Crime In Midtown

[august948]

Water your lawn all you want. But spraying water on the sidewalk to intentionally reclaim a public right-of-way that is not yours to reclaim is arrogant and dangerous. It's not "you just happened to choose Saturday nights", you are recommending for people to intentionally choose that day and time. There is no "just happened to" about it.

I'm not thinking about it as a case where you are trying to reclaim public right of way, just trying to mitigate rudeness from particular pedestrians at a particular time and place. Maybe watering just to the edge of your lawn would be sufficient deterrent.

[kylejack]

Am I reclaiming the street when my run-off water hits the curb?

If he were to block off the section of sidewalk that runs in front of his house with say a orange warning come, then you might be able to argue that. Ditto for yellow caution tape. If I recall correctly property owners are responsible for maintaining sidewalks and curbs. (That was what the city always told us) He could perform maintenance on his section, insuring that it remains off-limits until the construction is complete.

 

You want to talk about laws and I want to talk about ethics, so I don't see how we're going to make any progress.

[TGM]

You want to talk about laws and I want to talk about ethics, so I don't see how we're going to make any progress.

The party goers have a right to the sidewalk and conversation. Is it ethical to be loud and obnoxious at 2am?

[kylejack]

The party goers have a right to the sidewalk and conversation. Is it ethical to be loud and obnoxious at 2am?

 

No, nor is it ethical to punish all pedestrians for the actions of certain pedestrians.

[TGM]

No, nor is it ethical to punish all pedestrians for the actions of certain pedestrians.

A decibel and/or glass breakage sensor will see to it that no innocent, cherubic pedestrians are punished by mistake. Would this appease the committee of PC anxiety and hand-wringing?

Edited May 7, 2013 by TGM

[diggity]

this is one of the stranger tangents this board has ever gone on.

[TGM]

It's the result of the never ending friction of private property owner interests vs. the maternal instincts of those who seek to insure that the concrete and asphalt public right of ways are enjoyed to the maximum by those without a voice or a HAIF account. It's also a good chuckle.

[august948]

It's the result of the never ending friction of private property owner interests vs. the maternal instincts of those who seek to insure that the concrete and asphalt public right of ways are enjoyed to the maximum by those without a voice or a HAIF account. It's also a good chuckle.

I thought the problem was those with a little TOO much voice. At 2am. Outside your window.

[TGM]

I thought the problem was those with a little TOO much voice. At 2am. Outside your window.

Not outside my window. I no longer have the joy of hearing drunk renditions of Sweet Caroline outside my windows at 2am.

[samagon]

banning high capacity water hoses will certainly help protect the innocent walkers by at 2am. So that should be an easy target.

 

Anyway, perhaps a 10' cinderblock wall would help reduce noise pollution, as well as trash being thrown into the yard, although it might be worth it to install a net that goes even higher to help reduce the possibility of some coordinated drinker being able to loft a solo cup over the 10' fence.

 

As a matter of deterrence that isn't an unsightly wall. Perhaps a large spotlight that is sound activated, or a grid of lasers that recognize when something has been wantonly tossed on the lawn that sets off alarm klaxons and strobes and perhaps a recorded message that asks them to kindly pick up their trash and throw it in the appropriate receptacle? I'm imagining it would be not unlike those smoke alarms used in large office buildings.

 

Not outside my window. I no longer have the joy of hearing drunk renditions of Sweet Caroline outside my windows at 2am.

 

if you feel that this joy is missing, you can PM me your address and for a small fee, I can help you capture this joy yet again.

 

This entire post was very much in jest, except the alarm klaxons and strobe lights, that would be cool.

[TGM]

banning high capacity water hoses will certainly help protect the innocent walkers by at 2am. So that should be an easy target.

How about a registry and waiting period? With the size of lawns in Midtown no one needs more than one hose, and a very small one at that. Then again hoses don't kill people, nozzles do.

klaxons and strobes and perhaps a recorded message

Klaxons. I think I liked this post simply because you used Klaxon in a sentence.

if you feel that this joy is missing, you can PM me your address and for a small fee, I can help you capture this joy yet again.

Sorry, but I'm chock full of dealing with thieving urban wildlife.

