Status update, 11/24/09 Ridiculous incident, need advice: let it go or take a stand?

[Supracentral]

What you're describing is a situation where artificial speed limits have been applied. Most people (95% according to the stats) drive at the appropriate speed for the road, regardless of the signage. The few that deviate cause problems.

Honestly, in the US in a lot of areas, the school zone is bogus. In the suburbs where I live, in today's "helicopter parent" if my kid doesn't take the bus I'll pick him up in an SUV world, I never see kids walking when the lights are on. Downtown in the city may be a different story. But up here in the 'burbs school zones barely even make sense.

 

[foreverpsycotic]

I would rather have people walking, than the bus stopping at EVERY house that has a kid. Shit, I remember walking to the bus stop, not waiting in my driveway. It gets really annoying when your routes to the highway are littered with school buses picking up overweight kids that are too lazy to walk.

 

[savannahashlee]

I know.. That school shit doesnt make sense.. They didnt have school zones when I was in school, and damn I'm still alive... On top of all that the buses literally stop every house here too. I had to walk over a 1/4 mile to my house when the bus dropped me off.. and it was only like 3/4 mile to my school! I just ended up walking to and from school

 

[lewis15498]

Honestly, in the US in a lot of areas, the school zone is bogus. In the suburbs where I live, in today's "helicopter parent" if my kid doesn't take the bus I'll pick him up in an SUV world, I never see kids walking when the lights are on. Downtown in the city may be a different story. But up here in the 'burbs school zones barely even make sense.

Back when i was in high school they decided everyone within 2 mi of their school would walk, to cut costs. Apparently walking meant getting a ride, because nobody walked. In addition to that the 20mph school zone applies from before school starts till after it ends ~6am-430pm. The justification is a kid could leave the building and run into traffic and get hit. So put a fence around the K-2 school. after that if they go run out of a school mid day and into traffic its called natural selection. (mind you the building is a good 150-200 feet from the street)

 

[savannahashlee]

^^^ Most modern schools look like prisons, anyhow.. LOL Might as well finish it off with a moat and a fence

 

[iwannadie]

The schools around me are all open, the kids can leave for lunch and whatever. The schools are more a series of small buildings with out door hallways than a traditional large school building. The one I mentioned in my post is a high school that has a church and large neighborhood right across the street. Before school there's masses of kids walking across the street to the school. Again at lunch and after school so I can fully understand the want for slower traffic. The majority of kids just walk across ignoring the many crosswalks with lights.

The same situation goes on at an elementary school and again I go the speed limit. I hate seeing some woman in an SUV fly past me so she can drop her kid off. If someone ran over her little kid she would want the book thrown at them for speeding but for her it's ok.

/OT ranting

 

[Drake69]

^^^ Most modern schools look like prisons, anyhow.. LOL Might as well finish it off with a moat and a fence

A high-powered electrical fence, to keep the little bastards from getting out... :evil2:

 

[Setheroo]

I have actually seen schools that only let kids out of school ONE BY ONE! Meaning when their parents are parked outside of the school entrance - their name is called and the kid is released.

When I first witnessed this process I really was shocked. Letting all of the kids out from school seriously took them like an hour EACH DAY.

 

[Tajabaho1]

^ that sounds like a 3rd world country school,

my school when I was in thailand was like that



seriously though, around where I live, there s a 4 lane road (2 each side) that is a 35 and 25 school limit

and there is always a cop in one of the smaller roads just waiting to pull people over











on a fucking sunday

 

[Justin727]

Update us when ya hear something new

 

[lewis15498]

Status Update:
So I appeared in court for the hearing on the 17th. Prosecutor did a terrible job, he just read the interview with the defendent and then the kids lawyer picked it apart, then proceeded to claim he's never done anything wrong. The prosecutor responds with "well he has a history of...and is cut of by the lawyer saying "excuse me is that really appropriate?" The magistrate says yes, continue and the prosecutor says "no I was just saying he has a history thats all..." and made no attempt to go into detail. I got to talk for all of 30 seconds. It was a stupid experience and I won't be surprised if the kid walks. The magistrate seemed fed up with the lack of effort on the prosecutors part. He told him to tell the detective to call him, and he would make a decision in 10 days. We were dismissed and the prosecutor proceeded to tell us that if we showed our subpeonas to the "cashier" we would recieve a check in the mail for 8 dollars (lunch). He was more concerned about the fucking 8 dollars we were getting that the case. I hope the magistrate sees through the prosecutors lack of effort, and someone else represents the PD in court. If this kid walks I will have lost what little faith I have in the system.

 

[Tajabaho1]

^ he will walk

from experience, if the prosecutor does not make a stand on the case, most of the time it will fail, the only thing after that (if you decide to go to the next level) is to sue him in court on your own account

 

[lewis15498]

Spoke to the dective again the other day. He said post hearing they were going to let it go for a $250 fine and 2yrs probation. He has also not reported the incident to the USCG and DOC where he works and is required to report incidents.
This detective is a real good guy and wont stop, until he makes it right! He contacted the magistrate, better explained the situation to the magistrate, and convinced him not to let it go. So now I'm waiting for my next subpoena to go back to court and sink this kid. Tip of the hat to the detective! If someone I knew was a victim, I would want this guy on the case!