BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Kids + football + busy road...

Pinecone,
Its a residential street with many stop signs, so we don't get a lot of people speeding in the neighborhood (except mini-van moms at 7:55 AM and the occasional crazy teenager) anwyay. So, to be honest, I wasn't worried about the kids' safety. The hubby told me to toss that in there so the cops would show up. Not that I don't want kids to be safe. I do! They would be safer not playing in the street.

I was particulary thrilled that the cops really let the parents have it. We live at the end of a "T" street so we could see the whole thing from our kitchen window. What a show.

Cherry- you've pretty much described what happens in my neighborhood to a T. When the kids stand in the middle of the street and glare at me, let me tell you, if they could hear the thoughts it my head they'd start running and never come back.

In the neighborhood I used to live in the parents put these bright yellow plastic "men" about 18 inches high in the street. The plastic statue was holding a flag in the air that said "Slow, children" or something like that. Then the kids would proceed to play in the street, of course, and I guess the parents thought the plastic warning would make the cars go slowly by their kids. I never saw a parent.

Even worse was they would leave the thing in the road when the kids had gone inside! Linux Lady, I should have taken a page out of your book and run it over! (Although with my luck I would have gotten a flat tire.)

Yes, I've seen those annoying little yellow men, too. I've never actually seen any kids playing when they yellow men are out, though!

Yesterday when I came home, one of the neighbor kids rode his skateboard into the street right in front of my car (of course he didn't check for cars before he zoomed down his driveway). I honked at him, and he took his sweet time getting out of the way. I live on a cul-de-sac and the kids think that it's their personal playground, as well as all the driveways. Then I came out later and three boys were playing on MY driveway, so I had to get after them for that. Our driveway is long and sloped, so of course they love riding their skateboards down it (and it's impossible for them to see incoming traffic from my driveway, so it's kind of dangerous). I may have to speak to their parents. They need to learn to respect other people's property, and learn how to be safe themselves. (Of course the parents are rarely outside when the kids are.)

Cindy

Speaking of skateboards - how about some idiot who allows their children to put the skateboard uphill thing-y in their driveway - facing the road.............???

Yep - if the little Eviel Knieval wannabes go up that ramp and miss making their turn - they could easily fall into the path of an oncoming car.

Robin- I've seen that too. If you call the police, they'll show up because it's an active threat to the kids and drivers.

Cookie- that's what I hate most about parental neglect- kids don't understand the concept of private property. They just don't get how much you've worked for what you have, so they don't think twice about being careful.

You got that right! I already vented a couple of weeks ago in another thread about how all the neighborhood kids play in our driveway since we're pretty much the only people who actually park our cars in the garage! They all turn around in our driveway with their bikes, skateboards, little electric cars, scooters and often cut the corner of the grass and run over our sprinkler heads. THe hubby keeps a big bag of them because he's constantly replacing them. I just don't think we should have to do this. If I wanted kids playing in my driveway, I'd have had kids!

Now, when they start climbing on the wrought iron fence I go out there and say something. That's all we need is one of them falling and impaling himself on it. Scary.

Cherry, can you put a nice iron post or little corner fence on that corner of the grass? Someone near where I live put one up with flowers that contrast with the black metal and it looks pretty nice.

I'd make a very clear statement to the parents about their little darlings messing around on your property. Then I'd put up a "no trespassing" sign and call the cops if the kids didn't keep to their own turf. Sure the sign would be ugly, but I bet you wouldn't need it for long!