Shhhhh! I'm going to let you in on a little secret: Florida's ban on texting while driving goes into effect this Tuesday, October 1st.
As the following story indicates, Florida's commitment to what at one point seemed like a mighty fine idea can only be characterized as suspect at best. Technically known is Florida's statutes as F.S. 316.05- the "Florida Ban on Texting While Driving Law", it seems this act of legislative greatness has lost its luster.
Oh well. Another day, another pedestrian killed on our roadways for venturing out where they shouldn't be, where motorists shouldn't expect them to be, and where yet another motorist must re-live an avoidable tragedy for the rest of his life. Unless and until our local law enforcement agencies decide they would truly like to put an end to these by enforcing our pedestrian traffic laws, these will continue. Let's review the highlights of this story in head-shake mode, if you will: lady walking in the middle of the (8 comments)
The lockbox goes on the door knob...and the door knob goes where?
OK... How many of you answered "On the ground"? I can't imagine that many of my fellow Active Rainer's offering that reply/suggestion- but if you happen to be one who's inclined to believe that a lockbox's proper place is on the ground... Congratulations! You're in fine company with the listing agent whose property I showed the other day. It's great that their folks (apparently) replaced the door knob and deadbolt lock at this property- yet (4 comments)
Program created to lessen pedestrian deaths in Orlando?
I'd surely like to believe this is the case- but I just as surely have my reservations about any of the programs I've heard of thus far. I have a number of reasons for those reservations- for while I've just chronicled the 50th local pedestrian death as part of my Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road series, I simply don't feel that our local law enforcement officials "get it". The Best Foot Forward program being implemented by a coalition of local elected and (0 comments)
This story from earlier in the month would shock many folks. The thought of a pedestrian being killed while trying to cross the street would be alarming in and of itself- but the thought of said pedestrian being hit and/or run over by at least 3 vehicles should be all the more scary.
Sadly, it's not at all surprising to folks around here who have become all but numb to these pedestrian deaths. The death chronicled here is yet another one on the watch of Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings and Orlando (7 comments)
A birthday celebration turns into sadness- as local woman (apparently) leaves party for a walk down Interstate 4. No fairy tale ending to this story, folks. Sadly, this death comes under the watch of one of my favorite local law enforcement officials- Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
Woman killed on I-4 after celebration June 1, 2013|By Kathryn Varn, Orlando Sentinel A Port Charlotte woman reported missing after she disappeared from her birthday celebration was hit and killed by a car Saturday morning while walking down Interstate 4 a few miles (0 comments)
A story that's all too common around here: pedestrian enters street where they're not supposed to be and where motorists don't expect them to be. When the final tally from all of our vehicle versus pedestrian "crashes" is taken, I'd suspect the score will be a lot like it is now- a sad accounting of mismatches where the vehicles remain undefeated. Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, this one was on your watch.
FHP: Orlando man struck, killed by car in Hernando County May 19, 2013|By David Breen, Orlando Sentinel An Orlando man was hit (0 comments)
"What the.....?" Wednesday Now, the question here isn't "Why did the lady push her kid out in the middle of traffic- when a crosswalk wasn't far away?" No, the answer to that one is easy: "Because she could, and she had no regard for the law." No, the question here is "Did this ignorant lady and her poor kid make it to the other side?" As far as I know, she made it. But stay tuned- and see if she makes my popular Pedestrian Tales Fom the Middle of the Road... "What (2 comments)
safety: Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #30
- 08/05/12 03:00 PM
Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #30 Today's news brings the 30th death of this sort to light since I started documenting these, and it's another sad one indeed. An older gentleman dies- but a young lady only 20 years old must deal with having run him over as he walked in front of her for the rest of her life. This comes under the not-so-watchful eyes of Orlando Police Chief Paul Rooney and Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings. Demings is up for re-election this year and is expected to cruise to victory in a landslide. I (0 comments)
safety: Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #24
- 07/02/12 04:41 PM
Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #24 http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-02/news/os-john-young-fatal-crash-20120702_1_john-young-parkway-southbound-lanes-troopers Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #24 Just ahead of our Independence Day getaways, yet another senseless and preventable death in Orlando. Of note- as I write this, a news update report has just spoken of a roadway here being shut down. It's in an area that may very well have seen Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #25 before I've finished speaking of #24... This article here is fairly informative, but has left out a couple of things about the story. First, (0 comments)
Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #22 Nearly made it a month. Unless I've missed some, we nearly made it a month without a pedestrian death around here. I'd love to feel our roads and sidewalks are that much safer- but I fear I've simply missed some. Oh, well. As they say, all good things must come to an end. I've included 2 stories here, as they provide slightly different information. Here's the most important thing to take away from here, though- and perhaps the best example I've written of yet in describing how Orlando Police Chief Paul Rooney and Orange (4 comments)
I'm breaking my rule a bit here- and reporting this Pedestrian Tales From The Middle of the Road that 1) involves an injury to one riding a bike versus a pedestrian, and 2) (as of last I heard) doesn't involve a death.
