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I urge anyone who supports this ordinance which by the way hasn't even been drafted to come tonight and voice your opinion. I also urge those you who oppose it to come tonight and voice your opinions. I would also like to say that if you want to disagree with me on this blog - by all means knock yourselves out, but I'll ask one thing, I am at a great disadvantage here since everyone knows my real name, at the very least come out from behind your blog name, yes I choose to stand up at the meeting and explain my position however, that doesn't give people the right to insult me and call me the complainer, etc. If you want to interpret it as complaining fine but remember I earned the right to complain because at least I choose to get involved
What is your opinion on emergency vehicles being impeded by obstacles like sports equipment, kids, etc? It's been brought up by me and several other people and no one has yet to comment on it. Aside from the obvious concern of the children's safety, this is the biggest issue. Seconds mean everything in an emergency. My mother once was having severe breathing difficulty and needed emergency care. If her ambulance was delayed because it had to stop and remove a basketball goal or soccer nets or wait for kids to get out of the road, the outcome could have been disaterous. I also witnessed an apartment building get struck by lightning and burn 24 units to the ground in about 20 minutes. In a fire, literally every second matters. If you've ever witnessed a fire, then you can attest to the fact that rate in which it spreads is unbelievable.
So tell me, how do you think children's "right" to play in the street outweighs everyone's right to public safety? How can you defend playing street hockey or the like and getting in the way of emergency vehicles?
ok. point taken. but you would also agree that cars parked in the street impose a similar obstacle for emergency vehicles. would you also support a law that fined people for parking cars in the street?
Last edited by SaucyAussie; 08-03-2010 at 10:55 AM..
Reason: typo
beachbum, there are two separate arguments here and quite frankly I don't think anyone knows specifically what the town council is researching.
The first argument, which according to the mayor is the aim of the ordinance, relates to equipment left in the street overnight. I agree with this, when people are done playing basketball, hockey, etc. they should clean up after themselves.
The second argument, which I believe Beth (and by reading your post you) are making, relates to kids playing the street. Your argument, is weak though (in my opinion). I've never seen a basketball hoop or soccer goal in the middle of the street. I have seen them on the sidewalk, though, and this would not block emergency vehicles. As for the kids, all of the emergency vehicles in Holly Springs have sirens on them. They are pretty loud. All the kids I know know what a siren means. Kids aren't going to stand in the road while an ambulance is whaling it's siren. That's just ludicrous.
It's commendable that you're putting the "right to public safety" above kids "rights to play", but it's an argument that is really not relevant.
What is your opinion on emergency vehicles being impeded by obstacles like sports equipment, kids, etc? It's been brought up by me and several other people and no one has yet to comment on it. Aside from the obvious concern of the children's safety, this is the biggest issue. Seconds mean everything in an emergency. My mother once was having severe breathing difficulty and needed emergency care. If her ambulance was delayed because it had to stop and remove a basketball goal or soccer nets or wait for kids to get out of the road, the outcome could have been disaterous. I also witnessed an apartment building get struck by lightning and burn 24 units to the ground in about 20 minutes. In a fire, literally every second matters. If you've ever witnessed a fire, then you can attest to the fact that rate in which it spreads is unbelievable.
So tell me, how do you think children's "right" to play in the street outweighs everyone's right to public safety? How can you defend playing street hockey or the like and getting in the way of emergency vehicles?
Because it's a shared street. That doesn't give people right to state that any one person or group of people have a higher level of need for use of the street and that should allow them to dictate how people other then themselves use it. In regards to emergency vehicles, or vehicles in general, if kids are out playing street hockey (as I did when I was growing up), you seem to think that it is this long and arduous to have the kids move everything, several minutes or something along those lines, when in reality, all they have to do is run over to the nets and yank them to the side of the road. On top of that, if you can see a car coming or hear it coming, kids will typically use common sense and move them in anticipation. This is especially relevant with pass-thru streets, and if the kids have something set up at the end of a culdesac then it's an irrelevant arguement.
For the woman who did the complaining, and is on this page trying to justify herself, just remember, not everyone parents like you, not everyone feels like it is necessary to make their children ask their parents to cross the street. This doesn't make them bad parents, nor does it make you a good one. You need to realize that people have to coexist with other people, and that means having to experience things that you may not like, as you may do things they don't like, but if you refuse to talk to them about it and try to actually resolve things, and run to the police instead, it makes for sore feelings, and a potential desire for your neighbors to escalate the behavior you feel the need to call the police about because they know how you will react.
SaucyAussie, I agree and I think there actually is something in the town about parked cars. I know they're not allowed in our neighborhood and I have heard it's a town thing. Not sure on that, but either way, I don't think cars should park on the streets.
