Traffic at Menifee Schools
Yesterday, around 2:10pm while driving down McCall Blvd, going downhill approaching Menifee Rd, I hit a traffic jam. Parents were lined up ...
http://www.menifee247.com/2007/10/traffic-at-menifee-schools.htm
Yesterday, around 2:10pm while driving down McCall Blvd, going downhill approaching Menifee Rd, I hit a traffic jam. Parents were lined up in their cars, trying to pick up their kids from Boulder Ridge Middle School.
It was rather dangerous, because as you get up the hill, going past Menifee Valley Medical Center, you and the rest of the cars are driving around 50-55mph. And as soon as you get over the hill, you hit upon the traffic jam, and you have to hit your brakes hard to avoid hitting stopped cars.
The same thing is true at each school. It doesn't matter if its an elementary school, middle school, or even high school. In fact, today, the Press Enterprise reports of the traffic jams at Paloma Valley High, due to parents trying to pick up and drop off their kids.
I guess it boggles my mind why parents need to drive their teenagers to school.
I attended Santa Ana Valley High during 1980-1984, which had the reputation that time as being the roughest high school in all of Orange County. And I lived in one of the roughest neighborhoods of Santa Ana.
And I walked to school everyday, about 3 miles each way. In fact, I also walked to middle school (or intermediate school as they call it there), even further, about 5 miles each way, going through gang-infested neighborhoods, like F-Troop and Dogtown, and East Side. Yes, there's actually a gang called "F-Troop"!
The fact is that back then most of us kids did this, and we braved worse situations than kids today.
Neighborhoods today, especially here in Menifee are 10 times more safe than the neighborhoods I had to walk through. And yet, parents are clogging up the roads trying to pick up their kids. These are the same parents that walked to school themselves.
I've heard it said that there are more sex offenders now than there was when I was a kid. WRONG! They were just as many sex offenders back then. I remember in elementary school being told time and time again, not to talk to strangers. If anything has changed, we've become more tough against sex offenders. Like I said, neighborhoods in Menifee are 10 times more safe then when I was a kid.
And yeah, even in elementary school, I walked to school.
It was rather dangerous, because as you get up the hill, going past Menifee Valley Medical Center, you and the rest of the cars are driving around 50-55mph. And as soon as you get over the hill, you hit upon the traffic jam, and you have to hit your brakes hard to avoid hitting stopped cars.
The same thing is true at each school. It doesn't matter if its an elementary school, middle school, or even high school. In fact, today, the Press Enterprise reports of the traffic jams at Paloma Valley High, due to parents trying to pick up and drop off their kids.
I guess it boggles my mind why parents need to drive their teenagers to school.
I attended Santa Ana Valley High during 1980-1984, which had the reputation that time as being the roughest high school in all of Orange County. And I lived in one of the roughest neighborhoods of Santa Ana.
And I walked to school everyday, about 3 miles each way. In fact, I also walked to middle school (or intermediate school as they call it there), even further, about 5 miles each way, going through gang-infested neighborhoods, like F-Troop and Dogtown, and East Side. Yes, there's actually a gang called "F-Troop"!
The fact is that back then most of us kids did this, and we braved worse situations than kids today.
Neighborhoods today, especially here in Menifee are 10 times more safe than the neighborhoods I had to walk through. And yet, parents are clogging up the roads trying to pick up their kids. These are the same parents that walked to school themselves.
I've heard it said that there are more sex offenders now than there was when I was a kid. WRONG! They were just as many sex offenders back then. I remember in elementary school being told time and time again, not to talk to strangers. If anything has changed, we've become more tough against sex offenders. Like I said, neighborhoods in Menifee are 10 times more safe then when I was a kid.
And yeah, even in elementary school, I walked to school.
Yes, McCall boulevard is dangerous for kids during school hours. As you drive east from to the 215 the speed limit steadily increases from 25-35-45-55 mph. Also, there is a lack of sidewalks along this road so kids living in Rancho La Vita, Hillpointe, and McCall Canyon can't walk to school.
ReplyDeleteTraffic is a problem and not much is being done to improve it. Evans Ranch Elementary is eliminating curb parking since it is a four lane road in front of the school so traffic is going to be real fun there.
