tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post6815291466650051842..comments2024-02-19T08:12:53.815-05:00Comments on The Right Thing: Slow down, you're moving too fastJeffrey L. Seglinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15648051034425906705noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post-87974350292517078002012-07-16T02:49:37.260-04:002012-07-16T02:49:37.260-04:00I bought those little yellow "SLOW" men ...I bought those little yellow "SLOW" men (with flags) for my daughter's house, which is positioned on a long but completely residential street, in order to help protect my twin grandsons who were three at the the time (and now six). My daughter's street is notorious for having people (mostly younger drivers) speed down it. <br /><br />Little kids don't automatically think about the dangers of running out into a street to get a ball, or blindly running across to see their best friend, and we are constantly training them about it.<br /><br />My daughter and her husband forbid their sons from playing in the street, and they can only cross it with an adult. When there is active front yard play, those little yellow men take their positions.<br /><br />Just about six months ago, a woman who lives in a house about two blocks down from my daughter, yelled at her for having the yellow men in the street! They were not out any further than a parked car would have been. My daughter was stunned by the woman's extreme lack of concern for the children, who also threatened my daughter with calling the police. My daughter beat her to it, and called them herself! The police reassured her she was right to have the yellow men there and right to alert them to the irrational woman. <br /><br />The woman no longer bothers my daughter, and my daughter does indeed yell to indiscriminate speeders to slow down. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't. Most of the neighbors in the adjoining tracts who use the street will slow down if they see activity in the front yard, and certainly slow down when they see the yellow men. <br /> <br />This situation has even made me a more considerate driver on residential streets, because the last thing I would ever want to do is hurt a little child with my car. <br /><br />The speed limit on most residential streets in California is 25 MPH. There's just no good reason to go faster than that, and lots of good reasons not to.<br /><br />A GrammyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post-53915294930759170242012-07-15T16:02:28.452-04:002012-07-15T16:02:28.452-04:00It's a shame to be critical of the woman who w...It's a shame to be critical of the woman who was only showing concern for the children, but in today's world, no matter what the circumstances, it's probably best not to get into arguments with the neighbors. Stopping her car in such situations is tatamount to confrontation so the lady would be well advised to avoid any further discussions with the neighbors, who seem unwilling to cooperate. <br /><br />Charlie Seng<br />Lancaster, SCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post-90776862855608734322012-07-15T12:19:55.756-04:002012-07-15T12:19:55.756-04:00Forget trying to claim you're going under the ...Forget trying to claim you're going under the speed limit. A pedestrian can't judge the speed of a moving car very well, and certainly can't see your speedometer. If a pedestrian thinks you're going too fast, you're going to fast. And trying to argue isn't going to make any difference.<br /><br />That said, any parent who does not teach kids to stay on the sidewalk is negligent, no matter how many "slow down" signs they post.<br /><br />In my daughter's neighborhood, kids jump rope, hopscotch, skate, and play basketball in the middle of the road. It's a long cul de sac, it doesn't get much traffic. But it does get some traffic. And the kids are downright rude about standing in the middle of the street when you're trying to come through.<br /><br />In my neighborhood the teenagers make a power game out of standing in the middle of the intersections and blocking traffic. Some neighbors have had to call the cops to get basic cooperation.<br /><br />There are too many idiots yakking on their cell phones or driving high. They aren't going to pay attention to "slow down" signs. If you love your kids, teach them basic manners and teach them to stay the hell out of the road!Grandma Beehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15393052587240200239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21166579.post-66685372855220907052012-07-15T10:56:27.732-04:002012-07-15T10:56:27.732-04:00I grew up in a house right on US route 5 before th...I grew up in a house right on US route 5 before the interstates came in. There were gazillions of cars speeding by. Always.<br /><br />I used to laugh (INSIDE OF COURSE) when the teachers would say "now kiddies, don't ever play in the road". Never thought of playing in the road. Any road. Even once.<br /><br />As for the ethical issue, a road is for cars like it or not and people should always beware. Believe it or not, the mothers would be upset if their kid were hurt or killed and all the barriers, warnings, screaming, paintballs, or even gunshots will not prevent it. Accidents are accidents and a dead or crippled kid is forever.<br /><br />The mothers must have grown up in Siberia or the Yukon. Certainly not where I did.<br /><br />Alan O<br />Greenfield, Ma.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com