I guess some thing that they have the right to drive drunk until they hit someone, and others are concerned about those who would cross the street on foot without a light or crosswalk giving them permission. Both are problems, but the ones in the cars are the ones with the deadly weapons. However, I don't take jaywalking lightly either. Teaching children about road safety is the first step to teaching them about traffic safety and understanding both is a key to a long life. (You know-lets all make it to the big A! :) )
My beef right now, in particular, is the local police officers who repeatedly give teenage speeders 'warnings'. My son is 18 and has had some minor traffic stops and one ticketed accident. Another that involved private property only(thank God) and he repaired the fence. Now that he is 18(nearly 19) and moving out, he has told me of how MANY times he has sped and been CAUGHT by the police and let OFF because they thought he was 'a nice kid'. This 'nice kid' has lost 2 friends and several aquaintances to traffic accidents involving high speed and/or racing(very big around here). The cops just treat it as a 'boys will be boys' thing. I am stunned! Are they STUPID???? To many of them are literally scraping kids off the sidewalks and streets and they are giving kids a break! I want to DO SOMETHING to stop this and don't know if I should start with my local police force or go to my legislators. Any ideas? Seems if the kids are breaking the law, that parents should be notified-since we are responsible for what they do as minors and can remove driving priveleges. We never were notified! I found a couple of traffic citations, but my son didn't offer the information up, and I found them after he was 18 and in the process of moving out. If the police don't treat this as seriously as drunk driving (and they treat it pretty seriously around here) then they become accomplices to my way of thinking. Aaaargh. I am one irritated mama bear right now. Good thing no one is in the house or I'd bite-and not in a nice way!