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What's Wrong With Society

dkhodz

Shared on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 09:29

Fact: Indianapolis (and most towns and cities) have 20-25 mph speed limits for streets located in school zones, regardless of actual pedestrian or school-related traffic on these streets.

Fact: School zones seem to be rather broadly defined as "a street within 300 yards of a school regardless of the presence of sidewalks, school crossings, standard pedetrian crossings, or actual usage of the street for school purposes".

Fact: Kids do not walk to school in the Indianapolis suburbs.  In some cases, kids that live 1 freakin' block from elementary schools wait at their driveway for a school bus to pick them up and take them to school.

Fact: I have had anywhere from one to four different schools that I have regularly driven by on my daily commute over the past 4 years.  I have never ever seen a single child walking to school in a school zone in suburban Indianapolis (Fishers, Noblesville, Carmel, etc.).  Ever.

Fact: I hate to drive slowly for no reason.

So why on God's green earth do we still have this antiquated "school zone speed limit" system?  If there were occassionally an actual child walking along the sidewalk where the school zone was located, I would have no problem with this situation.  But when a school is located on a large circle drive that connects to a side street about 400 feet away and then that side street meanders down a hill approximately 500 more feet to a major commuting road, why is said commuting road limited to 20 mph when there are 0.0 children walking along that road on any given school day?  Ridiculous.

Of course, back in the day (in 1950 for example), children actually walked to school.  The school was located in a city block and the playground often extended out to the sidewalk of the street.  The playground was fenced, of course, but the school entrance was typically located within 50 feet of a street or road.  If you lived within 20 blocks of the school, you walked.  Now these still-existing schools' associated school zones are well-justified (those that are still in use at least).  However, newer suburban schools are located on wide expanses of grassy fields on private lanes far from any public road whatsoever.  They have parking lots with dozens and dozens of buses parked in them to pick up every last child no matter how close to school they live.  Some parents prefer to drive their children themself.  Either way, kids are not walking to school even if they live close.  Why can't kids that live close to school walk to school?

Cue the voice of Reverend Lovejoy's wife: Won't someone please think of the children?!?!  Protecting children is important, sure, to an extent.  I doubt the percentage of predators and sickos is much different than it was back in the 50's - the cases are just much more publicized now.  I doubt that that reason is why kids don't get forced to walk to school though.  I think parents are worried that they are considered "bad parents" if they make little Jenny or Jonny walk 2 or 3 blocks to school.  So they drive them.  Or have the school bus waste everyone's taxpayer money by picking them up.  So, if that's not gonna change... isn't it time to do away with worthless, annoying, antiquated "school zones" that are 900 feet from the school?  I humbly suggest "yes".