But rules are made to be broken. This piece of traffic news may very well be more important than some of the posts I've done on deaths- it's surely one to make any parent cringe or get their dander up.
Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #14 I tell you, there just doesn't seem to be any type of solution to this crazy problem around here. It seems pretty simple to me, though, when the equation is the following: Pedestrian in the road and not in crosswalk + Automobile in the road where they should be = One more pedestrian death Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #14 This one is from Volusia County, and falls under the watch of Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson and Orange City Police Chief Peter Thomas. Let's not have this (6 comments)
Updated: Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #13
Story updated 1/26/12: Updated to highlight the fact that this gentleman was hit by at least 5 vehicles...If that's not a reason to cross at sidewalk, I don't know what else folks need.
Well, I knew it was too good to be true… We’ve gone a good while (for around here, at least) without a pedestrian death in the middle of the street- but luck’s run out for #13. May God bless his family, and may God bless those who appear to have hit him.
Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #12 Well, it's a story that's short- yet not so sweet: yet another pedestrian killed in the area. For those not familiar with our area, the Orange Blossom Trail (or the "OBT") is a pretty busy street at all hours. This is another sad incident that falls under the watches of Orlando Police Chief Paul Rooney and Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings. One of these days, folks are going to enforce our pedestrian traffic laws around here....one of these days. May God bless and keep the family of this un-named pedestrian, as well (0 comments)
Pedestrian Tales From the Middle of the Road, #11 Well, here we go again... Two more pedestrians hit, one more pedestrian killed while darting across the road. This death is a bit different, though- and hit (no pun intended) a little closer to home. It hit closer to home because I saw a bit of the clean-up and investigation of the accident...and it wasn't pretty. I was heading home from work, and took Kirkman Road as I often do. I saw a ton of flashing blue lights up ahead, and I knew exactly what had happened. I had to detour away from the (0 comments)
Pedestrian tales from the middle of the road, #10 Today, we hear of another tragic accident that's occurred under the watch of Osceola County (FL) Sheriff Bob Hansell. Simply put, too many folks are dying on our roadways, and maybe THIS will be the death that sees this problem addressed in some kind of meaningful and constructive manner. May God bless and keep all 3 families affected by this sad, yet preventable event. FHP releases identity of pedestrian run over while crossing U.S. Highway 27 January 01, 2012|By Erica Rodriguez, Orlando Sentinel Florida Highway Patrol released the name of the 45-year-old New York City man who (0 comments)
Pedestrian tales from the middle of the road, #9 It's your turn again, Seminole County Sheriff Donald Eslinger...Another of our neghbors has found little use for the City of Sanford or Seminole County's pedestrian traffic laws. He's now gone- but his family, the truck driver and his family will absorb the price of his actions for a long time to come. May God bless, keep and comfort all families involved.. May God also allow us a great start to 2012- and lead our local law enforcement agencies to protect and serve our community as they've sworn to do- even when that means protecting (0 comments)
Pedestrian tales from the middle of the road, #8 Another pedestrian tragedy on the roads here. Brevard County Sheriff J.R. "Jack" Parker joins Orlando Police Chief Paul Rooney, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings and other law enforcement heads around here who need to do a much better job of enforcing our pedestrian traffic laws. One accident here, but two families affected- and both surely had a Christmas 2011 they'd like to forget. May God bless both Mr. Taylor's family and the pedestrian's- for this accident claimed quite a few victims. Pedestrian killed by minivan near Cocoa By Susan Jacobson , Orlando Sentinel A 44-year-old man was killed (0 comments)
safety: Pedestrian tales from the middle of the road, #7
- 12/22/11 07:56 AM
Pedestrian tales from the middle of the road, #7 7 isn't a luck number around here... and this is pedestrian death #2 in the last day and #3 this week. This is another death coming out of Osceola County- and one that falls under the watch of Osceola County Sheriff Bob Hansell. Let's start enforcing our pedestrian traffic laws, Central Florida. Fewer pedestrians walking into the paths of vehicles means fewer dead pedestrians. May God bless both families here as our holiday weekend approaches- both the family of the man whose life came to a tragic end, as well as Mr. Jagers and (2 comments)
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