Dealing with moron neighbors

[psuasskicker]

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also i should add that someone rolling a sign a hundred yards away is not cause to get upset. rolling = slowing down under 10 but not stopping. if they just blow through it and are going too fast that's one thing, which is what you described.

but keep in mind, 25 is probably the lawful speed in your neighborhood. so if he wants to accelerate back up to 25 after he goes through the sign, that's his right, and you need to have your kids out of the way.

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1) We're irritated by rollers cause there are kids in the streets a lot. We live right across the street from that stop sign...someone rolling through there is still a hazard. That said, we're not all that concerned with them. We mention it to them but don't make a big deal of it.

2) The big deal is made about people that blow this sign at a speed high enough that they're putting people at significant risk. We don't let our kids play close to that intersection specifically cause we know people don't come to full stops. Still, someone coming around that corner as fast as he did? No joke, if my kid happened to be in the middle of the cul de sac when he took that corner, there's about a 95% chance that she'd be dead.

3) Checking on the speed limit in the cul de sac. That cds and road in general is short enough though that if you come to a complete stop, then speed up to 25, you're leaving tire marks on the road trying to stop in front of someone's house.

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Call the cops.

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We are. Just found out tonight they have a hotline. We're encouraging the neighborhood to call it once a week till cops are out here ticketing on that corner.

We've also got a letter to the HOA ready for delivery tomorrow morning.

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oh i used to play in the street all the time when i was a kid too. but it was always with the understanding that it was primarily for cars, and i had to get the [censored] out of the way as soon as one was coming.

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I absolutely agree with this and we always do. The issue here is that in the cds, there's a house on the corner so you cannot see when a car is coming up to the corner. When it gets there and stops we immediately get everyone out of the street. But someone tearing around that corner at full speed...there's no hope to get the kids out of the way in time.

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Ok lets see if I have this right, a kid that just learned to drive runs a stop sign and you get all over him because your pissed at your niehbor. The kid probibly felt pretty bad and but he honestly didn't see the sign so wtf??? The answer to your problem is simple:

1. Be a parent. Stop letting your kids play in the street. The street is for cars. Play on your lawn or go to a park.
2. Stop being a shity nitty neihbor or expect to get your house egged when you go away on vacation or worse broken into.

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You don't have it right.

1) We were never pissed at her until she got huffy with us trying to defend a kid blowing a stop sign.

2) I don't care if you just got your driver's permit that day, it doesn't excuse you blowing a stop sign and taking a turn in a suburban neighborhood at full speed. There's NO excuse for that EVER.

3) We have as much right to the street as anyone else. This "streets are for cars" stuff is nonsense. Seriously, nonsense. I know cars are on the road. But rule #1 of the road is that pedestrians have the right of way. It isn't illegal for us to be out there playing, it isn't immoral, it isn't wrong in any way.

You sound like you're one of these kids blowing stop signs and fish-tailing suburban corners and thinking there's nothing wrong with it. Seriously dude, get a clue.

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Buy one of these, put it at the head of your cds when the kids are playing, problem solved.

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We had an inflatable one. It popped recently. I'm pretty confident we'll be buying another - plastic - one soon. They'll probably get it before we get back from vacation.

- C -

[hiho]

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1) We were never pissed at her until she got huffy with us trying to defend a kid blowing a stop sign.


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You were annoyed enough to talk to her the first time about the friends running through the stop sign, so there was a history there as you said in OP. Your words not mine. "We've seen the HS kid's g/f run the stop sign, and after the second time it happened my wife went up and had a chat with her. End of problem."

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3) We have as much right to the street as anyone else. This "streets are for cars" stuff is nonsense. Seriously, nonsense. I know cars are on the road. But rule #1 of the road is that pedestrians have the right of way. It isn't illegal for us to be out there playing, it isn't immoral, it isn't wrong in any way.


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Yes YOU as an adult has rights to the street but as a adult and a parent your kids at such a young age you should not be putting your kids in danger. 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????

[NT!]

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3) We have as much right to the street as anyone else. This "streets are for cars" stuff is nonsense. Seriously, nonsense. I know cars are on the road. But rule #1 of the road is that pedestrians have the right of way.

