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#11
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Mandy Anderson wrote: reducing their visibility. Why is it that some parents feel it is fine to impose inconveniences on the whole of society to make up for their laziness in controlling their children? I teach my children to stay in the yard, and would never trust thier lives to some speed limit sign or speed bump. We teach them that the road is for cars and the yard where cars can't go is for playing. Whew... take a deep breath here. Life is full of inconveniences, and part of living in a society is learning to deal with them. If you want no inconvenience, then go live as a hermit far away from anyone. There's nothing wrong with kids playing in the street if: a) they are old enough and observant enough to watch for cars, and GET OUT OF THE WAY if a car comes. This is for their safety, and as a courtesy to the cars (though cars BY LAW owe right of way to pedestrians). b) it's not such a busy street that it's a danger no matter what. As for speed bumps, the street I lived on was VERY narrow, with curves, trees and low visibility. It had a section of gravel and even though the speed limit was 25 miles per hour, people would come off the gravel and accelerate to 45 or 50. Now, the nature of the street was such that as long as a kid were careful, and kept to the side, 25 mph was fine for traffic to see and avoid a kid biking or walking along the side of the road (there was no shoulder to speak of). But at 45 mph, it was a serious hazard. Speedbumps would have made it from a serious hazard to one that was at least reasonable for a kid to ride their bike to the neighbor's, or walk along the side of the road (once they were old enough and savvy enough to do it safely). So here's an example of speedbumps merely enforcing the LEGAL speed limit. This isn't a matter of me wanting to inconvenience the drivers - they are already inconveniencing the neighborhood kids by going so fast. Have you asked the locals who want speedbumps why they want them? Could it be that the drivers in the area were speeding dangerously? If so - they were inconveniencing the residents, and putting everyone at risk. Cathy Weeks Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01 |
#12
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"Mandy Anderson" wrote in message
... I'm furious with my neighbors who seem to think the streets in our subdivision are for playing. We live in a little neighborhood, shaped sort of like the letter E, with the upper and lower prongs of the E connecting to a tertiary arterial, and the center prong and the serifs on the E's backbone being cul-de-sacs. The center cul-de-sac and the backbone is basically one large play area. There are kids of all ages who rove in pairs and small packs, playing ball, riding scooters and bikes, and hanging out. When I rode my bike home this afternoon, I saw a couple of scooters parked out front, and guessed correctly that there were going to be a couple of kids over at the house with my daughters. If I had to move to a different area, this is the sort of neighborhood I would seek again for my family: a place where kids rightly feel safe playing unsupervised in the street, and where you can just come over without having to have a play date arranged and mom transport you there. -- Warm Regards, Claire Petersky Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/ See the books I've set free at http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky |
#13
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My attitude is that streets are for people. I like seeing kids playing in the streets. It contributes to a healthy society: the kind of neighbourhood where neighbours are likely to know each other and to happen to see each other and spontaneously start friendly chats. It slows down cars, discouraging environmentally- unfriendly transportation. We live at the end of a dead end, so it's pretty easy to play in the street here. We keep an eye out for cars and call out "Car!" if we see one coming, and get out of the way. -- Cathy A *much* better world is possible. |
#14
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Catherine Woodgold wrote:
My attitude is that streets are for people. I like seeing kids playing in the streets. It contributes to a healthy society: the kind of neighbourhood where neighbours are likely to know each other and to happen to see each other and spontaneously start friendly chats. It slows down cars, discouraging environmentally- unfriendly transportation. We live at the end of a dead end, so it's pretty easy to play in the street here. We keep an eye out for cars and call out "Car!" if we see one coming, and get out of the way. My street ends in a dead-end, where kids do play, but in my block, it's part of a short-cut, so there are lots of cars. It's also on a slope -- playing with a ball would quickly evolve into chasing a ball downhill Having said that, streets with lots of cars traversing them are no place a kid, no matter how careful, to play. It is unsafe and rude. When my kids are tired of playing in our little yard, they walk to the park that's a block away. Perhaps the OP's neighbors should have been petitioning the county -- or the developer -- to put more parkland in near their house, along with a safe way to get there. Scott DD 11 and DS 9 |
#15
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"Mandy Anderson" wrote in message
... I'm furious with my neighbors who seem to think the streets in our subdivision are for playing. Several women who have nothing better to do petitioned the county to put speed bumps in to slow cars down, yet the speed limit of 25 mph is still fast enough to kill or injure a child. Our neighborhood has sidewalks that start and stop and most of the time, the kids are forced into the street to ride their bike. One thing I have learned in kindergarten that has stayed with me all my life, is that we must learn to share and look out for one another. Too bad you haven't learned that. -- Sue (mom to three girls) |
#16