Comments

KingBayman's picture
Submitted by KingBayman on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 15:35
DK's a dumbass. Remember that and we'll all feel better. j/k he's really just a smartass. Emphasis on the ass part.
J-Cat's picture
Submitted by J-Cat on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 09:33
nope: cause if you removed the school zone then no one would let their kids walk to school. The problem is that parents are.. what, too afraid whatever to let their kids walk. Also: if there is aschool, it's probably in a residential zone, therefore would havea lower speed limit anyway. Bottom line: chill dude! Relax in your car. Breathe, enjoy your dirve, get a book on tape, something. Slow down and enjoy some quiet time.
Big0ne's picture
Submitted by Big0ne on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 09:58
+1 I agree wholeheartedly.
dkhodz's picture
Submitted by dkhodz on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 09:59
Spoken like a true female...
Lbsutke's picture
Submitted by Lbsutke on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 09:59
Yeah sorry DK...you are on crack on this one... If you remove the school zone, then people would speed up, then the stopping distance would increase and pose a greater danger for kids that actually do walk to school. Whould you not feel like killing yourself, if you had your way, and were driving at say 45 miles an hour and ran over a kid when he/she darted out into the street? Jcat second point is pretty much on point. School zone is like 90% of the time in a residental hood...At least here in cali that is the way it is... Maybe in Indy they just do not care if you run over kids... LOL :)
dkhodz's picture
Submitted by dkhodz on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 09:59
er, J-Cat's comment was spoken like a true female, not Big0ne's!!!
dkhodz's picture
Submitted by dkhodz on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 10:03
That's my point. There are NO kids walking to school. If there were kids anywhere on these sidewalks or near these streets, I wouldn't complain. It's not like 30 mph is an unsafe speed, too. Speed limits in these areas are not 45 mph normally. They are 30-35 mph and reduced down to 20 mph for the non-existent children. Then Mr. or Mrs. Legaleagle decides to drive 14 mph to stay well under the speed limit. Very annoying and worthless!!!
RagingBull888's picture
Submitted by RagingBull888 on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 10:23
School zones are not just about pedestrians. They also take into account the increased vehicular traffic that occurs with modern schools as well as bus traffic. Engineers will always err on the side of safety rather than your inconvenience. Some school zones are also extended to allow the driver ample time to reach the school zone speed limit. Sorry but you are just going to have to slow down or risk that ticket.
CapnHun's picture
Submitted by CapnHun on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 10:25
No kids walking to school? That seems strange. My kids all walk to school except in inclement weather when they get dad to drive them. The high school and Jr. High are approximately 10 blocks away and in my community unless you live more than a mile from the school (or are handicap or other special considerations) the school bus will not pick you up. There are enough parents driving however that if your daily commute takes you past a school around bell time, you ain't going to get anywhere close to the 25 mph speed limit though. Also traffic laws also indicate that 25 mph school zones are contingent 'On School Days When Children Are Present'. Sounds like Indianapolis needs some common sense.
J-Cat's picture
Submitted by J-Cat on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 10:28
I speak like a true female? What, rationally, with a balance of compassion and logic? Why thank you. So: let's review your facts. Not ONE kid walks to school, you say? And this is a fact. No... actually I looked it up. f you live less than a mile from school: 63% of kids (granted this is all the way back in 2001) walk or bike to school. From the walk to school resource page: There are multiple solutions from the Engineering and Enforcement Es for combating traffic danger in school areas, including Enforced Speed Zones (Kallins, SR2S) Lowered speed zones: Reduced child pedestrian casualties by 70% Traffic Calming Speed humps: Speed humps were associated with a 53-60% reduction in the odds of injury or death among children struck by an automobile in their neighborhood. (Tester et al, 2004) Increased sidewalks and bike paths to and around school areas Police patrolling School policy change According to a survey conducted in 1999, 7% of schools have policies that restrict children from walking or biking to school. For communities interested in increasing active transport to and from school, it may also be beneficial to address parents’ reported barriers of fear of crimes against children as well as adverse weather with the Education Es — to understand the risk of crimes in their neighborhood and to learn pedestrian safety skills, and the Encouragement E — to dress for the weather and to enjoy being outdoors. I rarely get this pissed off man: Go fuck yourself. Before you get in a tangle with the J-Cat you better make sure you know what you are talking about.
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Devonsangel's picture
Submitted by Devonsangel on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 12:02
The school zone is there because there are still kids that walk to school. Just because you have not seen any doesn't mean they don't exist. They may chose not to walk because their parents deem it unsafe because SOME people don't slow down.
dkhodz's picture
Submitted by dkhodz on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 12:15
Listen up, people. Brother dk is about to preach a little lesson on common sense, common courtesy, and respect for your fellow human. The following is a PM I just sent to J-Cat. I post it here to show you that I don't take "Go f-ck yourself" lightly. J-Cat, Why would tell someone you do not even know to go f-ck themself? That is extremely hateful and disrespectful. And to comment in a publicly viewable arena like a blog? You could have PM'ed me and still gotten your point across. The comment "spoken like a true female" got you THAT pissed off? You ARE a true female! You look at the argument and decide what you think it means to you and do not address the actual argument that I am making. My conclusion: school zones should not include roads that are 900 feet away from a school. Your argument: (I)f you live less than a mile from school: 63% of kids (granted this is all the way back in 2001) walk or bike to school. Then you quoted a bunch of statistics that do not apply to the INDIANAPOLIS SUBURBS as I clearly stated in my blog as what I was writing about. You seem to assume that I am for throwing all means of creating a safe enviroment for kids out the window. No. I am for the rules that make sense, not the rules that are created by hysterical mommies driving SUV's. I never argued to remove the school zone. I argued that the school zone should not be extended to ridiculous distances. I'm sure you and I would get along just fine in real life. I'm not advocating anything dangerous here. You obviously misunderstood my post and/or my comments. That is not my fault. You chose to provoke me with your comments and I feel obligated to defend myself rationally. Hopefully next time you will extend others some measure of common courtesy before making a jerk out of yourself.
dkhodz's picture
Submitted by dkhodz on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 12:27
Thank you CapnHun for several reasons. 1. Making your kids walk to school. It's good for them. 2. Pointing out that other states have "on school days when children are present" for their school zones. Indiana has signs that specify "7am to 7pm on school days" typically. 3. Proving that females can post thoughtful comments. Of course, you and I know each other and are friends in real life so you know that I would never advocate anything dangerous for children. But, for someone that doesn't know me to take offense at imagined conclusions that I did not even reach... that is just troublesome to me. 4. And yes, Indianapolis needs some more common sense! :-)
dkhodz's picture
Submitted by dkhodz on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 12:45
J-Cat isn't an obnoxious bitch. There, I said it! I just got a BIG HUG in a PM from her... most action I've seen since, well, let's not go there. Suffice it to say, we're cool. I will work on my latent sexism and in my next edition of "What's Wrong With Society" I will try to be less inflammatory!
J-Cat's picture
Submitted by J-Cat on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 12:47
w00t! Great things happen when people talk it out. I should n't have used the eff word... sorry..
DragoonTamer's picture
Submitted by DragoonTamer on Tue, 01/22/2008 - 12:56
JCat you married/spoken for? It all starts with a hug. Just trying to help a brother out, DK :wink:

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