I live on Georgia Ave. on the Cul de sac that nestles up to the back of Juana Briones school. Some days I have to back out of my driveway during the peak of pedestrian traffic, past the blind spot caused by my neighbor’s illegally high privacy fence. Kids on bikes, kids walking, little kids that break away from mommy’s hands just as I’m backing out, added to my neighbors and their dogs. Lots of possibilities for tragedy here. Luckily there is no parking parking allowed on my street from 8:00-8:30 am (and it is enforced!
Then I turn the corner onto Maybell–up to 20 bikes on the street at one time, biking alongside the drop-off cars headed to Juana Briones, Terman, or even Gunn. Sometimes the sun is at an angle that makes it difficult to see the smaller bikes. But it’s not just the magic hour before and after school that is a concern. The playground and the neighborhood are active, safe places to walk. I see an elderly woman with her arm around a companion walking slowly together. I see a disabled young man and his aide getting their exercise; nannies and grannies with prams and tricycles; teens in meandering groups on foot or wheels; joggers, dogs, soccer teams, play groups, birthday parties.
And already Maybell can be a scary place if you need to find a place to park, bike through at the wrong time (like when the car carrying trucks are there.) I drive here. I worry about kids getting hit as things are. I do not want things to get worse. I have no problem being called an alarmist when it comes to child safety. This is the neighborhood where my kids went to school. Every child I see on a bike I consider as one of my own, and safety must come first. Maybe you should start thinking that way. – (posted by Jean Ebbs Doten on our Facebook page)
