When People Make Traffic Errors How Do You Respond?

Yesterday while waiting to take a right a young, high school student began to walk in front of me. She had the walk sign.

A woman started to turn into her.

The woman saw the girl and stopped half way in the intersection.

She had made a mistake.

A car was coming at the woman who made the mistake. She threw out her arm and hand mouthing sorry. She looked very worried.

The person driving at her sped at her and laid on his/her horn. Scaring the woman. Threatening her with, death or injury.

The car went around her and all was well.

But I wonder why do we threaten others when they make an error while driving? Why do  we help other humans when they drop something, if we see them fall we go to them and ask if they are all right. I see wonderful acts of humanity daily but mostly out of the car.

When we are driving if we see someone make a mistake we honk, we go faster, we flip them off. Acts of anger are quick to be displayed. But to error is to be human, right?

Honestly just a new thought. What are your thoughts about this?

I made a driving error two days ago. I was too relaxed on the 134 East and I was on a part I normally hadn't gone on before two lanes started to merge and suddenly I woke to full attention. I couldn't safely get over as a car was coming at around 80 to my left but the car behind me was mad at me. He wasn't slowing down enough to let me safely in between him and the car in front of him. I began beeping rapidly flapping a hand saying please let me in. He had his window down and he finally slowed a bit. I screwed up.

But just another example of being threatened.

I think humans need a mental health check about how we drive.

Would You Drive Slower if If Meant Possibly Not Killing Another Human Being?

Speed. Can you be without it?

Are you willing to drive slower to save lives?

I am.

Los Angeles has a huge hit and run problem as chronicled in the LA Weekly.

According to the Weekly, 48 percent of traffic accidents in Los Angeles are hit and run offenses, much higher than the national average of 11 percent. Approximately 100 pedestrians are killed each year in Los Angeles by hit and run drivers.

(This is insane and honestly sometimes I do drive because walking seems dangerous)

Los Angeles Walks wrote a piece offering some solutions.

I really liked this solution:

Lower speed limits to protect pedestrians, especially children. Pedestrians hit by a car traveling 20 m.p.h. have just a 5 percent chance of being killed. The fatality rate skyrockets to 85 percent when a car is travelling 40 m.p.h. Many cities around the world are setting speed limits near schools and in residential and other highly walked areas at 20 m.p.h./30 k.p.h.

The fatality rate skyrockets to 85 percent!!!!! Come one human beings. We are in control here. 

What does it say about us as a society that we refuse to lower our speed limits yet we cry out at things we can not control which kill us?

Why Has Walking Begun to Feel Like a Real Life Game of Frogger?

Sadly and pathetically (not on behalf of the moms) I know two women in my immediate neighborhood who will not walk it with their kids due to fear of being hit. I often hesitate on walking as the people driving the cars do so very fast. Today as I crossed the street at a light and I had the little lit up walking guy saying it was safe I did so. Only to have a man begin to take a left into me, I started running and pushing my 16 month-old across the street.

As he turned behind me I muttered, "There's the Christmas spirit."

I said that because on Christmas Eve I saw two young teens begin to cross the street, legally and a man turned right in front of them. The young teens lifted their arms shouting. I wanted to shout along with them.

Why is it so hard to take a walk?

Doesn't that sound pathetic?

Los Angeles has a huge hit and run problem. Read about it here.

I feel like walking has become a real life game of Frogger.

Only I am not trying to illegally cross lanes of traffic, I'm just trying to cross legally and clear my mind.

Honoring Conor Lynch: LA Run Tomorrow

Twitter and social networking really can be an amazing thing. I just happened upon an event that will take place tomorrow in honor of a young boy named Conor Lynch. Here is  a bit about Conor via the the website.

On October 19, 2010, while training with his high school cross country team, Conor Lynch was killed by a distracted, unlicensed, hit-and-run driver. He was 16 years old. The woman who killed him was 18 years old. Coincidentally, this tragedy occurred during National Teen Safe Driving Week.

Born August 19, 1994 in Los Angeles, Conor was the eldest son of Mark Lynch, partner of Cypress LLP in Los Angeles and Jeri Dye Lynch, CEO and President of Pinecrest Schools, a chain of private schools in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Conor attended Pinecrest Schools Van Nuys from 18 months to 8th grade, and was a junior at Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks at the time of his passing. He is remembered by teachers and classmates as an excellent student, team player and friend. In summers past he had been a camp counselor, lifeguard and swim instructor for Pinecrest Schools where the younger children fondly remember him as “Coach Conor”. He also worked at the Sherman Oaks Little League snack bar, which has been renamed in his honor. He enjoyed working with children who looked up to him as a role model and “big brother.”

You can read more about him on the Conor Lynch site.

The Conor Lynch Foundation was formed and here is its mission statement:  The Conor Lynch Foundation has been established to support new and existing programs that raise awareness and promote the safety of runners, pedestrians, cyclists and young drivers. Your contribution, and events such as safety fairs and the annual 5K Run/Walk “In Honor Of Conor” directly benefit this foundation, and work to ensure that no family suffers a loss like this again.

Here is the amazing, moving, PSA the Conor Lynch Foundation made. Show it to your kids. Or your friends, really we live in such a distracted world.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aghHS1lC4rw]

Well if you are swallowing back a lump in your throat like me this morning reading this and live close enough head on down to a run tomorrow in honor of Conor and this foundation. There will be a 5K run/walk in Sherman Oaks starting at 8:30. You can register here.

Walking To School

Having recently moved to an LA suburb I was excited to be in a "family community." My new area does not have sidewalks everywhere, we live close to our school and so we walk out child to school.

We literally hug the curb as cars come barreling down the hill at a speed I'm pretty sure is over 25MPH.

We have a crosswalk guard who confessed to me a month ago, she' surprised no one has been killed walking or dropping their kid off at school. Yikes.

I started talking to other parents and they all shook their heads, yes, saying they too had noticed how fast people were driving through the neighborhoods, I would safely say some go 40.

I also spoke to one mom who said she could walk, BUT DID NOT FEEL SAFE doing so. That's nuts.

Do you feel safe walking your kid to school?

I called the local non-emergency sheriff's number and he said he would send some patrol guys over to ticket. I said great but more then that I really just want a switch in the drivers minds to happen.

I started going off on my tangent with the crosswalk and another mom. The mom snarked, they won't change. I asked her, don't you think they'd feel bad if they killed a kid? I asked her if she thought people would still be flying if more then 1/2 million Americans had died in airplanes since 9/11. I saw her mind change gears. Her face softened. She got my perspective.

I'd love to hear from you. How is your child's drop off? Do you walk to school? Do people speed in your neighborhoods?