Child struck by vehicle

[slider701]

Any update from the special meeting tonight?

[admin]

Any update from the special meeting tonight?

Lantana officials focus on street safety

[tech]

2 things.
1. I've seen people pulled over every morning when I drive through this intersection, as the article states. So my question is, are the citations actually valid since the petition has yet to be presented to the county?

2. While driving home yesterday eve around 6, it took me until I got next to the crossing sign to tell it was flashing... and I was looking to see if it was the whole time I could see the sign. My point is these signs and tiny LEDs are way too small, and don't really do any good unless it is dark outside.

[Common Sense Al]

What exactly does "yield to pedestrian" mean? If there is a pedestrian that has not yet entered the crosswalk and is waiting to cross, is a driver suppose to stop/yield to them? I would hope that they would need to yield to traffic before entering the crosswalk, so I'm going to assume it means "yield to pedestrians already on crosswalk", but if not, then there may be some "education" that needs to be done.

[admin]

What exactly does "yield to pedestrian" mean? If there is a pedestrian that has not yet entered the crosswalk and is waiting to cross, is a driver suppose to stop/yield to them? I would hope that they would need to yield to traffic before entering the crosswalk, so I'm going to assume it means "yield to pedestrians already on crosswalk", but if not, then there may be some "education" that needs to be done.

Sec. 552.003. PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY AT CROSSWALK. (a) The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway in a crosswalk if:

(1) no traffic control signal is in place or in operation; and

(2) the pedestrian is:

(A) on the half of the roadway in which the vehicle is traveling; or

(B) approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.

(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and proceed into a crosswalk in the path of a vehicle so close that it is impossible for the vehicle operator to yield.

(c) The operator of a vehicle approaching from the rear of a vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross a roadway may not pass the stopped vehicle.

(d) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under Subsection (a) that as a result of the commission of the offense a collision occurred causing serious bodily injury or death to a visually impaired or disabled person, the offense is a misdemeanor punishable by:

(1) a fine of not more than $500; and

(2) 30 hours of community service to an organization or agency that primarily serves visually impaired or disabled persons, to be completed in not less than six months and not more than one year.

(d-1) A portion of the community service required under Subsection (d)(2) shall include sensitivity training.

(e) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Visually impaired" has the meaning assigned by Section 91.002, Human Resources Code.

(2) "Disabled" means a person who cannot walk without the use or assistance of:

(A) a device, including a brace, cane, crutch, prosthesis, or wheelchair; or

(B) another person.

(f) If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code or the Penal Code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or both sections.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1272, Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.

[JKTex]

What exactly does "yield to pedestrian" mean? If there is a pedestrian that has not yet entered the crosswalk and is waiting to cross, is a driver suppose to stop/yield to them? I would hope that they would need to yield to traffic before entering the crosswalk, so I'm going to assume it means "yield to pedestrians already on crosswalk", but if not, then there may be some "education" that needs to be done.

Not to pick on you Al, ok, it's fun to pick on you this is one of the biggest issues I see every day, everywhere. Drivers that either are just not aware or ignore fundamentals of traffic control and law. People with blow it off or don't understand the basics of what every driver should know.

Since we've gotten all the new lanes opened up in FM, obviously it's confused a lot of drivers having all that choice and decisions to make, but I've see several times, drivers almost hitting pedestrians crossing in crosswalks, or blocking the crosswalks and that's where there is obvious traffic control and it's being ignored. The worst was 2 kids crossing, when they should, and a car came up to the intersection blowing past the crosswalk to come to a stop about 4-5' from the kids in the crosswalk, and past the other cars stopped at the light. The driver, a lady that looked like she could be those kids Mom, didn't appear to care at all. Pedestrians don't have a chance as long as drivers don't understand (which they should already) and respect traffic control and fundamentals like ROW.

[Common Sense Al]

Sec. 552.003. PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY AT CROSSWALK. (a) The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway in a crosswalk if:

That seems pretty clear. Thanks.

So the pedestrian has duty to yield to traffic first (should not step out into oncoming traffic), but once on/in the crosswalk, the vehicles must yield (given the conditions you posted).

You might want to include the info & details in the next FWSD bill.

