Kids playing in the alley (Plano, Howe: homes, subdivisions, live)

[jpushiys]

Originally Posted by mSooner

I did end up talking to the parents (and their daughter) when they happened to pull up one day. It went well and everything was friendly. Hopefully it makes the difference. My next door neighbor has had similar close calls (when the girl bikes back and forth between driveways, suddenly coming in and out of view) and said if it happens again, she will talk to them as well.

As a parent I know I don't want to count on all drivers being cautious all the time to keep my kids safe. Awareness of surroundings and practicing safety are key habits that kids need to learn early. So if this were my kids in the alley and they were oblivious of other drivers, I would definitely want to know. I think u did the right thing. I do have kids that in the past used the alley way to walk to school and even now use it to bike over to their friends homes and we never tire of telling then to bike slowly, use their bike bells when they need to and always listen for the sound of approaching cars or even just a car running in the driveway. Hopefully if they aren't doing these things, someone like you will be sure to let me know.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by numbersguy100

You don't have kids, so maybe you should refrain from commenting on such things - .

Here we go. No, I don't have kids. However, I do have:

• A car
• A house with an alley behind it
• A receipt for the taxes I paid
• A desire to not smush kids with my car

I'd say I have more than enough skin the game to be entitled to an opinion here.


The alley behind my house is not dirty or disgusting. I don't generally traipse down alleys (because it's dangerous and ugly) but in general, it's the people with children who make the biggest messes with their garbage.

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by numbersguy100

You don't have kids, so maybe you should refrain from commenting on such things - kids are disgusting in general and if your alley is that gross maybe you should lead a clean up effort.

Alleys are not yards, so I think it's reasonable for OP to ask the parents to tell their kids that they need to be aware of their surroundings and what happens when a kid collides with a car (death). That's a good lesson always and in all places. But kids and cars can co-exist in alleys.

Exactly. Our alley in Plano was never like that, in fact, the grass back there got mowed and taken care of just like the front yards. There was no trash there, if there was, it got picked up. Then again, this was Plano, not Richardson.

Every parent tells their child to be careful, and teaches them about danger, look both ways before crossing the street, etc. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't play in alleys. Most HOA's ban having a visible basketball hoop from the street, so everyone put them in the garage area in the back.

Our alley had a sharp 90 degree turn right after turning into it from the street... and there were some close calls over the years, usually because of one car entering and one car exiting at the same time at that corner. But no kids ever got hurt there in over 20 years of living at that house, because drivers were a helluva lot more cognizant of their surroundings then.

Drive slow, and there won't be any problems. It really is that simple. Not sure why some people can't grasp that.

[numbersguy100]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Here we go. No, I don't have kids. However, I do have:

• A car
• A house with an alley behind it
• A receipt for the taxes I paid
• A desire to not smush kids with my car

I'd say I have more than enough skin the game to be entitled to an opinion here.


The alley behind my house is not dirty or disgusting. I don't generally traipse down alleys (because it's dangerous and ugly) but in general, it's the people with children who make the biggest messes with their garbage.

Everyone is welcome to an opinion. But perhaps words like negligent and irresponsible are best left for people who have spent some time studying child development or parenting techniques and their various outcomes.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Katana49

Exactly. Our alley in Plano was never like that, in fact, the grass back there got mowed and taken care of just like the front yards. There was no trash there, if there was, it got picked up. Then again, this was Plano, not Richardson.

Every parent tells their child to be careful, and teaches them about danger, look both ways before crossing the street, etc. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't play in alleys. Most HOA's ban having a visible basketball hoop from the street, so everyone put them in the garage area in the back.

Our alley had a sharp 90 degree turn right after turning into it from the street... and there were some close calls over the years, usually because of one car entering and one car exiting at the same time at that corner. But no kids ever got hurt there in over 20 years of living at that house, because drivers were a helluva lot more cognizant of their surroundings then.

Drive slow, and there won't be any problems. It really is that simple. Not sure why some people can't grasp that.

Like I said, the people making the messes are the parents of young children, not us. I should add that they're also the ones who send their kids to fancy private schools and drive Lexuses and do Chip & Joanna Gaines-style makeovers on their houses. They're just inconsiderate a-holes and don't give a crap about anyone but themselves. I'm sure this attitude isn't unique to Richardson (or Plano).

Originally Posted by numbersguy100

Everyone is welcome to an opinion. But perhaps words like negligent and irresponsible are best left for people who have spent some time studying child development or parenting techniques and their various outcomes.

Your kids = your responsibility. I do my part by looking out and driving slow, but it'd sure be nice if parents held up their end of the bargain too. Most do, but the ones who don't are pretty damned annoying. A "Kids at Play" sign is not a substitute for an attentive parent.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by Katana49

Agree to disagree. Kids are going to be kids. It saddens me that they have so few places left to play outside, when I grew up, we were out all day from sun-up to sundown, riding bikes in the street, running through yards, etc.

As a responsible adult, the onus is on YOU to be safe in the alley. Going 10 mph, even if a crash occurred, the damage should be minimal, and you should have plenty of time to stop. But if you want to be safe while going down the alley...

Turn off your stereo, get off your phone, and roll down your window and LISTEN. If there's kids playing in the alley, you'll hear them, even if you don't see them.

I think an important thing mentioned in the OP's post are the 6-8 foot fences. Exactly like my former neighborhood. Every single driveway to the alley is a complete blind spot for anyone driving down the alley, and also for any child playing in the alley.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

I think an important thing mentioned in the OP's post are the 6-8 foot fences. Exactly like my former neighborhood. Every single driveway to the alley is a complete blind spot for anyone driving down the alley, and also for any child playing in the alley.

^^^ THIS.


Alleys are for vehicles, not for playing.

[EDS_]

My kids are grown now. However, we lived in Plano for years in the land of 8-foot fences and rear-entry garage homes. Allowing little kids to play in/along those and similar alleys demonstrates awful-detached-clueless parenting. I can't imagine allowing that kind of thing for even a second.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by EDS_

My kids are grown now. However, we lived in Plano for years in the land of 8-foot fences and rear-entry garage homes. Allowing little kids to play in/along those and similar alleys demonstrates awful-detached-clueless parenting. I can't imagine allowing that kind of thing for even a second.

Some of the responses I've seen here from parents are staggering.


I don't have to be a parent to NOT want my life ruined by accidentally running over someone else's free-range unsupervised child. As a motorist you can only do so much. If a kid darts out from between parked cars, chases a ball into the street, or flies around a blind corner in an alley on a bicycle...sometimes you simply cannot stop in time even if you're going 30mph with both eyes on the road and hands at 10 and 2...and if you say otherwise, you're a goddamn liar.

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

I think an important thing mentioned in the OP's post are the 6-8 foot fences. Exactly like my former neighborhood. Every single driveway to the alley is a complete blind spot for anyone driving down the alley, and also for any child playing in the alley.

Yes, we all had 8 ft fences. It's not a problem if you're driving 10mph and paying attention. I guess that's too much to ask from some people.