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This is just plain wrong. Cars have the right of way in the street. Depending on state laws, pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk some of the time, and that's about it. That doesn't mean that a driver isn't often at fault if they hit a pedestrian, but as a person on foot, it is your duty to GET OUT OF THE WAY. That does not constitute the right of way.

You people think that because you can afford a house in the suburbs that normal traffic isn't going to pass through the street or something. If someone driving down your street at the legal speed limit creates danger for your children (which is what you just said), then YOUR KIDS SHOULD NOT BE IN THE STREET.

You have a driveway and a yard and lots of other places you can go. Sounds like you need to use them until your kids are nimble enough not to get splattered.

[jtr]

This is a tough one. When you were the age or the kid driving the car, what would have made you do the responsible thing here? I'm guessing that your friend berating them is possibly not the best strategy.

I don't think your issue is really with the mother, is it, because you have no idea what the kid said to her.



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No joke, if my kid happened to be in the middle of the cul de sac when he took that corner, there's about a 95% chance that she'd be dead.

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Not making a joke here, but at 25 mph it's more like 20%.



Source: U.K. Department of Transportation, Killing Speed and Saving Lives, London, 1987.

Speeding

Speeding is a major contributing factor in crashes of all types. In 2003, speeding was a contributing factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes. Speeding has serious consequences when a pedestrian is involved. A pedestrian hit at 64.4 km/h (40 mi/h) has an 85 percent chance of being killed; at 48.3 km/h (30 mi/h), the likelihood goes down to 45 percent, while at 32.2 km/h (20 mi/h), the fatality rate is only 5 percent. Faster speeds increase the likelihood of a pedestrian being hit. At higher speeds, motorists are less likely to see a pedestrian, and are even less likely to be able to stop in time to avoid hitting one.

[NT!]

and by the tone of your OP i would bet pretty heavily that you guys were screaming at some 16 year old kid like vigilantes and you act like total dicks about this in person.

[rjoefish]

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.

[mason55]

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2) The big deal is made about people that blow this sign at a speed high enough that they're putting people at significant risk. We don't let our kids play close to that intersection specifically cause we know people don't come to full stops.

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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.

[pergesu]

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3) We have as much right to the street as anyone else. This "streets are for cars" stuff is nonsense. Seriously, nonsense. I know cars are on the road. But rule #1 of the road is that pedestrians have the right of way.

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This is just plain wrong. Cars have the right of way in the street. Depending on state laws, pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk some of the time, and that's about it. That doesn't mean that a driver isn't often at fault if they hit a pedestrian, but as a person on foot, it is your duty to GET OUT OF THE WAY. That does not constitute the right of way.

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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.

[psuasskicker]

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1) We were never pissed at her until she got huffy with us trying to defend a kid blowing a stop sign.


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You were annoyed enough to talk to her the first time about the friends running through the stop sign, so there was a history there as you said in OP. Your words not mine. "We've seen the HS kid's g/f run the stop sign, and after the second time it happened my wife went up and had a chat with her. End of problem."

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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?

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3) We have as much right to the street as anyone else. This "streets are for cars" stuff is nonsense. Seriously, nonsense. I know cars are on the road. But rule #1 of the road is that pedestrians have the right of way.

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This is just plain wrong. Cars have the right of way in the street. Depending on state laws, pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk some of the time, and that's about it. That doesn't mean that a driver isn't often at fault if they hit a pedestrian, but as a person on foot, it is your duty to GET OUT OF THE WAY. That does not constitute the right of way.

You people think that because you can afford a house in the suburbs that normal traffic isn't going to pass through the street or something. If someone driving down your street at the legal speed limit creates danger for your children (which is what you just said), then YOUR KIDS SHOULD NOT BE IN THE STREET.

You have a driveway and a yard and lots of other places you can go. Sounds like you need to use them until your kids are nimble enough not to get splattered.

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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.

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and by the tone of your OP i would bet pretty heavily that you guys were screaming at some 16 year old kid like vigilantes and you act like total dicks about this in person.

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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.

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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.

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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 -

[tshort]

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and by the tone of your OP i would bet pretty heavily that you guys were screaming at some 16 year old kid like vigilantes and you act like total dicks about this in person.

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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?