April 21, 2008...12:44 pm
Bicycles, Your Driving & A Rant At A Local Church
Imagine being the father of a thirteen year old boy and receiving a phone call that your son had been hit by a car/SUV on his bicycle on the way to school this very morning.
I received that call this morning.
Before we go any further let me tell you that he is okay. No serious injuries but a few minor bruises and scrapes. Thank you to God for that. But here is where I begin to vent.
We have a very large church down the road from us. It’s Prince of Peace Catholic Church. The church is very large and as such has a private school in addition to the many services and functions that go along with a large place of worship. For four years I’ve lived down the street from the church and while I know many people that attend the church it has become something of a joke to me and my neighborhood friends. Not because of their faith or choice of churches but because of the bad driving habits and courtesies they show people in and around 143rd Street between MurLen Rd and Blackbob Road.
I’ve ridden my bike up and down the road many a time when mass was being let out or school was over. I litterally take my life into my hands when passing in front of Prince of Peace. Twice I’ve had close calls and once it was so close I’m fairly certain my bicycle tire touched their car bumper. I’ve seen pedestrians have to scramble across sidewalks because of drivers exceeding the speed limit mere seconds after leaving the parking lot of P.O.P.
Down the road I’ve had many a trouble trying to turn left out of my street onto 143rd after mass has let out because people with Prince of Peace stickers on the back of their vehicles will cover up my street and then stare straight ahead as if to not even notice I’m there.
I’m sick of it. And I am not going to be silent anymore.
I don’t hate Catholics, the Catholic church or everyone that goes there. But a parent dropping off their kids today to school ran over my kid. Well, actually they hit him on his bicycle, waited for him to get up off the ground and then walk his bike the rest of the way to school. This callous parent didn’t even have the decency to get out of their vehicle, check on him and call me to tell me what happened. Thank you to the other parents of P.O.P. kids that did call the police, write down the driver’s license plate number and reported it to the school. Thank you to the police officer who took my son’s report at his school who promised the driver was known and would receive “several” tickets. Including, I hope, hit and run and/or leaving the scene of an accident.
To the congregants of Prince of Peace I ask you to get your traffic situation in order. Most large churches in the south and east hire off-duty police officers to direct traffic and make sure everything goes smoothly. Maybe it’s time you do the same. Your church is way too large to have only two egress points and how you got zoning to add on a few years ago I’ll never know. I promise you I’ll attend future zoning hearings.
To all readers of this and other blogs I am posting this on I ask you look out for others. Pedestrians, bicycles and skateboarders have the same right to use the sidewalks, cross walks and streets as do motor vehicles. How much time does it take for you to slow down and yield the right-of-way to a bicycle? Did you know that in 2006 there were 770 people killed on bicycles in America? 770!
The love of Christ starts with you. In every little thing you do. Let it not be forgotten as soon as you hit the parking lot. And if you aren’t a Christian, how about just showing a little humanity. Hang up the cell phone and pay attention to your driving.
Is this the best use of space for my real estate blog? I doubt it. But if it makes you more aware of a bicycle this spring, summer or fall it might be worth whatever reader(s) I just offended.
10 Comments
April 21, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I absolutely agree with you, Chris! That area on 143rd at P.O.P. during school entry and exit hours is ridiculously dangerous. I think your right in that they need a policeman directing traffic. I hope your son isn’t too shaken up.
April 21, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Thank you for your kind words Rebekah. Good to hear from you.
April 21, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Oh Chris, I’m so sorry about your kiddo!!! You would feel the same way if it was a synagogue, a Lutheran church or a Target- watch out, morons and please please please… if you don’t have a shred of humanity, at least have a shred of pretend decency.
PS: on behalf of the Catholic faith, we are not offended- the love of God doesn’t end when the car keys turn the ignition over and it CERTAINLY doesn’t end when you hit a kid and run away.
April 21, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Lani - you are right that I would feel that way about any church…including my own. The difference on the Target is they wouldn’t put that in the middle of a residential neighborhood as they allowed this church to be.
The Catholic faith need not apologize. This has nothing to do with faith. It has to do with the individual actions of some of these congregants.
April 22, 2008 at 1:54 am
You’re being a whole lot more PC then I would’ve been. I’m thinking a rant in written form on your attorney’s stationary, addressed to the church might just get some results.
Your son must’ve been scared big time. Wow.
April 22, 2008 at 8:03 am
First of all I’m very glad your son wasn’t badly hurt.
The fact that the driver - a parent him/herself - didn’t get out of the car is very shocking.
I think an attorney’s letter is a very good idea, once you receive a written apology to your son and you from the driver; the community should decide on what’s safest for all the kids in the neighbourhood rather than what’s easiest for the parents…
As for people using their phones whilst driving; too many people have died already for that behaviour to be tolerated.
April 22, 2008 at 9:27 am
After the incident I went in and vented (under control) to the principal of the school. She said she would discuss it with Father and I told her I’d like a call and gave her my card.
Maybe the Father hasn’t been able to get through my phone line because I still haven’t heard from him. I don’t like being ignored.
My years as an investigator taught me one thing: Most lawsuits could have been averted from the beginning with proper communication, give & take.
I was not pre-disposed towards getting an attorney involved but the longer I’m ignored the more I like the idea.
April 22, 2008 at 10:46 am
Chris,
I was relieved to read that your son is unharmed. It sounds to me that your response is quite reasonable.
I don’t view this as a religioius issue, but rather an issue with a religous institution. I can envision this situation arising at any church or synogog, or even a non-religious organization.
Humans are the same regardless of their spiritual or cultural belief structures. Most people get stuck within a pattern of behavior or focus of their attention. Sadly, it often requires some sort of unexpected shock to wake them up and get them to pay attention.
A letter from your attorney might just be the sort of “clue bat” required to wake up the congregation and it’s leadership and get them to take positive action.
I feel differently in regards to the parent who was driving the car. I believe that their behavior is criminal and negligent and needs to be addressed as such. A flurry of tickets from the local police department may be enough, I don’t really know. A civil lawsuit might be called for. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a judge ordered that parent to 1,000 hours of community service as a crossing guard in front of that church?
While it may be understandably tempting to act out of anger and/or fear to protect your son, there is something greater at stake - the safety of all pedestrians and cyclists (children or otherwise) in that area near the church. I suspect that if you act primarily out of a motivation of loving concern (and fueled by a healthy dose of outrage) you can accomplish a great deal.
B.
April 22, 2008 at 11:30 am
Brian - loved your comment and I think you understood clearly what I was trying to say. As for your last paragraph, I agree. If there was a civil suit it would be towards a safe resolution of what I deem to be a dubious situation, safety wise. Money is not and would not be my issue. Unless it’s to have the lady who did this pay for the crossing guards.
I’m told by a witness and my son that the lady didn’t even get out of the car. Asked “are you okay” and when my son said okay she just drove in to drop off her kids.
April 22, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Man that must have been scary. Thank god he is okay. So much for her christian values. I guess she’ll have a few things for her next confession, like not being a good, decent person at the top of the list. We have a catholic school here in Las Vegas that has had the same thing happen several times. They’ve finally moved the campus to a less busy area, but every couple of years a high school kid would get hit by a car, despite the multitude of crosswalks, pedestrian crossing lights and signs. I think Brian has the right idea. Perhaps some time spent making sure other kids are safe would help make her realize the magnitude of her actions.
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