Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

MichaelBluejay · 2016-09-02 10:06:43

In one case, the kid was in the crosswalk. In the other, the bus' "STOP" sign/flag was down.

Such selfishness.

It's like I always say, we can install improved facilities until we're blue in the face, but until we change the hearts and minds of drivers, it'll never be safe.

Neither kid was seriously hurt.

http://patch.com/texas/southaustin/two- … space-week

dougmc · 2016-09-02 14:20:21

Worse, the second video hits close to home -- that's our friend Elliott McFadden's kid, making me doubly glad that he was OK.

MichaelBluejay · 2016-09-02 14:45:00

Wow, I didn't know that. How did you find out?

Reminds me of when cyclist Ben Clough was killed by a red-light runner, since he was an active Yellow Bike Project member. (The driver got no jail time, paid no fine, didn't even get a ticket for running the red light.) A once next-door neighbor of mine was a pedicabber who got hit by a drunk and wound up in the hospital.

Who among us *doesn't* know someone killed by a motor vehicle? If I did the math right, I figure that in 39 years (about half of one's life expectancy), about 1 in 200 Americans will be killed by an automobile. So, if you know 200 people, by middle age you probably know someone who's been killed by a car or truck. I do. Anyone who *doesn't* know someone killed by a car or truck?

dougmc · 2016-09-02 17:36:28

Elliott said it on Facebook. Here's the post, and it's world readable, so everybody should be able to see it even if they don't use Facebook.

RedFalcon · 2016-09-03 15:21:41

Please, whoever finds information, keep posting updates on these two incidents. The videos show such clear examples of car driving assholery. We need to be able to show people these videos along with accurate information about what happens to the drivers. I'll bet that not a lot happens to the drivers. Even the shitbag making the right turn on red without coming to a full stop won't get much, I'd guess.

I'm glad the kids are ok.

MichaelBluejay · 2016-09-03 16:19:03

Agreed. I'm amazed that the kids are okay, but relieved.

I want to show the videos to my own kids to try to get them to be careful when crossing the street (i.e., paying attention and not using their cell phones), but if they see that the kids in the video didn't suffer any injuries, they're gonna take what I say with a grain of salt.

Glad the buses have cameras on them now, though.

In the first week of school, Austin cops issued over *900* citations for illegally passing schoolbuses:

http://www.kvue.com/news/local/after-mo … /312590754

But like I always sarcastically say, "Bicyclists have to follow the law if they want respect." Applies only to cyclists.

RedFalcon · 2016-09-03 18:00:22

I can't remember if I asked this on here or not, but does anyone know what the statistics are for cyclists causing deaths in Austin, or Texas, or the US (or anywhere in the world)? I have looked but not found anything. I know I read about some idiot riding a bike and killing a pedestrian in San Francisco a few years ago. It was definitely a 'man bites dog' story. I would love to have some good statistics about this, though.

One person a week is sacrificed to car culture here in Austin. Who will be next?

MichaelBluejay · 2016-09-03 20:52:55

I'm pretty sure there's nobody tracking it, at least not locally. It's an exceptionally rare event.

dougmc · 2016-09-12 16:33:13

RedFalcon wrote:

I'll bet that not a lot happens to the drivers. Even the shitbag making the right turn on red without coming to a full stop won't get much, I'd guess.

Passing a school bus is one of the highest fines in the Austin Municipal Court's list of standard fines -- $630 if you pay it on time.

I think it's not just one of the highest fines, but the very highest fine of any of the moving violations that are given to individuals rather than businesses.

On the other hand, Failure to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk is only $169.

Of course, even a $630 fine is still not enough to keep people from doing it ...

AusTexMurf · 2016-10-06 21:07:59

Michael,
Thank you very much for posting this. I live in the St. Elmo Elementary attendance zone and my youngest two children attend Joslin Elementary. Joslin is in our hood on what should be a very safe route to school less than 2 miles from our house.
Here is a link to a related discussion of a pending multi-residential development located on Bike Route 31, Vinson Rd, near the dangerous RR crossing. Ridiculous AM commute auto traffic now on this route and ridiculous auto traffic cutting through our neighborhood streets already. There have been long, heated discussions on Nextdoor in our community. Unfortunately, Nextdoor pulled the first and longest related thread and will not respond as to why they did so. People are assuming language content because another poster started the thread about his daughter and a neighbor's child being nearly hit by a high speed reckless driver on their street. It was a very good conversation.
Here is a very related thread on the proposed Vinson Road project on Bike Route 31. Please let me know if linking violates any policies or procedures and I will pull it a.s.a.p. Warning, long technical discussion on the development. Scroll towards the bottom, if desired, to read only the discussion as it pertains to child, bicyclist and pedestrian safety and a possibility perhaps lost to short-sighted, self-serving, greedy developers. The Bergstrom spur direct rail connection to the old AF base, currently and for quite some time to come, our airport. These interests converge in front of St. Elmo Elementary school, where Amy and Elliot's son was hit in the crosswalk on W St. Elmo.

Map Here

Discussion Thread Here

Another related thread after the first one was pulled by Nextdoor. New replies starting.

What happened to the speeding auto traffic through our hood discussion ?
Larry Murphy from Southwood · 2d ago

I am assuming that it was pulled. Quite a shame as there was important information in that thread with links to information, programs, and neighborhood meetings. The discussion was also important because it draws attention to the problem. We have local law enforcement and city officials that are also able to read and view the posts if they live/work in our hood....
More Here

And finally, an excerpt from the Vincent Rd Development thread that I posted. It has a photo and a link (should work) to more photos of S 3rd St intersecting St Elmo Rd and Elementary school. Look at what should be a quiet residential street and safe route to elementary school in Austin now days. Insane !

