Pedestrians only have the right of way to cross at corner, with or without crosswalks, and otherwise painted or marked crossings, not anywhere that they want. Also, right of way refers to crossing the street, not playing in it.

How bout not letting them play in the street period?

I won't drive in your yard, you don't play where I drive. Pretty easy.

I've never really understood all this "but pedestrians have the right of way" nonsense (even if they do have it). It's kind of like playing rock-paper-scissors, only the game is toddler-car. Car beats toddler every time.

My wife talked to the HS kid's g/f, not the mother. And there was no disagreement there. My wife told her there's a stop sign and kids constantly playing, and the g/f apologized and it hasn't been an issue since. Where do you get that there's tension between us and the HS kid's mom in that? Especially since I started the post saying everyone in the cds gets along?

You're wrong NT (at least about VA), and you should check the laws in your state to make sure you know them.
http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/c...dm/vadm2-3.asp
Pedestrians: Generally, there are three types of pedestrians most often involved in accidents: children, the elderly and adults under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.


Be careful around schools, playgrounds and in residential areas where small children may be playing or crossing the street.

Look out for the elderly, who may have poor vision and hearing. Remember that they and people with disabilities will move slowly. Be aware of blind pedestrians crossing the street. Blind pedestrians usually carry a white cane or use a guide dog.

Be especially aware of pedestrians when making a right or left turn on red. They have the right-of-way. Allow pedestrians to completely cross the street before beginning your turn.

Be alert for pedestrians at all times. Slow down and be prepared to stop. Always yield the right-of-way.


This ignores the fact that the driver in question disregarded a stop sign which is illegal.

Again, we get out of the way when someone's coming. We don't expect that traffic should cease to exist in our streets, and we have no problem with people driving through that cds.

But they DO NOT have the right of way, and we have every right to get po'd at anyone disregarding stop signs and taking turns at full speed which puts people in danger.

I'm not being a smart-ass here, I want to know cause I don't know you that well. Do you have kids? Off-the-cuff guess based on your response to this is that you don't.

You'd better believe I'm gonna get way far up someone's ass for doing what he did. That guy coulda put a 3/4 year old in the hospital tonight because of his being irresponsible. There is NO excuse for it. NONE.

My concern is not treating someone like that kindly and respectfully. I was a kid once, I used to drive like a moron too while I was trying to figure it out.

But I never, not once, did what he did; and he most definitely got the tone he deserved for it. If my kid was in the middle of the street when he did it, that kid's sitting in jail right now. He's lucky all he got was yelled at.

Again, in case anyone missed the underlying point of this whole rant...

There is NOTHING dangerous about what we were allowing our kids to do if the driver obeys the law and stops at the stop sign. Hell, there's nothing dangerous about what we were allowing them to do if he rolls that stop at 5-10 mph. Him taking that turn at full speed makes it a terrible hazard.

- C -

This is the root of the entire fiasco.

OP: Your goal is to prevent risky driving by this kid?

Do you think screaming at him will solve your problem? You immediately put the kid in the defensive so he'll shut down and immediately think of ways to defend his position. He never gets a chance to see he was wrong because he wants to defend himself from being yelled at.

When the kid stops you go over and talk to him like an adult:

"Hey. I know you're a good kid and might have missed that stop sign on accident, but you really need to think about little kids that might be playing in the neighborhood. Just think if you had a little brother who was hit by a car or how devastating it would be to your life if you hit a 5 year old kid. I imagine you don't want a lecture from some old guy, so have a good time tonight but just be more aware in the neighborhoods. Thanks."

Then some other day you see the mom out in the neighborhood you have a nice chat and explain the situation to her.

How hard is this? Do you guys get enjoyment out of treating this kid like he came straight from hell?

Again the the main issue here that you're forgeting is that you're putting YOUR kids in danger by allowing them to play in the street given the history of drivers not stopping at the stop sign. Who gives a [censored] about the law???? The first time you saw someone run that stop sign shame on them, the second time shame on you. Does it take one of your kids getting hit by a car to get them in the yard where they belong????

He might have deserved the tone, but it is not the best way to solve the problem. If he drives safer next time, it's not because he's worried about hitting a kid. He just doesn't want some old dude up his ass.

I would recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friend.../dp/0671723650

This happened in front of my house once. I live on a corner near the beginning of my neighborhood. I was standing outside the front door one day with my baby and someone in an old, blue sports car came barreling around the corner. Had to be going at least 50 MPH. He fish tailed and almost careened right onto my front yard. I walk my dog every day, and usually with the baby strapped to me. If I was walking there at that moment, all three of us would be dead.

Some of you guys I guess think we're robots that don't have emotions and won't react in pretty human ways to something. I will be pretty calm and collected when people drive like normal people even if they don't stop at a stop sign. I'm not an idiot and contrary to some belief I'm not a life nit.

But this kid didn't even slow down to take that turn. It's not a matter of "just missing a stop sign" regardless of whether it's an accident or blatant disregard. I couldn't care less which of the two it was, no one should EVER be taking a turn at full speed, particularly in a residential neighborhood.

