soon friends and neighbors were asking her for the signs as well. In May 2010 Pugliares began selling the signs through the website www.DriveLikeYourKidsLiveHere.com with the proceeds going back to either producing new signs or given as donations to charity organizations.
Petulia should be proud because two years later and 3,000 miles away her message is being received loud and clear in Long Beach. I admit I was a nay-sayer, thinking the signs made the neighborhood look cluttered but I have to admit it is a good and necessary message. True we still have speed demons but I know they make me personally slow down and think before I accelerate, and since I hail from the New York area, I need the constant reminding. The magnetic sticker I recently placed on the rear of my car is similar to having a 800-Call-Me-if-This-Driver-Needs-Correction sticker; I definitely think about my speed and general driving practices more as I feel compelled to live up to the sticker’s values.
The signs, decals and car magnets are reasonably priced on the website.
Here is a brief follow-up to what was written above.
Petulia Pugliares called me after receiving a copy of my blog. She has suggested in place of the corrugated signs, the community could work in conjunction with the city to install the permanent aluminum signs shown on her website. Petulia's gift in life may be giving everyone food for thought!