[august948]

This entire post was very much in jest, except the alarm klaxons and strobe lights, that would be cool.

 

Stobe lights!  That would be cool.

 

Actually, maybe the best solution is to set up a desk in the front lawn and charge the drunks for 'admitance' to the party.  You might make a killing.

[totheskies]

I for one welcome the new businesses and activity in Midtown, but I also welcome things like the Safe Passing Ordinance that was just passed in Council today, better law enforcement, better signage and developements that will help cater more to pedestrians.  IMO Accidents like this have much less to do with zoning and much more to do with the fact that Midtown is a network of very busy, very wide one-way streets that people think they can drag race on. 

[ricco67]

I think one of the next things to be done is to lower the speed limit in certain areas at night. 30mph during the day is pushing it in Midtown by Bagby, but at night, 10mph is pushing it for safety. 

 

A couple of cops walking the beat the old fashion way would be awesome as well.

[TGM]

I think one of the next things to be done is to lower the speed limit in certain areas at night. 30mph during the day is pushing it in Midtown by Bagby, but at night, 10mph is pushing it for safety.

A couple of cops walking the beat the old fashion way would be awesome as well.

I don't think so. If 10mph is pushing it for safety you have a jaywalking pedestrian problem, not a speed problem. If the ultimate goal is always safety then it's an impossible goal when you're tasked with protecting people from their own stupid selves. If the number of pedestrians significantly out numbers the vehicle traffic then you simply close off the streets at night similar to what Austin does/did on 6th street during weekends and let people walk on them.

Cops walking the beat is a good idea, and in short dress weather it won't be hard to find volunteers.

Edited May 10, 2013 by TGM

[samagon]

I don't think so. If 10mph is pushing it for safety you have a jaywalking pedestrian problem, not a speed problem. If the ultimate goal is always safety then it's an impossible goal when you're tasked with protecting people from their own stupid selves. If the number of pedestrians significantly out numbers the vehicle traffic then you simply close off the streets at night similar to what Austin does/did on 6th street during weekends and let people walk on them.

Cops walking the beat is a good idea, and in short dress weather it won't be hard to find volunteers.

 

If pedestrian traffic is so busy during those times, then a reduced speed limit is warranted. There are speed limits in place for school zones, right? Maybe 10mph is a bit much, but introducing pedestrian cautionary zones that would work in similar fashion to school zones on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night would not be a bad idea. 

 

Case in point being this thread, I'm not sure someone can be cited for jay walking when they are trying to get in their car that is legally parked on the street.

[TGM]

Case in point being this thread, I'm not sure someone can be cited for jay walking when they are trying to get in their car that is legally parked on the street.

If they're using the sidewalks that we all like to continually talk about, examine, measure, attend public forums about, etc, then no they won't. If they're walking down the middle of the road like some drunk teenager that was stood up by his prom date then it could happen. Cross at the corner, cross at the light, practice self-awareness, it's pretty simple. We don't need a date-night "school zone", we don't need need adult crossing guards. If mastery of walking and stopping has not yet occurred in life then ask the stranger next to you if they would hold your hand while you cross the street. Think of it as a adult buddy system. Heck, it might even turn in to nap time.

[jennmcnich]

Monday December 2, 2013 I was involved in a rollover collision at the intersection of Milam and Gray. I was transported to the hospital before I had a chance to get the name and number of any witnesses. The accident occured between 8:30 and 8:40 am. I would greatly appreciate any information available.

 

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Purdueenginerd]

Post to reddit r/houston- might get a larger audience.

[jennmcnich]

Thank you

 

[JLWM8609]

There were about 3 of them over midtown flying at what looked like 200-300 feet at about 8pm on Thursday May 7th. They were flying south following Main and then turned around back to the north as they got near Elgin. I guess it was some sort of training exercise.

[phillip_white]

I was at Mid Main when I saw two of them, black I think.  They were flying straight toward the Med Center, so I thought they were med copters.  Didn't see them turn back toward downtown.

[hindesky]

Someone dumped several barrels of what may be paint and labels that say "Non Hazardous Waste" across from the Caydon by the big mural on Fannin St.

[Purdueenginerd]

wow. This should be reported to 311.