HS_Dude, it's completely relevant. Kids absolutely play in the streets with their equipment. I've seen them and people on here have mentioned street hockey and soccer nets. Also, kids ride bikes, skateboards, etc. Also, in the age of Ipods, I see LOTS of kids hanging out in the neighborhood with their earbuds in, some with their music so loud that I can hear the song. Yes, vehicles have sirens and yes they are loud, but so is the music blaring in their ears. Yes, I know this doesn't apply to all kids, but my point is, there are instances where kids and/or their equipment can get in the way of emergency vehicles. How can you defend that, regardless of how remote the possibility is?
Because it's a shared street. That doesn't give people right to state that any one person or group of people have a higher level of need for use of the street and that should allow them to dictate how people other then themselves use it. In regards to emergency vehicles, or vehicles in general, if kids are out playing street hockey (as I did when I was growing up), you seem to think that it is this long and arduous to have the kids move everything, several minutes or something along those lines, when in reality, all they have to do is run over to the nets and yank them to the side of the road. On top of that, if you can see a car coming or hear it coming, kids will typically use common sense and move them in anticipation. This is especially relevant with pass-thru streets, and if the kids have something set up at the end of a culdesac then it's an irrelevant arguement.
It's the town's interest to protect the public and our tax money goes to making sure that happens. Protecting the public by way of providing emergency assistance when people need it does trump someone's right to play street hockey. It's against the law to get in the way of emergency vehicles. That's the difference.
It doesn't matter if it takes 30 seconds for the kids to move or several minutes. Seconds matter in an emergency. If you've been through one, then you know. If you haven't, consider yourself fortunate.
Again, this argument isn't about cul-de-sacs, it's about all streets. There are far more streets in this town than cul-de-sacs.
beachbum, there are two separate arguments here and quite frankly I don't think anyone knows specifically what the town council is researching.
The first argument, which according to the mayor is the aim of the ordinance, relates to equipment left in the street overnight. I agree with this, when people are done playing basketball, hockey, etc. they should clean up after themselves.
The second argument, which I believe Beth (and by reading your post you) are making, relates to kids playing the street. Your argument, is weak though (in my opinion). I've never seen a basketball hoop or soccer goal in the middle of the street. I have seen them on the sidewalk, though, and this would not block emergency vehicles. As for the kids, all of the emergency vehicles in Holly Springs have sirens on them. They are pretty loud. All the kids I know know what a siren means. Kids aren't going to stand in the road while an ambulance is whaling it's siren. That's just ludicrous.
It's commendable that you're putting the "right to public safety" above kids "rights to play", but it's an argument that is really not relevant.
Forced myself to watch the video and, yes, it really does seem like the Mayor and the complainer are talking about 2 different things. I expect the Mayor to clarify this tonight and totally defuse the situation.
Off-topic, for all those trying to dissuade people coming to the Triangle from other areas, have them watch this video (not talking about the complainer specifically). It was a real eye opener for me.
Right beachbum, but by the same token we can't outlaw EVERY stupid behavior. Nor would we want to, we don't need a nanny state!
Just because you have seen one or two kids acting like buffoons doesn't mean that the thousands of other kids act that way. Every child I've ever seen playing in the street is cognisant of where they are playing and act accordingly. Does that mean every kid is perfect? No! I'm not foolish enough to project my opinions on the thousands of kids in this town!
I'm not picking on Beth to be evil, but she also complains about all these nuiscances with walking her dog on the street. Should dog walking be illegal as well? I mean to use your example, I've seen people walking dogs with ipods, could they not be hit by emergency vehicles as well?
See where I'm going? We can't outlaw every behavior because a miniscule amount of people are stupid!
The possibility is so remote, that I would be 100% against making up an ordinance for an entire town based on a hypothetical situation of a gang of rogue children, playing street hockey in the middle of a street, in the path of an emergency vehicle, and all of them are listening to their Ipods so loudly, that they can't hear a siren to get out of the way.
If it is REALLY problem, with actual facts, statistics and documentation to back it up, then I'd consider a law on equipment in the street (not people, though).
Cars are allowed to park on neighborhood roads, and rules against street parking generally come from HOA's.
It's the town's interest to protect the public and our tax money goes to making sure that happens. Protecting the public by way of providing emergency assistance when people need it does trump someone's right to play street hockey. It's against the law to get in the way of emergency vehicles. That's the difference.
It doesn't matter if it takes 30 seconds for the kids to move or several minutes. Seconds matter in an emergency. If you've been through one, then you know. If you haven't, consider yourself fortunate.
Again, this argument isn't about cul-de-sacs, it's about all streets. There are far more streets in this town than cul-de-sacs.
Exactly, there is already a law on the books for this so why do we need another one? People driving in the left lane also hold up emergency vehicles so does that mean we should add a second law for that.
And if you don't think this has anything to do with cul de sacs, you need to watch the video of the complainer - it's all about cul de sacs.
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