Pitts Stop: January 2016

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Save A Life: Pedestrian Safety

This morning while taking my son to school, my husband came upon the scene of an accident that had occurred mere seconds earlier. A pedestrian had crossed in front of traffic that was weaving through a special left turn area for turning left onto Redwood Road from 5400 South. These new additions to our roadways are called continuous left turn lanes. The cars wait at a light much earlier than the intersection. When their light turns green they are guided on a road that takes them to the other side of the road from normal traffic flow( to the left) where they are then able to turn left while the rest of traffic proceeds with the green light. These lights work great, but I guess the pedestrian was confused. He crossed 5400 South while the cars had the green light to head over to the left side of the road and turn left. I think he lucked out as it seemed as if he only had his foot run over. But, it could have been much worse, and sadly, contact between cars and people is often fatal.

Traffic laws can be confusing for drivers and pedestrians alike. I'm not even sure of the specifics of the laws. I looked them up and it's still confusing.

You can read a 3 page document about pedestrian traffic laws in Utah here:

http://media.bonnint.net/slc/1090/109074/10907482.pdf

This is something I've been thinking about since last Halloween when a teenage pedestrian was killed a couple of blocks from my house. It was dark. She crossed 2700 West in Taylorsville at a crosswalk created for the purpose of kids getting to the Junior High on the East side of the street. It's the kind of crosswalk with painted stripes on the road.

http://fox13now.com/2015/11/01/police-id-14-year-old-girl-hit-killed-while-trick-or-treating-in-taylorsville/

http://fox13now.com/2015/11/02/death-of-teen-hit-killed-in-crosswalk-could-have-been-prevented-taylorsville-residents-say/

What happened? Nobody knows for sure. The teenagers crossed. The driver didn't see them. A girl lost her life. It's tragic. These kinds of things happen all too often.

Our city has put up pedestrian crossing flags and flashing lights at the crosswalk now. And it seems like the street lights are working better than ever before. I'm fairly certain there is a brand new light there. I have driven on that road many times and been completely oblivious to the fact that there is a crosswalk there. Because, if it isn't school starting or ending time, I'm not thinking about crosswalks in the middle of busy streets where there aren't traffic lights. I see it as I drive past, but before the lights were added, I couldn't see that crosswalk until I was right on it. My guess is that the driver of the minivan that hit these kids neither saw the crosswalk nor the teenagers in the road. I don't know.

I'm thrilled that the city has made this crosswalk safer and pray that they look to making other dangerous crosswalks safer before they are pressured to do so by residents outrcries due to a fatality.

But, while I hope for safer crossing for every person moving by the power of their own feet, I responded to this tragedy in a way that came as if by instinct- I sat down and talked to my children about pedestrian safety. I can't control how people drive, but I can teach my kids how to respond to how people drive.

The hard cold truth is that regardless of who has the right of way, it is not always safe to cross the street just because it's your right to do so. I taught my children the rules that I live by and I'm sharing this here to encourage everyone who reads it to teach/remind your small loved ones how to be a safe pedestrian.

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY RULES
These rules apply in all crossing situations, regardless of right of way laws

1. When you want to cross the street, stop at the curb.
2. Look both ways.
3. If you see a car coming, stop.
4. Wait to see what the driver does. If the driver stops for you, make eye contact and wave. Do not cross the road until you have made eye contact so that you are CERTAIN that the driver sees you.
5. Proceed with crossing the street.
6. If the driver does not stop, wait until he/she passes. Then start over with rules 1-5.
7. If you are crossing a multi-lane road, you must continue to follow these rules all the way across the road. Just because one driver stops for you doesn't mean other drivers see you. Make sure that they see you. This is usually very obvious by the cars stopping.
8. If a car does not stop, you stop.
9. In review, when waiting to cross, wait for cars to stop. Make eye contact and wave before crossing in front of them.

My teenage son leaned over my shoulder and read what I just wrote. He is afraid that my post might offend some people, especially students at his school who are still reeling from the death of their classmate. I have no desire to cause any more pain or make judgments regarding blame. It was an accident, and I personally believe that everyone involved was trying to follow the laws. My agenda is to do my small part to remind people that when crossing the street, we must never assume that a driver sees us.

There are distracted drivers.
There are rude drivers.
There are inexperienced drivers.
There are tired drivers.
There are human drivers.

If you have small people in your life, please take a few minutes to talk to them about safety in crossing the street, whether it is the neighborhood street or a large road.

It just might save a life.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Happy New Year 2016( In Other Words This is a Late Christmas Newsletter Blog) PART TWO

I guess I maxed out what Blogger can handle. Wow! Who knew. Okay, so I'm going to finish up with a second blog to share for the rest of the family.

Clara- 10
Clara had a pretty awesome year. She finally became nearsighted and got glasses. She's been hoping for that for a while. She got to go on a trip to Southern Utah with her cousin Maddie and Grandpa Kevin. She started taking tumbling and quit taking dance class. Since October, she's been playing the clarinet with her school band. Clara has a big personality and she is a fun kid to be around!

History Fair

Hiking with mom

at least it tasted good

she played softball

Who can forget Fat Zebra?

Clara loves reading now!

angelic with Grandma Dellory

Audrey -8

Audrey is a spunky little kid. In 2015 she worked hard at school and played hard at home. She loves to flip all over the house and dance daily. She loves her dance class and gymnastics class and having fun with her family. Getting baptized was her most special event this year.

