Since BOT 2014 isn't done, I'm trying to look up BOT results 2013, and all I get is the intro. Where are the results? I'm having a hard time finding them.
Traffic laws (including those applicable to pedestrians and bikers) are created to make the other users' actions as predictable as possible. People not following those rules lead to a vast majority of collisions, I'm sure, Whether driving intoxicated, or while texting, or walking across the street at an inappropriate place, or bikers not following traffic laws.
Lots of people run across the middle of the street (not near corners), across one lane of traffic and then wait in the middle. Crazy. Try standing on the sidewalk and count the number of passing drivers using their cell phones. You'll find a high percentage, but that's really not news I'm sure.
I've found one of the highest offenders are bikers, in terms of the sheer percentage that break traffic laws. As I bike to work, I would estimate I see well more than 50% of bikers breaking traffic laws. Not stopping at stop signs, biking the wrong side of the road, carrying passengers, biking and texting (maybe that's not a law, just common sense)!
My favorite was on my bike, waiting to cross Ft. Lowell at Dodge, car on my right waiting to make a right turn, car on my left waiting to go straight, about 3 ft between me and the car on my left. Suddenly a biker flies by me, across Ft. Lowell. From his speed, I can't imagine he had even slowed down, fit between a space he could barely fit through, and straight through a red light across Ft. Lowell.
Not very predictable behavior, although with the frequency I see similar things happen (including cars and pedestrians), maybe it's totally predictable and should be expected that people are going to do stupid things on the road. Everyone, just be careful!
As you rip Huppenthal and TUSD, I wonder why anyone questions parents' decisions to put their children in a charter school. Mine are in a charter school that scores well above TUSD, state, and national average on those silly tests. And I think it means little that they do, because those tests are ridiculous. But if you use the testing as a valid measure, I will point out that our local TUSD school is well below average. In large part it's due to lack of funds. I want my children to be ready to meet the challenges of the world, to be able to think, resolve problems, and work with people, and their school focuses on those skills. Yes, they need background knowledge taught in the schools, but these tests don't tell me anything about the skills I am most concerned with. I have nothing against public schools in concept, but if they don't deliver, I will look for other alternatives.
Another note about those tests: I was amazed the first year those tests were given. Our school generally doesn't use tests, and I thought the kids would be anxious going into them. It was a bit of a concern of mine that they didn't get tests regularly, in fact. Yet, every child I asked was looking forward to the tests. They were excited. It was something different. And then after the tests, they reported that they thought they were easy. Now, every year they look forward to the tests. They are easy, and they look at it as a break from school. I didn't think my children would score that well, but they did great. It actually reinforced my decision to keep them where they are.
I would like to fit in a whole conversation about this, but this is already more than enough for a comments page. I just hope this state does education right.
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Lots of people run across the middle of the street (not near corners), across one lane of traffic and then wait in the middle. Crazy. Try standing on the sidewalk and count the number of passing drivers using their cell phones. You'll find a high percentage, but that's really not news I'm sure.
I've found one of the highest offenders are bikers, in terms of the sheer percentage that break traffic laws. As I bike to work, I would estimate I see well more than 50% of bikers breaking traffic laws. Not stopping at stop signs, biking the wrong side of the road, carrying passengers, biking and texting (maybe that's not a law, just common sense)!
My favorite was on my bike, waiting to cross Ft. Lowell at Dodge, car on my right waiting to make a right turn, car on my left waiting to go straight, about 3 ft between me and the car on my left. Suddenly a biker flies by me, across Ft. Lowell. From his speed, I can't imagine he had even slowed down, fit between a space he could barely fit through, and straight through a red light across Ft. Lowell.
Not very predictable behavior, although with the frequency I see similar things happen (including cars and pedestrians), maybe it's totally predictable and should be expected that people are going to do stupid things on the road. Everyone, just be careful!
Another note about those tests: I was amazed the first year those tests were given. Our school generally doesn't use tests, and I thought the kids would be anxious going into them. It was a bit of a concern of mine that they didn't get tests regularly, in fact. Yet, every child I asked was looking forward to the tests. They were excited. It was something different. And then after the tests, they reported that they thought they were easy. Now, every year they look forward to the tests. They are easy, and they look at it as a break from school. I didn't think my children would score that well, but they did great. It actually reinforced my decision to keep them where they are.
I would like to fit in a whole conversation about this, but this is already more than enough for a comments page. I just hope this state does education right.