ReplyDeleteI take my son to high school, he gets his own ride home....some of the traffic on Bradley up to the high school are actually high school kids..a lot of kids have their own cars....just something to point out....also I take him to make sure he gets there on time....they are a very strict policy now if the kids are even one minute late.
ReplyDeleteI think a good solution at the high school is traffic light at Bradley Rd and Holland. Its a 4 way stop right now.
I've noticed the same phenomenon on La Piedra Road just in front of Bell Mountain Middle School. The right lane eastbound is full of stopped cars pulled to the side of the road, even worse, there are cars lining up in the left lane of westbound La Piedra. This is not a turning lane, but these people are literally stopped in traffic lanes, lining up to make a left turn into the pick-up area. Unfortunately, it may be that only citations by MSJC's finest (where have they been on this issue???) will cause people to change their behavior
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say to the lady or man who wrote the comment on traffic at menifee schools. Hello!!! what do you expect out of a small town that growing fast!! No!! now a day times are not safe there have been notes send home to keep an eye out on kids because of sex offender or just strange men riding around in a white van or truck looking at kids. I much rather sit in traffic and have my kids arrive safly. I don't know if you have kids but I am sure you would feel the same way. Sorry this is not back in your day people are worse now!!!
ReplyDeleteSo how many times does it take one to realize that the traffic will be there at that time of day and therefore you will need to slow down before you hit the traffic and have to slam on your breaks?
ReplyDeleteAlso as another poster wrote, there is a lack of sidewalks to many of these schools.
Just curious, have you done a search on how many sexual predators we have in this area? If not here is a website to do that.
http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/
Sorry but I'd rather deal with traffic and make sure my kid gets to school safe and on time.
My kids walk to shool currently but when they move into JH I will have to drive them. I think one of the real problems is bussing I rode the bus to school on a full bus every day but now that you have to pay ALOT there are half emtey busses driving around .
ReplyDeleteWow you sure can tell that Steve has not kids or concept of being a parent in this day and age.
ReplyDeleteTimes have changed Steveee! Next you are going to entertain us about when you went to school you probably drank water from the tap too!
Folks, you have no idea if times are "worse" today than years ago.
ReplyDeleteToday we have the sex offender registry. Years ago, we did not. Does that make you believe that there are more sex offenders today?
Today the media reports everything, and that's why you're scared.
I'm not scared because of what the media reports. I'm scared of something horrendous happening to my child. There may not be more sexual offenders out there(though there may be) but they are definitely more brazen. I don't care if there is only one child harmed in this area, one is too many and I don't want my child being that one.
ReplyDeleteCar pooling is always a good thing for everyone..saves gas too!
ReplyDeleteI do agree that I wouldn't want my little ones to walk...I'm kinda glad my youngest is a junior...scary stuff out there....
If I lived close enough to my kids schools they would either walk or ride their bikes. Just so I could avoid the traffic. The illegal turns and stops some of the parents make are stupid.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know if things are worse, you were a kid. You also probably didn't wear a seatbelt or a bike helmet when you were a kid. Get outside and walk to school with your kids, get to know your neighbors, familiarize yourslf with the surroundings. You drive down residential streets today, and nobody is outside. I grew up playing outside and so have my kids. I have sat there many hours watching them and the neighborhood. Everyone is so scared about what could happen to them. Get involved..
It's called Varrio F-Troop Also known as Fuck The Rest gang or FXTR
ReplyDeleteI need my 8th grader to find a ride to boulder ridge. I work wed - fri 4 am. Im willing to help with gas. busing is really a problem here. need help. i live by juniper flats.
ReplyDeleteJust because you walked to school in unsafe conditions doesn't mean it is wrong for parents in a safer neighborhood to go above and beyond to keep their children safe from predators and walking by traffic. Whether there are more or less sex offenders, the fact is that there ARE sex offenders, and I will do everything in my power to protect them from predators. The traffic problem is on the school district for refusing to provide buses for our children for free, like every district should. I will not put my child at risk to make someone's drive more comfortable, and the district refuses to provide buses for our children.
ReplyDelete