If you don't have kids, you have no hope of understanding the emotional reaction that takes place here, but try to put yourself in a parent's shoes for one second here. Your kids are out playing. Some kid rockets around a corner at a speed fast enough that if your kids are out in front of him, he has no hope of stopping in time. You have less than one second to get him slowed down to make sure he doesn't continue driving wrecklessly and hurt someone if your kids happen to be in his path (cause you can't see it's a kid when he comes tearing around that corner, you have no idea which house he's going to, so who knows what his path is).

You think you're gonna react calmly to something like that?

I don't think so. Every parent I know blows their lid, screams at them to get them slowed or stopped, and will not be calm when speaking to them. Human nature, and I'm not apologetic for it.

- C -

who the hell says "on accident".. is it a regional thing? i must know. i think i made a poll once...

Can you actually fishtail on a normal, non wet, road going 25. Also, am I the only one reading that website you linked as saying 'be careful at intersections, because peds have the right of way there to cross'? I don't thik its saying 'hey, let peds do what ever they want in the street, because hey, they have the right of way'.

I also think that letting 4 year olds play in the street, even when you're around is a supremely bad idea. Seems like it would reinforce their idea that they can play out there, whether or not you tell them not to without you watching them. It also seems like you're putting them in undue danger when you have a safe place, ie. sidewalk and driveway, for them to ride their bikes, especially when you're thinking young HS kids in the area are having a hard time stopping at the signs.

You're the kinda guy that tells a chick wearing a revealing outfit that it's her fault she got raped, right?

Do you think before you type/talk? Cause this is some pretty [censored] up logic.

- C -

I disagree - I'm around this age and I drive like a maniac on big roads, but when I come to small residential areas, and I see kids playing even in their yards, I drive like the worlds biggest pussy (think cat, if the censored takes it out). Why? I don't know, I think its because of the cops that have come to our school to lecture us, and I'm just scared like hell of hitting a kid, and imagining what that would do to the child's life, the families life, and my life.

I think having some adult yelling at me that I could have just killed a small child would have the same effect on me.

I've read the book...I don't need a lecture on that.

Honestly I couldn't care less why the kid drives like a normal, safe human being next time, as long as he's driving like a normal, safe human being. And I hope he tells the story to all his friends, cause as much as they might talk about us being dicks, they'll all want to avoid the same tongue-lashing when they come visit HS kid.

- C -

I understand it's easy to get emotional. I would probably initially scream at the kid. If I had a chance to go talk to him face to face, I can't imagine I would keep screaming in his face because that doesn't make sense to me. I know what it accomplishes.... him telling an exaggerated story about you being an [censored]. I don't have kids so maybe I can't relate. I do have a brother who is 10 years younger than me so have some perspective of looking after a kid when I take him to a baseball game, movie, etc.

It's very true it's easy for me to say this sitting here. It takes some repetition in dealing with people in a calm rational manner all the time to be able to do so when your emotions are through the roof. You are worried about your kids safety and treating the kid like scum isn't the best way to make the situation better in the future.

I love the compairision of a rapist to a guy that ran a stop sign. Next are you going to compare the attacks on 9/11 to a kid stealing a pack of bubble gum???

It is a fact that you saw the danger when other people ran the stop sign. You ignored that danger and put your kids lives at stake by allowing them to continue in the street. Jesus they let anyone have kids these days, there should be a test or something.

Throw logic out the window, it doesn't work with protective parents. Just explain to her that you believe that her kid and the other teens are good kids, but that's all good until a child dies.

The kids should be able to play in the Cul de Sac, didn't any of you play in the streets when you were young??? Or are we that advanced into the playstation generation?

I guess if you grew up in Kansas?

accidentally missed is better than missed on accident, you are right

It's not a question of whether you were justified in being angry. Of course you were. It's a question of which approach is more effective at that moment. Next time, take some deep breaths, cool your jets, and handle it in a way that's most likely to prevent your kids from getting run over.

1. Anyone criticizing OP for letting his kids play in the street is ******ed. Little kids have played on the low/no traffic streets in their neighborhoods forever. You can't ride a bike on grass.

2. OP needs to be a little more understanding of the kids blowing the stop sign. It sounds like this is an intersection where there's no traffic. These kids coming from outside the neighborhood don't know to expect little kids in the street. They're looking for other cars, know they're not going to see any, and blow off the stop sign. Simply ask the mother to tell the kids' friends to be mindful of the possibility of little ones in the street when they pull in and, assuming the friends really are good kids, the whole thing will be over.

******s.

You're probably right but when it comes to my kids, I'm not there yet. Not with someone that does something like that.

Okay, we're done here. Your logic is beyond effed so I'm not gonna bother anymore.

- C -

niss wins the thread.

You can't ride a bike on grass? I did this all the time as a kid, and it wasn't on a mountain bike.

It's possible but it's a pain in the ass. I don't see why it's unreasonable to do it on the road if it doesn't get that much traffic.