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Mandy Anderson wrote: Why is it that some parents feel it is fine to impose inconveniences on the whole of society to make up for their laziness in controlling their children? You've hit a hot button for me. My children don't play in our street, because it's far too dangerous due to inconsiderate drivers. Why is it that some people feel it is fine to drive an SUV down narrow city streets designed for much smaller cars? If you live in the city, and park in the city, does it make any sense at all to buy an SUV? Why is it that so many people feel it's a requirement to have more than one or even two cars? Especially if they choose to live in an area that was never designed for parking more than one car, and has ample public transportation? And why do they feel entitled to park their darn extra car on the sidewalk? Or blocking pedestrian crossways? Forcing pedestrians to walk into the street to get around them? Why is it that we have all these miles of sidewalks, intended to keep pedestrians from walking in the street, but so many people don't bother to keep them shoveled? Why is it that I must feel like I take my life in my hands when crossing a street, because so many people disobey the "stop for pedestrians in crosswalk" signs? Why is it that so many people talk on their cell phones while driving? Don't they realize that research has proven that folks talking on a cell phone wouldn't even notice a gorilla walking in front of their car? Why is it that so many people abuse the posted speed limits? Why is it that we tell people they should walk and bike ride more, yet we don't put any city money into better sidewalks, bike paths, or bike lanes? And even those streets that do have bike lanes, the lanes are not consistent and/or cars insist on driving in them because they are in too much of a hurry and use the lane as a passing lane? And while I'm at it, why is it that you get a tax break for commuting by car or public transportation, but no tax break if you walk or bike to work? I pay my taxes too. If I want to walk, bike, rollerblade, run in the street, I will. Please be considerate and drive more carefully while you share the road with me. jen |
#17
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In article .com,
shinypenny wrote: Why is it that some people feel it is fine to drive an SUV down narrow city streets designed for much smaller cars? If you live in the city, and park in the city, does it make any sense at all to buy an SUV? I guess it depends where else you drive. There are some places where SUVs are the most appropriate vehicle choice. Cities certainly aren't one of them, but most people drive in a variety of locations/conditions. If you have three (or more!) children in carseats, a compact car isn't going to work for you. Some people will simply need a larger vehicle (not necessarily an SUV, but I imagine that full-sized cars and minivans also don't fit well on those same city streets). --Robyn (who drives a medium-sized SUV, but rarely ventures into the city) |
#18
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Robyn Kozierok wrote: I guess it depends where else you drive. There are some places where SUVs are the most appropriate vehicle choice. Cities certainly aren't one of them, but most people drive in a variety of locations/conditions. If you have three (or more!) children in carseats, a compact car isn't going to work for you. Some people will simply need a larger vehicle (not necessarily an SUV, but I imagine that full-sized cars and minivans also don't fit well on those same city streets). --Robyn (who drives a medium-sized SUV, but rarely ventures into the city) I have no issue with those who have large families and need a larger vehicle to fit all the car seats. I'm not begrudging your right or even your need to have an SUV, just asking for some common sense and consideration: If you absolutely need two cars, make one an SUV and the other a smaller car for those trips when you aren't carting around extra people. If you have an SUV for family trips, park that one in your driveway, and the smaller one out on the street. If you're driving down a two-way street that has SUVs parked on both sides, making only enough room for a single car to drive, then be polite every once in awhile and stop and let the other car go past first. Don't barrel towards me figuring since you're SUV is bigger I should make way for you. And if I do move over for you, be a peach and give me a wave of thanks, instead of an annoyed grimace. You're the one who chose to drive an SUV down a narrow city street; don't get annoyed at me when it's a pain in your butt. If you absolutely must own two or more SUVs, consider buying a house that gives you ample driveway parking for them. Street parking in the city is so scarce and getting scarcer by the day, because SUVs take up more than their share of the curb. If you absolutely must park your SUV on the street, don't park on the sidewalk, don't park blocking pedestrian crosswalks, and don't park where it clearly says "no parking." If you are my neighbor (grrrrr) will you please stop parking with your SUV's butt halfway blocking my driveway? Makes it hard for me to get out. And if you are my other neighbor (grrrrr), consider parking somewhere else, because every morning when I back out I come perilously close to backing into your SUV, while trying to maneuver around my other neighbor's ill-parked SUV. (what's even more annoying is that this particular neighbor actually has a very long driveway that could easily fit 4 or 5 cars... but despite being strapping college students, they never shovel their driveway and instead park all three SUVs on the street... I just don't *get* that!!). Be thoughtful when parking on a narrow street - if there is another SUV parked on the other side, ask yourself if you'll be leaving ample room for emergency vehicles to squeeze down the road? (Recently we got stuck for 30 minutes behind an ambulance, which got stuck because two SUVs were parked on opposite sides of what was supposed to be a two-way street, neither one parked very close to the curb. The ambulance people were running around knocking on doors looking for the owners so they could get one of the SUVs moved). And if you're driving any car, don't use a cell phone and don't speed. I'm sure you do none of these things yourself; please take my use of "you" above as not meaning you personally! Just venting one of my big pet peeves! jen (currently driving a corolla but contemplating downsizing to a minicooper, since they're so darn cute and very easy to park). |
#19
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In ,
Robyn Kozierok wrote: *If you have three (or more!) children in carseats, a compact car isn't *going to work for you. Some people will simply need a larger vehicle Yep. And if you have those carseat children AND you have extra adults in the household, AND you have at least one parent who must commute to work by car, you almost certainly must have more than one car. -- Hillary Israeli, VMD Lafayette Hill/PA/USA/Earth "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read." --Groucho Marx |
#20
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"Hillary Israeli" wrote in message ... In , Robyn Kozierok wrote: *If you have three (or more!) children in carseats, a compact car isn't *going to work for you. Some people will simply need a larger vehicle Yep. And if you have those carseat children AND you have extra adults in the household, AND you have at least one parent who must commute to work by car, you almost certainly must have more than one car. And, if you only have one child with you, it is FAR too much of a pain to move the carseat to the smaller car. I didn't realize just how annoying that would be (since we have bases for the infant seat in both cars) until we flew with Alli and had to install the base on each plane and in the rental car. I'm thinking when she outgrows the infant seat we buy 2 copies of the next carseat, too. -- Hillary Israeli, VMD Lafayette Hill/PA/USA/Earth "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read." --Groucho Marx |
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