Larry Murphy from Southwood · 1d ago
Ray,
With all due respect to your many excellent suggestions and with kudos to you for all that you do for our community,

This idea just doesn't work at all:
“Close Vinson Drive just north of its intersection with Philco with north-bound traffic detoured onto Philco and S. 3rd to St. Elmo. Close Vinson Drive at St. Elmo with a gate for construction workers and materials delivery. Require that large trucks delivering construction materials approach the construction gate from S. 1st or S. Congress, traveling on St. Elmo. I suggest that bicyclists who don’t want to take the Philco/S. 3rd detour carry their bikes across the railroad tracks where they bisected Lansing Drive in decades past.”

S 3rd is already very congested in the AM commute time with people cutting through from Emerald Forest and S 1st. It is the only safe route to two elementary schools through our hood, Joslin and St. Elmo. We would really suggest flowing all that traffic through our neighborhood with kids commuting and school zone ??? Also, what do our neighbors on S 3rd St have to say about that ? Or those on Philco, even Orland. Would also create even more traffic problems on Emerald Wood, Aberdeen, Evergreen.

Also, you can't tell elementary school kids to cross a RR track without a crossing. Very dangerous and even illegal, I believe.

No more traffic directed through our hood ! Simple...
I mean really the whole thing is a bad idea.
The worst solution would be to filter all of the auto traffic through our hood and the heavy trucks through our school zone. And then having them meet at an intersection with no traffic control. No crossing guard. Busiest time of day for auto traffic in our area and all construction traffic is in the AM's. Guess what time school starts.
Really ???
Edited 1d ago
Ray and Kelly thanked you

Larry Murphy from Southwood · 1d ago
Yuck, Yuck, Yuck !!!

Larry Murphy from Southwood · 1d ago
This.
+1 !!!
And from a lot more folks that aren't following this Nextdoor thread.

Michael Cosper from Salem Meadow ·
Under current conditions any residential development of those lots isirresponsible. COA could just buy them and sit on them untill the rail spur issue is dealt with, preferably wh a rail to trails project happens.

Obvious and simplest solution.
Thanks, Michael, for pointing out the obvious, as you so frequently do...
Edited 1d ago
Julia and Tara thanked you

Larry Murphy from Southwood · 1d ago
Here is a view of the cut through traffic Pre Vincent Rd construction.
S 3rd St from W St Elmo looking toward Philco. Photos taken this AM.
Wow.
And if the development is allowed, imagine the situation during construction.
More from today only, here:
https://goo.gl/photos/xtto6NKskGPoJFP19
It is irresponsible that people behave this way and that our city allows it and does nothing to mitigate the problem. It will get much worse both during and after the Vinson Rd project if allowed. Again, this is the only reasonably safe route to two of our elementary schools for children that walk and bike to school.
Ridiculous !

Edited 23h ago
Michael, Ray, Lesley, and 1 other thanked you

Michael Cosper from Salem Meadow · 22h ago
Looks like a good time to be on a bike.
Thanked!
You thanked Michael

Larry Murphy from Southwood · 22h ago
Yes, Michael, but not for kids in our neighborhood. Likely that the cut through traffic problem wouldn't be so ridiculous if more adult members of our community did in fact commute by bicycle instead of single occupant autos through this zone.
And notice that there is no sidewalk on the east side of S 3rd St.
Also no traffic mitigation, safe crossing, traffic light, 3 way stop, or even crossing guard on S 3rd. When I am riding alone, I simply filter through all of it. Our children can't, though.

AusTexMurf · 2016-10-07 01:00:34

Larry Murphy from Southwood · 7m ago
These pictures were taken yesterday, Thur AM on our commute to school. W St Elmo and Vinson Rd. My wife and our youngest child in kinder. The driver was honking, revving his engine at them, screaming f**k you, and flipping them off. He made a very dangerous pass and then screamed through our hood turning left on Mt Vernon and then right to fly down Redd. He nearly hit another father and his young son on bike crossing Mt. Vernon. I have their photos but choose not to post without permission from them. This is on the same road that Amy and Elliot McFadden's child was hit in the video originally posted in this thread. This is where Vinson Rd intersects W St. Elmo.
Hello ?????
Photos Here
Nice spot to pass, huh ?
This pending development and ignoring these problems are both insane !

Last edited by AusTexMurf (2016-10-07 01:05:36)

MichaelBluejay · 2016-10-07 01:25:08

Aren't you glad you live in such a Bike-Friendly City™? You know it's a bike-friendly city, because it keeps getting awards for it.

Bicycle Austin forum

#1 2016-09-02 10:06:43

Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#2 2016-09-02 14:20:21

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#3 2016-09-02 14:45:00

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#4 2016-09-02 17:36:28

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#5 2016-09-03 15:21:41

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#6 2016-09-03 16:19:03

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#7 2016-09-03 18:00:22

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#8 2016-09-03 20:52:55

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#9 2016-09-12 16:33:13

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#10 2016-10-06 21:07:59

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#11 2016-10-07 01:00:34

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

#12 2016-10-07 01:25:08

Re: Two kids exiting school buses hit by cars within a week (Austin, 9/16)

Board footer