159 replies to this topic

[tony]

Uh, not that I'm aware of. It was a reference to his core business (pun intended).

[Steve Heard]

Tony

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I think the needs of the 2500 students getting dropped off at 8am, who have no other choice for schooling, should come before the needs of the very few bikers who use that lane, and who could possibly ride elsewhere.

[zach5]

I just cant believe some of the drivers out there, I was going to frys today, and over on 80 I was trying to merge over so I didnt have to get off at truxel but noone would let me in.
I may add though, it was just as bad or worse for the Linkin Park concert last night.

[Terry]

Stevethedad still doesn't "get it".............whether or not we agree as to who should have their needs met, the FACT IS THE LAWBREAKERS HERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE STOPPING IN THE NO STOPPING ZONES! There really is no point in further arguing the LEGAL point of this, and I will state again, THE LAW IS THE LAW IS THE LAW. Of course I'm sure there will be ongoing discussion by those who want to justify why they should be able to break the law.

For anyone's information regarding Larry Flynt - he was on trial in Gwinnett County, Georgia, on obscenity charges in 1978 when he was shot outside the courthouse, a wound that left him paralyzed.

Hate to leave a question unanswered.

[Steve Heard]

Terry

I 'get it'. What you don't 'get' is that it is nearly impossible obey the law that says you can't stop in the bike lane in front of the school, and also obey the law that says your children must attend school.

Expecting kids to walk as much as 5 to 6 miles, crossing major arteries, with all of the nut cases, in freezing rain or 100 degree heat, is unreasonable at best.

The facilities at the school do not have the capacity to accomodate the kids, nor the cars that drop them off.

Everyone is trying to do their best.

I drove by the school this afternoon, and saw the frustrated parents lining up, waiting for their kids. The cops were there, too. They were busy taking care of the important issues of supervising the departure of those kids from campus.

[Terry]

QUOTE (stevethedad @ Feb 20 2004, 03:11 PM)

it is nearly impossible obey the law that says you can't stop in the bike lane in front of the school

And that says it all................you will continue to "nearly" obey the law..........I guess that's close enough isn't it?

[tony]

steve: you do like to argue from the extremes. The farthest point in Folsom is about 6 miles from the high school. Therefore, many, many of the students are within 2 miles (30-40 minute walk; 10 minute bike ride). Six miles is a 35 minute bike ride for the average slow bicyclist. These are hardly unreasonable. How many times a year is there freezing rain in Sacramento? I've never seen it. When it is cold enough to freeze in Sacramento, there are always clear skies. 100 degree days? Rarely between September and May. But, so what. What kind of pampered kids are we raising that they can't walk when it is 100 degrees (I see them playing soccer in 100 degree weather) or raining? Outside of southern CA, there are few places in the country with more ideal weather for outdoor activities than Sacramento.

But Terry is right, you really don't get it: many parents do drop off their kids at the HS without breaking the law. Why can't the rest of them? The problem with your argument is that you start with the assumption that driving and parking in the bike lane is the only option for students to get to school on time, and then you conclude that it must be OK (regardless of the law) to drop-off in the bike lanes because there is no other option. But there are other options; you just choose not to recognize them.

[Steve Heard]

Terry

For the thousandth time, I don't have kids currently enrolled, so I am not one of the unfortunate souls who have to deal with that on a daily basis.

Tony, you ask if some parents can drop off their kids legally, why can't they all? That's like asking why more of the water can't fit in the bucket. The water would fit if it wanted to.

As for the other options, the only one you want to choose is making them magically arrive some other way.

I think the best solution is a two pronged approach:

Nearterm: Remove the 'no stopping' signs.
Longterm: Create a drop off lane.

I look forward to meeting you both at the pizza party. Don't hit me with your helmets or law books.

[tony]

steve: The problem is not that all the water can't fit in the bucket, it's that it can't all fit in at the same time, and, rather than wait for space to free up, some of the water insists on spilling over onto the floor, makig it very slippery for those who may have to walk on it (instead of flowing across it). How's that for confusing analogy-speak?

We do, however, at least agree on one part of the solution: a better drop-off area.

[Sibley Resident]

stevethedad

I'm laughing, you have done a great job debating with myself, Toni and Terri. I have to thank you for being the one lonely soul on the other side and allowing me to get my points out there. We all agree there needs to be a better system and maybe from reading all of this one of these parents (since I think none of us even have kids there right now) may take up the cause to make things better for everyone.
Thank you

[Steve Heard]

Tony,

Not bad. It's obvious that we need a bigger bucket, because the water will keep on flowing. In the meantime, we'll just have to keep emptying it and mopping the floor when it overflows.

Being angry at the water, or telling it not to flow, ain't gonna help.

Thanks, Sib. I does what can do.

[zach5]

My favorite sight, is when parents stop, not in the bike lane, but in the middle of the street to drop off their kids.

[tessieca]

Zach's sarcasm nothwithstanding, it is amazing that parents do this, but it happens all of the time. These particular parents should just let their kids walk or ride bikes. None of stevethedad's safety concerns are any greater than allowing kids to traverse the space between moving traffic lanes. People are stopping, going, cutting in and out of traffic to pull over, opening and closing doors in lanes of traffic, and then complaining that they must drive because their kids are not safe walking. What hypocrisy!

I follow the rules even though it's time-consuming and often frustrating. When you're already trapped in the drive-through space for pickup/drop off, and another car stops and waits, holding up the rest of the traffic instead of continuing to move through, it tends to make you want to stay out of the maze. Oh well, 1/2 year down and only 3-1/2 to go!

[parklady]

Zach5 -
I can top that one - How about parents that drop off their kids and family members while parking in your driveway!

[jagayman]

How about dropping the kids off in the Safeway parking lot and letting them walk from there? I see kids using the crosswalks at the Prairie City/Ironpoint crossing every day along with Intel employees going to lunch or home or taking walks. I also see bicyclists crossing there as well. Based on the number of accidents to these commuters (zero, I believe) it seems like an extremely safe alternative.

I think the small walk would do modern kids a world of good as well (in terms of health).

-jason.