Yes, I try to drive carefully and watch for children. On the other hand a street is not a play area. I see children playing in the streets all the time. A gun is dangerous and a child should not play with one. The streets are dangerous and children should play on them. Yet, I see parents in their yard's watching their children play in the streets. Then I see a sign that says something like "Drive carefully, we "heart" our children." Well, if you do, don't let them play in the streets!
Children Playing in Streets
- Thread starter JavaMan
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Depends. My old city, playing in the streets is a bad idea. Now in our new area, everything we tought the kids about not playing in the streets had to be undone...kids play in the streets all the time. Granted, it's the far-end of a subdivision with little traffic at all, but still...it's confusing to the kids...and the adults, too!
It's not so much that our kids are playing in the streets, its that errant ball that seems to always have a kid chasing it. Even with parent supervision, you can yell all you want at a 5 year old and they are fixated on chasing that ball. I've seen some close calls and even the most diligent parent can slip up for the nanosecond it takes for a kid to run out into the street.
At 25MPH, a crash can usually be avoided (or at least injuries mitigated). At 40MPH, there just isn't time to react.
FWIW, I live in Southern California and we have a postage stamp for a front yard. We have enough grass to put a blanket on, so there really isn't a lot of room to kick a ball around. If we had the choice, we would definately keep the kids out of the street. It's just not always easy to prevent 100% of the time. It's that 1% they are out there you have to worry about.
At 25MPH, a crash can usually be avoided (or at least injuries mitigated). At 40MPH, there just isn't time to react.
FWIW, I live in Southern California and we have a postage stamp for a front yard. We have enough grass to put a blanket on, so there really isn't a lot of room to kick a ball around. If we had the choice, we would definately keep the kids out of the street. It's just not always easy to prevent 100% of the time. It's that 1% they are out there you have to worry about.
Streets around here are hungry things, as evidenced by the torn and battered corpses of many small animals. Thankfully, no children's
JHZR2
Staff member
The streets in my hometown were never particularly busy. All the same, my parents never allowed me to play in the street. There was an elementary school with a big blacktop area a long block away, and the middle school was 5 blocks, the high school about the same. Other than the occasional sunday football game in the street, my friends and I were always instructed by all of our parents to go to the playgrounds to play. We never had an issue.
My parents didnt let me ridea bike in the street until I was in 6th grade. Other kids were fooling around out there in 2nd grade. at least one kid that I recall (I think two though) got (mildly) hit by a car when riding bikes in the street.
People do generally drive too fast in residential areas.
JMH
My parents didnt let me ridea bike in the street until I was in 6th grade. Other kids were fooling around out there in 2nd grade. at least one kid that I recall (I think two though) got (mildly) hit by a car when riding bikes in the street.
People do generally drive too fast in residential areas.
JMH
I think legit bicyclists confuse the issue. If it's legal to ride a bike in the street for transportation, then why not for recreation. I know the rules have to be followed, but the whole thing leads to confusion on the part of kids and parents about riding in the road. Honestly, you should be 16-18 or have a licence to operate ANY "vehicle" in the roadway. Bikes don't pay road use tax either.
The non-vehicles I have the biggest issue with is roller bladers. They form stupid "skate patrols" which under the guise of a townwatch rove in gangs, blocking the street and stopping cross-traffic against red light. A bunch of A-holes and they seem to have no clue they are actually PEDESTRIANS who are technically J-walking.
Anyway, kids playing in the street is annoying. It's actually due to improper housing development without proper playground facilities. ALL kids should know the street is 100% off-limits except for legal crossing. Bikes ridden by underage operators belong on the sidewalk.
The non-vehicles I have the biggest issue with is roller bladers. They form stupid "skate patrols" which under the guise of a townwatch rove in gangs, blocking the street and stopping cross-traffic against red light. A bunch of A-holes and they seem to have no clue they are actually PEDESTRIANS who are technically J-walking.
Anyway, kids playing in the street is annoying. It's actually due to improper housing development without proper playground facilities. ALL kids should know the street is 100% off-limits except for legal crossing. Bikes ridden by underage operators belong on the sidewalk.
Around here kids play and congregate in the streets.
Big time.
They make cars stop, sometime locking up the brakes, then the kids yell obscenities at them and laugh. The parents don't wan't them in their houses for one more minute than necessary, so they don't reprimand them at all.
But if something terrible happens, guess who's going to be at fault?
Big time.
They make cars stop, sometime locking up the brakes, then the kids yell obscenities at them and laugh. The parents don't wan't them in their houses for one more minute than necessary, so they don't reprimand them at all.
But if something terrible happens, guess who's going to be at fault?
Big time agreement here. Our park there's not much of roadways, yet you see them riding in the middle of them. When they DO play over in the grassy areas, it's always near the car park slots.
Kestas
Staff member
It really depends on the neighborhood.
When I was a kid I tried to ride on the sidewalk, but that was absolutely nuts. Our city blocks were short. To ride 1/2 mile you'd have to slow down and jump over 20 curbs, dodge all the people, kids, and toys on the sidewalk, plus the sidewalks were much more uneven than the streets.
When I was a kid I tried to ride on the sidewalk, but that was absolutely nuts. Our city blocks were short. To ride 1/2 mile you'd have to slow down and jump over 20 curbs, dodge all the people, kids, and toys on the sidewalk, plus the sidewalks were much more uneven than the streets.
5 mph on my street; I live on a dead end with NO turn around. The only cars are the people who live on the street; I live in the LAST house. Scooters, balls, push cars etc are just sitting in the street. It is like trying to drive thru aisle 4 of Toys-r-us
Kids acknowlegde I am driving down the street but don't really MOVE out of the street; they loli-gag to about 4 ft from the curb.
Kids acknowlegde I am driving down the street but don't really MOVE out of the street; they loli-gag to about 4 ft from the curb.
The issue should be legally clarified and enforced like I said. 16+ y/o = bike in street with traffic flow, all laws enforced. o = no bikes in street, walked through crosswalk and NO LOITERING/PLAYING in street!
A U - Well stated. That would be a good regulation, but unpopular.
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