On Saturday, September 12, at approximately 10:00 a.m., a convoy of at least a dozen motorcycles passed through the village heading west, travelling at a frightening speed, their roaring engines filling the air with noise. Several hours later, a convoy of at least a dozen racing cars passed through the village heading east, also at enormous speed.
These incidents are just further examples of the large number of vehicles that exceed the permitted speed limit in our village with impunity. Anyone who happened to be in the village at the time would have found it completely impossible not to notice the deafening noise of these vehicles—it seemed to be so loud that it could be heard as far away as Łapszanka.
The village of Osturňa has long had a problem with vehicles travelling through the village at excessive speeds and disrupting what was once its peaceful environment. The situation was made even worse by the widening and new asphalt surface of our only road several years ago. Today, I am no longer willing to walk my dog through the village because the road has simply become too dangerous for pedestrians.
I am not alone in this. Many residents of the village share this concern and believe that some form of traffic control is needed. The problem of excessive speeds in Osturňa needs to be addressed so that peace and safety can return to the village. I therefore ask you to present possible solutions that the village could consider and assess.
As this is a subject that concerns several residents of the village, I plan to share this letter on social media as well, so that they will have an opportunity to become familiar with it. I would also like to share your response with them, should you wish me to do so.
Sincerely,
Thom Kolton
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19.06.2026 17:58
Well, something interesting occurred today. For the first time in the fifteen years I have lived here, a police car sat parked in front of City Hall with two police officers inside. The timing makes me wonder whether their presence was prompted by my letter to the mayor.
I regret that I did not stop to speak with them and take a photograph. Had I done so, I would have explained that the stretch of road they were monitoring was not particularly conducive to speeding. Instead, they should have sought out stretches of straight road at least 100 meters long. That is where vehicles are most likely to speed.
I regret that I did not stop to speak with them and take a photograph. Had I done so, I would have explained that the stretch of road they were monitoring was not particularly conducive to speeding. Instead, they should have sought out stretches of straight road at least 100 meters long. That is where vehicles are most likely to speed.