Town of Apex to children- Get out of the street! (Columbus: insurance, school)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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So wait... you're OK with a law because the cops would choose properly when and when not to enforce it. "No biggie?!".
Holy cow. I mean you do realize that when it's a law... it's a LAW. I don't even know what to say about people that ambivalent to what our government sticks their nose into.
and we wonder why people rail of bloat at all levels of government.
I'm okay with the law because kids don't NEED to play in the streets.
It's not a violation of their civil rights.
If I hit a kid who was galavanting in the streets, unattended by little more than a tiny little fake traffic sign (tossed over on its side by the aforementioned precious youngster) I'd be devastated.
I love children. That's why mine play in the yard, at the park, on a playground, or in their rooms.
I don't think the Holly Springs and Apex issue are as similar as people are implying. There is a big difference between the effort needed to prevent a proposed idea (good or bad) from becoming a law (like in Holly Springs) and the legal wrangling needed to remove a law that has been on the books for some time (like in Apex). It isn't so much about letting "common sense prevail" as it is who can make the best legal arguement. The issues the Apex folks face with a law already on the books are much more complicated and difficult to solve than what the Holly Springs folks had to deal with since it was just a draft proposal in their case. A bunch of angry parents showing up at a handful of town council meetings isn't enugh to change a law on the books.
Understood NRG...but people showing up at meetings and getting involved is a good place to start...
Seems like they could just enforce current North Carolina law
Quote:
20-174. Crossing at other than crosswalks; walking along highway.
(a) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk
or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles
upon the roadway.
(b) Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead
pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the
roadway.
(c) Between adjacent intersections at which traffic-control signals are in operation
pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a marked crosswalk.
(d) Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and
upon an adjacent roadway. Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian walking
along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only on the extreme left of the
roadway or its shoulder facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction. Such
pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to approaching traffic.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise
due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway, and shall give warning
by sounding the horn when necessary, and shall exercise proper precaution upon
observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway.
§ 20-174.1. Standing, sitting or lying upon highways or streets prohibited.
(a) No person shall willfully stand, sit, or lie upon the highway or street in such a manner as
to impede the regular flow of traffic.
(b) Violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
So, if you come upon a bunch of kids in the street not yielding the right of way it is your legal obligation to lay on the horn with gusto.
I think there are 2 seperate groups of "children" that are being discussed in this thread.
1-Teens and 2-Younger than teenagers
Here is where I stand on the issue....if the kid is old enough to know NOT to play in the street or that cars are dangerous and can run you over (i.e.teenagers)... no reduction of speed is required. They should know better...if they don't get out of the way they suffer through life looking like a pancake.
All other age groups deserve reduction of speed OR a copy of F-R-O-G-G-E-R to prepare them for their teen years.
I think there are 2 seperate groups of "children" that are being discussed in this thread.
1-Teens and 2-Younger than teenagers
Here is where I stand on the issue....if the kid is old enough to know NOT to play in the street or that cars are dangerous and can run you over (i.e.teenagers)... no reduction of speed is required. They should know better...if they don't get out of the way they suffer through life looking like a pancake.
All other age groups deserve reduction of speed OR a copy of F-R-O-G-G-E-R to prepare them for their teen years.
Obviously I keed i keed.....
The problem in my area is that lots of elementary kids play in the street constantly. Parents are often standing on the sidewalk chatting while they do it. It isn't young kids that have wandered into the streets because they don't know better. There parents are actively letting them play there. Bad parenting. I've seen these kids come of driveways on bikes, toy cars, scooters, what have you, right into the road without looking. And like I mentioned earlier, in another part of the neighborhood about 5 years ago, a kid did this and was killed. Yet nothing changed. Not one little bit. Sad.
I lived on on a cul-de-sac in Apex's Walden Creek neighborhood. I think part of the conflict arose when children would play in the street past nine at night, creating a noise disturbance for those who needed to go to bed early. Also, with year round schools in the area, there could be kids playing on the street nearly every day of the year. Sometimes these games get loud and create a problem for people who need some quiet. Also, games like kickball, etc don't always stay contained to the asphalt and balls get kicked into neighbor's yards and some people don't like their azaleas getting trampled.
The street is a common area where people can meet and mingle. If it's not safe for kids to be there, then they shouldn't be. It's too bad people can't use their common sense, so we have to have these laws imposed on us. As for going to the park, that's not the same as the convenience of playing right outside your own home. The way some older kids tear through the play structures can be dangerous to young ones. My kids often get over-excited playing the the chaos of a park playground compared to quieter play outside at home. I know, in general, Apex has larger lots than Morrrisville, but many lots are not big enough for kids to play in. And where are they supposed to ride a bike if they don't have a flat driveway? Not all parents can take 2 hours our of their day to go hanging around at a public park. It would be nice if we could, but people have jobs and other responsibilities. If kids are getting killed in the streets, then I can see why a law like this would come into place. It's too bad, all around.
This whole issue arose out of a neighborhood dispute and a home owner upset about not planning ahead for a place for their children to play when they purchased a home.
Keep children out of the street and away from vehicles. Does that sound unreasonable?
This fight over one cul-de-sac has turned into a fight to change the rules for the entire town. Don't let the politicians fool you into believing they are thinking past November or that they will be at your child's funeral or hospital bed when your neighbor, who is late for ..., runs over your child.
Don't think that it can't happen here.
It does happen, it can happen, and will happen if the ordinance is changed. Open your minds and look at the make up of Apex and look at the map and count the cul-de-sacs. Tic-Tock.
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Don't let this happen in Apex