Audrey with her cousin Ariana

she's an interesting kid

Go Cougars!

She was so happy when I came to her class

We call her Cheetah Girl year round

Emmeline

In 2015 Emmeline got new glasses, again and again, due to breaking them 4 times. She started Kindergarten and continued dance class. Most importantly, she went everywhere possible with Mom. She's a great little companion!

welcoming Spring

learning how to spell

building a snowman with Thomas. He went back to California this summer and took the warm weather with him.

Queen in training

My midgie

Spring Dance Recital

at Grandma Kristie's house

2015 was a pretty great year. We're hoping 2016 will collect even more beautiful memories!

Happy New Year 2016( In Other Words This is a Late Christmas Newsletter Blog) PART ONE

2015 has come and gone. Another year bites the dust. And with it comes a chance to reflect on what exactly transpired during that year. What did happen? Hang on, let me check facebook so I can remember! Just kidding. Ok, not kidding. I do also keep a mini journal. Here's a little synopsis of each family member and his/her journey through 2015.

Judd

Judd is still alive. He turned 40 and didn't die. He LOVED the 40 plants that were magically delivered on the front lawn for his birthday. Judd spends a lot of his time lawyering, and possibly more of his time coaching competition soccer for Blue Knights. The boys on his team are so lucky to have such a dedicated coach who cares about each one of them. Just after Halloween Judd decided he missed the blond hair of his youth- so he bleached his hair blond. It's still growing out. And at the end of the year he received a new calling at church as a Primary Chorister!

Proof

Perhaps the highlight of his year happened in January when he and I took an adult cruise with his parents and siblings and their spouses. It was amazing. Judd loved swimming with the stingrays!

Cruise are freaking amazing!

Becky

Well, if you read my last blog entry, you know that this year has been hard for me. But, there has been an abundance of joy as well. It started with the cruise. Oh yea! In August I got to attend BYU Education week with the incredibly amazing Janice Snow. I started the year with 3 church callings and ended it with 5. They all work really well together- R.S. teacher every other month, Activity Day leader( 2 X a month), choir pianist, R.S. pianist, and ward music chairman. This year I got new glasses, after wearing a pair that was hot glued for several years, I turned 38, I entered the realm of people with all their kids in school at least part of the day, I got fine lines on my face and enough gray hair that I'm going to have to stop pulling it out pretty soon, and I perfected the magic muffin recipe.

I like to dress up?

I did a little bit of sewing.

I joined the Sterling Singers!

new ( to us) car

We love Halloween!

No words are needed.

One of my favorite places.

This was about Math.

Just working on being educated.

The clouds this year were fantastic.

Why not? Big Bad Wolf at Grandmother's annual tea party.

I was a little bit obsessed with taking cloud photos this last year.

Emmeline is developing her photo taking skills at TGiving Point farm

I baked a lot of fun cakes this year. This is just one of them.

from our trip to Bear Lake with some dear friends.

photo in front of my inlaws home of nearly 40 years. They moved in June.

I was thirsty.

hike up Neff's canyon

Reuben

Reuben, Reuben, Reuben. What can I say about Reuben? Reuben likes to go to school and then he likes to sit in his room and do homework, play games, and listen to classical music. He is in 11th grade and is working really hard to get A's. He loves his AP Chemistry class and is currently planning on majoring in BioChemistry. Reuben joined the Sterling Singers in August and really enjoyed performing in the Tabernacle to open the Christmas season. Reuben serves at church in his priests quorum presidency and also at the stake level as a youth representative. 2015 was special because he went on his first date to a Sadie Hawkins dance. There are very few photos of Reuben because he usually covers the camera with his hand. So, most of his pictures are ones with other people.

Emmeline is Reuben's favorite person, hands down

Even Reuben was excited to get a new couch

Easter 2015

Still Daddy's baby

Reuben baptized Audrey in August

our pet bunny Millie helped him blow out his B-day candles

Tim

Tim spent most of 2015 playing soccer and working hard at school to get straight A's. Over the summer he and Amy got braces together. He loves school and refuses to miss it for ANYTHING. He especially loves playing the violin in the orchestra and Jazz band. A highlight for him this school year has been Monday afternoon study groups for his AP Human Geography course with many of his friends at our house. The most exciting part of his year was getting a laptop for Christmas and his birthday combined from his parents and several others.

Judd homeschooled Tim for Utah History. He's working on a project here.

Tim with Thomas at Thanksgiving Point

Neff's Canyon

This was fun.

Checking out their new metal mouths together.

First sunburn ever. Bear Lake.

Tim and Amy pose for pictures often.

His spiritual notebook

playing the game where you stuff a lot of marshmallows in your mouth

Tim ran cross country in the fall of 2015

He loves his Mama's cooking

Happy 15!

playing in a string quintet after the band/orchestra concert

Amy

In 2015 Amy continued to achieve great things. For her 12th birthday she attended the temple to perform proxy baptisms. She also started taking voice lessons and adores her teacher Amanda Vandenakker. Amy tried out for the school play and got the part of Young Nala in Lion King Jr. She joined Young Women's at church and is enjoying it thoroughly. She competed in the History Fair with an awesome Eifel Tower project and also competed in the Math Matters competition, coming in second place. She has truly enjoyed her first half of 7th grade at the Jr High, especially art class, and is looking forward to taking choir soon.