Thursday, August 30, 2007

Teen driver may face charges in boy's death

Register Guard--

By guest commentator Gary
"Bailey Hill is without a doubt a dangerous obstacle course of lights and traffic," Bryce Vandiver said. "People don't use their turn signals and think speed limits and red lights are a suggestion."
"There's no enforcement,” Cynthia Anderson said. "There aren't even signs." She said she has called the city at least five times about drivers failing to stop for children trying to use the crosswalk. Her son crosses Bailey Hill Road daily and often waits as 10 to 12 cars zip past without stopping.
Eugene's traffic engineer Tom Larsen said the city has fielded calls about the stretch of roadway south of the Churchill High School. But his crash statistics don't back up neighborhood claims.
The city recorded one crash - a car hitting a tree - at the Bailey Hill and Westleigh intersection in all of 2003, 2004 and 2005 combined, he said. Numbers for 2006 were not available Tuesday.
There were nine recorded crashes at Bailey Hill Road and Warren Street during the same period. None of the wrecks was fatal.
"In terms of crash history, this is not a dangerous intersection," Larsen said.
I wonder how the family of 10-year-old Vaclav Hajek of Eugene feels about that statement. Vaclav, who lived nearby, was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he was declared dead after he was struck by a car on Monday. An initial investigation indicated that the driver was speeding south on Bailey Hill Road approaching Westleigh Street

it is unfortunate and very sad that someone got injured and killed, especially a child... but as far as the issue of vehicles running stop signs and red lights, in the area that I live, this is a very common phenomenon.
There is no excuse for running a stop sign!
Besides being extremely dangerous no matter how "clear" the intersection may seem, it is because of these idiots that they're putting up red light cameras, increasing insurance costs and changing laws and we have to pay for it because as somebody else stupidity.
I have personally assisted with the local PD in over 250 accidents. If you do not think that a car is dangerous, you're DEAD wrong. -- Robin

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Once again the people in power turn to statistics instead of listening to the people who live the nightmare on a daily basis. This is exactly why Bush thinks our country is doing great. STOP LOOKING AT A PIECE OF PAPER AND LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE!

Anonymous said...

It's true now what I said then. The city government has still done nothing other than an increased police patrol in the area. This is shortsighted and irresponsible. Cameras wont stop anything and a patrolman has little power if the speeder slows before the officer can do anything! it's up to everyone to be responsible out their while driving, lets face it, your weapon of mass destruction... Bryce V