Speeding on Vestals Gap!

I dunno. I think the solution in the beginning of "The Running Man" was better.

 

What exactly do you mean by “most parents just have much better things to do than watch of their *own* children.” Are you making a commentary on working parents or are you just commenting on the negligent nature of today’s parents in general?

I for one am going to help my 2-year old strap his brother to a nuclear missile which we will launch from the street amidst speeding cars while we eat high fat, high carbohydrate foods under full sun with no sunscreen while wearing flammable pajama's ! Gimme a break!

That said bring on the police, unmarked and marked.

 

Todays parent's aren't necessarily more negligent as a whole (some are), but they definetly are looking towards society to do a lot of the raising of their children for them and/or use 'what about the children!?' as a front to push their own agendas.

I don't understand why you'd want cops everywhere when you could just have 2-3 speed cameras that do thw work of many cops for less money and are less of an eyesore than multiple cop cars. I've seen less cop cars in gang infested communities than people are calling for to patrol our streets here. Use automated methods of enforcement in areas where there isn't a real crime problem and leave the actual police officers to do actual police work (drug/gang enforcement, auto theft, vandalism, etc.). It seems to me that the presence of a ton of cop cars in the community all the time would give the perception that there is a lot of crime in this area, which isn't the case.

 

I agree with you to a point. Crime is increasing. There was an incident on the path around the lake in the village in which someone was surrounded and assaulted by a gang of teens armed with air rifles.
Granted the police think they had a beef with the person but you don't expect to be unsafe on those paths. You expect these communities to be a safe haven from this junk. With MS13 and other gangs infiltrating this area we as a community must show solidarity in not taking it even for a second. That said there was drag racing up Claiborne again early Sat morining. This time I heard lots of brakes. It's just a matter of time before one of those racers either kills themselves or someone else.

 

Brim,

You are scaring me! I think we might be in agreement again! I just objected to the use of the word "most" I think the cameras are a fine idea.

Now what is your opinion on a Hooters at the shopping plaza at Chickacoan/Truro Parish? [^]

 

hmmm...Hooters is strange, I love their wings (best around IMHO) but hate going in there. All that fake attention they throw at you just to get tips...bah, just bring me my food. We used to go to the one in Fairfax for lunch every Friday and laugh at all the gullible guys in there that actually thought the waitresses were flirting with them...funny stuff. My wife hates the place too, but she likes the wings.

 

Agree! Best wings, gullible silly guys, and very smart waitresses! I don’t hate it that much, those girls know where their bread gets buttered! I have never been as fawned over as when I was nine months pregnant and went there for a little wing craving. That said a little pub at the shopping plaza might be nice. Now about the drunk driving speeder…[:0]

 

Funny story...I was in there with a co-worker in late Nov 2001 when the presidential election was up for grabs:

waitress: "So, who do you think is going to win?"
me: 'Probably Bush.'
waitress: "I think so too!"

Later she's waiting on a table next to us:

waitress: "So, who do you think is going to win?"
guy: 'Probably Gore.'
waitress: "I think so too!"

 

brim - yeah my "solution" was a bit over the top. but the idea of speed cameras is a good one. I believe WTOP said that D.C's speed cameras had 2400 tickets in the first month of use. If we could get the revenue to stay in our community we could recoup the cost of the cameras and apply it to community issues.

some of the low riding imports, whipped through the development the other weekend,3 times. A set of spike strips thrown across Vestals Gap might get their attention...there goes that vigilante mentality again.

 

I like that idea!

 

pdonnadurk-
A pub IS going into the plaza.

 

It's just my observation. I see parents letting kids wander all over while they prattle endlessly on their phones. It's almost like if they loose one, they think that they can just pop out another. I wish people had to have a license to conceive. By gosh, you have to have a license to drive, but not to procreate! How insane is that?

Yes, yes! The more police, the safer we will be. If we really cared about our children, we'd have a cop in front of every house, security cameras scanning every mm of the community, and self-actuating artillery to destroy an vehicle that does even 0.1 MPH over the speed limit.

By the way, a Lo. Co. school bus FLEW by our house today. Really, there was a sonic boom! I've never even seen the Pizza Hut drivers go so fast!

 

HMMMM, fake attention is still attention. I have had worse service from high-end establishments.

 

Chris - and who would decide what is on the test to get a that "procreation" license you are so fond of?

 

Answer: the same people who decide who can get a driver's license -- the state.

 

Wait a sec, I need clarification. Are you suggesting a license for knowing HOW to procreate? I can see how it could be compared to driving. Or are you suggesting a license for parenting?

Oh, and IMO, the state gives away licenses to people who don't deserve them either!

 

Interesting idea. What kind of log do you think would be needed for the "procreation" learners permit? How many hours would be sufficient? Would we need to have practice in all kinds of weather? Day and night procreation training? What type of picture will we need on the procreation license? (profile or frontal shot)How about the personal characteristics on the license, i.e. height weight, etc.? Will we be able to drink and procreate at the same time? We currently have different drivers licenses for different vehicles, will we have different classification for procreation? (i.e. ...never mind)

 

Very interesting. I think I want a "multi-procreation" license!

Doubt I could sell my wife on the idea tho.

 

Some background info.
Members of the Regency -the neighborhood where the 6y/o was killed- formed a safety committee. All hoa board members and interested residents attended a meeting hosted by Lt. Ed Leonard #8716 of the LCSO. He had many suggestions for traffic calming. Even though speed was not an issue in the death that doesn't mean it won't be in the next one, it is just a matter of time.

He said,'get a tag # and description of car (and driver if possible)and time of day. Call it in to 703-777-1021'. They will look up the offender by DMV records and visit the home. It may not be the next day. But there are cops who have regular 'beats' and they will stop and inform the resident that a complaint has been lodged and that they will be under surveilance. This would contitute a 'warning' and future complaints may result in a ticket. You as the filer of the complaint must be willing to appear before the magistrate of the court if it gets to that point -usually the ticket point. But most cases are calmed before that happens. Especially if it is teens.

He also spoke about the $200 additional fine signs. They are indeed issued by VDOT not the Sheriff. They are not very difficult to get and will involve a traffic study that included on of those big radar things. He mentioned that in the opinion of LCSO and many others nation wide speed bumps and children at play signs do not work.


As far as the parenting issues. Personally I think kids are watched just as much now as they were in the past. I know that I know much more about where my kids are and who they are with than my mom knew about me. I had great parents mind you. We used to go out to play and be gone for hours, never had to call in on our cell phone or FRS radio. But back then if you did something wrong the whole neighborhood called your parents, or heaven forbid, an adult actually confronted you! Now-a-days you don't dare say anything to a kid who is not yours b/c the parents will sue you or worse knock on your door with a gun in hand. And if not the parents it might be the kid! I think it is sad.