[slider701]

All this talk of "Pedestrian" and what they can/can't do and who has right of way and everyone is losing focus.........these are not "pedestrians" in the sense of some schmuck crossing the road in downtown Dallas on his/her lunch hour or even your local adult jogger/walker in Lantana......these are kids who may not necessarily know full right from wrong, or always to look twice before stepping off the curb. Then to try to dig into Texas vehicle/pedestrian legal code and have it relate to to a child is pure asinine and a flat out cop-out by the board members.

What would be the harm in growing a set of balls and voting to put in stop signs?? So you don't have a full State of Texas traffic assessment?? What's the worst that can happen??? 99.5% of the common folks still stop at the signs and the 0.05% who slow-n-go the stop and actually get a ticket can then go to court and get it dismissed??? I'd sooner put in stop signs that are not 100% legal and add one more layer of protection to the intersection than put up a freaking yield sign.

But y'all took the easy way out.......fell back on some legal loophole to cover your asses so you didn't have to actually make a decision that might make you step outside the comfort zone of "got to make decisions by the books"

Doesn't surprise me though with all of the sheep in this neighborhood heading blindly to the slaughter house.

[Uther]

Bravo, slider.

[JKTex]

Sec. 552.003. PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY AT CROSSWALK. (a) The operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing a roadway in a crosswalk if:

That seems pretty clear. Thanks.

So the pedestrian has duty to yield to traffic first (should not step out into oncoming traffic), but once on/in the crosswalk, the vehicles must yield (given the conditions you posted).

You might want to include the info & details in the next FWSD bill.

Is it the duty, responsibility or even prudent for the FWSD to start citing law to people who are responsible to know the law already? Especially to address kids crossing a street in a crosswalk in a school zone to get to school? If that's what it takes for people to watch out for kids going to school, y'all have much bigger problems out there in the beautiful Hill Country.

[Pipeline]

Went to the intersection yesterday at 5:45 PM (rush hour}. I'm behind a white Toyota, driven by a woman with a cell phone glued to the side of her noggin, stopped at the stop sign. Little 6 or 7 year old is in the crosswalk, on a bike, heading South, in front of the Toyota. The woman lays on her horn to get the little girl to move faster, as the little girl is struggling with the bike. My daughter said the girl on the bike was in tears before she got all the way across, after the honking.

Good grief! We all ain't in that big a rush. Tried to follow the Toyota, but hey, the F-150 don't make turns fast enough. Don't know what I would have said anyway. Be careful out there, people. Those kids are the ones that may be making the decisions soon whether I get creamed peas or creamed squash for dinner. I don't need them peo'd at old folks.

(what the heck is a 6 or 7 year old doing in that crosswalk, alone, during rush hour?)

[admin]

Any update from the special meeting tonight?

Lantana officials focus on street safety

Lantana General Manager, Kevin Mercer, has called the Sheriff's Dept. and other local police agencies to inquire about hiring an off-duty officer to man the crosswalk at Lantana Trail & Stacee Lane but has had no luck finding anyone.

The main issue is that the police departments do not want to set a precedent by having an officer act as a school crossing guard, since every school in their jurisdiction will then demand the same thing.

In the meantime, Blanton parents have taken the matter into their own hands by volunteering to assist children with crossing the street. They have set up an online sign-up sheet here: www.signupgenius.com/go/409084DA8AF2C7-crossing

[JKTex]

Any update from the special meeting tonight?

Lantana officials focus on street safety

Lantana General Manager, Kevin Mercer, has called the Sheriff's Dept. and other local police agencies to inquire about hiring an off-duty officer to man the crosswalk at Lantana Trail & Stacee Lane but has had no luck finding anyone.

The main issue is that the police departments do not want to set a precedent by having an officer act as a school crossing guard, since every school in their jurisdiction will then demand the same thing.

In the meantime, Blanton parents have taken the matter into their own hands by volunteering to assist children with crossing the street. They have set up an online sign-up sheet here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084DA8AF2C7-crossing

I knew there were some parents that still loved and cared about their kids!! Bravo!

[jlbates]

It just occurred to me - EP Rayzor has the Watchdog program where fathers sign up to spend a day helping out at the school - I imagine Blanton must have a similar program? This would be a nice way for them to help on their designated days.