New Haven Independent

Posted by: CITIZEN | July 2, 2009 4:25 PM

Fair Haven is a mess and we are now locked in our homes where are these folks getting guns and again stop the traffic stops and concentrate on our streets

Posted by: john | July 2, 2009 4:53 PM

i hope the victim recovers. i would be curious for an update on the circumstances.

NOT intending to blame the victim or anyone without knowing the circumstances, but i will offer the observation that six out of ten times i drive through there (twice a day) there are people jaywalking, kids on bikes zipping in and out of traffic unpredictably, etc., not to mention fast traffic, folks playing 'chicken', etc.

it's particularly narrow there, which makes that kind of thing all the more treacherous and chaotic, especially if there's a delivery or people double parked as often occurs.

Posted by: Norton Street | July 2, 2009 5:14 PM

john,
you can take the bus, walk or ride your bike and avoid everything you've just mentioned above.

Posted by: JackNH | July 2, 2009 5:59 PM

As our troops thankfully leave Iraq, perhaps they could be deployed to Fair Haven. I won't drive --or walk from the bustop-- after dark. Is this anyway to live?

Posted by: K | July 2, 2009 7:17 PM

I agree w/ John - it's getting worse, and I think it's more like 9 out of 10 times I drive in FH. I don't understand why some people want to live like this and drag everyone else down with them. Ugly.

Posted by: Consti2amend | July 2, 2009 8:11 PM

Posted by: CITIZEN

"Fair Haven is a mess and we are now locked in our homes where are these folks getting guns and again stop the traffic stops and concentrate on our streets"

You locked yourself in your own home? Don't you know that the LEO's can't be "everywhere", all of the time? Also, is it me or have I been looking at the wrong police cars, because they don't have "To Protect and Serve" written on them anymore. Or maybe this is "fallout" from the court cases that have ruled that the police are NOT there for the individual citizen, but the "public in general". If this in fact is correct, then it is time "law abiding" citizens go out and learn to use a firearm! After all, this is part of what the 2nd Amendment IS all about! It is about having the equipment, AT HAND, to protect oneself!
I believe the 2nd Amendment speaks to every legal, law abiding citizen, who can legally AND morally own a firearm. Find out where you can take classes, check with any "Gun Shop". They will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.
Become proactive in your neighborhood! Go out for a walk, ride a bike, do something! If you don't, then you might as well roll over and die. You see, the more people out and about, the more "witnesses" there are. The more "W's" there are, the less crime you will have!
Look around your neighboorhood at night. Are there any street lights out? Report them right away! If you feel there are areas that don't have enough lighting, again, report the area. Remember to use the numbers that are on the light poles. They read from top to bottom. That is what everyone will need with your report.
Petition the "powers that be" to use some of the "new-fangled" lights that can light up most of a city block! Criminals are afraid of the light!
If you insist on reporting this on-line, no one will really care! That is because there is NO accountability on-line!
You MUST, along with your neighbors, become proactive!

Posted by: john | July 2, 2009 8:37 PM

norton street,
often i do take the Q, and prefer to. the Q schedule, however, as you may know, is sporadic, rare, and does not run sufficiently late. so while i appreciate what you're saying, it's less than practical much of the time. moreover, it's not about me--it's about the danger that the jaywalkers, bike-weavers, etc., create for themselves and other potential innocents.

Posted by: Morris Cove | July 3, 2009 11:02 AM

Consti2amend

Did you read yesterday NH Register (Policitical liberal rag), about the jogger who was mugged in East Haven and got his loaded hand gun taken from him?

It's easy to encourage people to arm themselves, but it's totally different when you have a loaded gun pointed at your head, a better alternative is to band together and get involved, and drop the no snicthing rule of the street.

Posted by: Norton Street | July 3, 2009 11:23 AM

John, the buses dont run later or more often because people opt to drive instead of actually use the bus. if you got 10 friends who each got 10 friends to ride the bus, service would be expanded. If nobody uses it, it has no reason to exist. Sure it was nice to have an ice rink at edgewood park but no one used it, now its a skate park.
the problems caused by jay walkers and bikers in minuscule when compared to the issues created by an automobile culture. some of these issues include: destroyed street scape, too wide roads, too much traffic, too much noise, accident fatalities, pollution, child asthma, air quality, parking infrastructure replaces priceless historic buildings all over the city, sprawl, wasted oil that could be used in farming, heating, and cooling homes, expensive highways that cost more and more each year to rebuild, repair, and construct, increased cost to ship goods across the country to smaller and smaller towns, de-localization of our entire economy, increased dependence on other countries, etc.
And people are going to sit here and complain about some kids on bikes? really? when suburban families move back into this citys neighborhoods then there will be a significant drop in crime, then the schools will improve, then local retailing will return and there will be little left to complain about because people will be off their computers and out on the street shopping, eating and communicating in great civic places; all of which used to happen in this city before automobile infrastructure, the illusion of independence, and massive wealth ruined it all. but until then, we'll just have to settle for throwing money at police or the schools pretending as if money will some how solve the problems created by this countrys backwards thinking.

Posted by: john | July 3, 2009 3:08 PM

norton st.,

let me preface this by saying that i am sympathetic in general to the model you propose, but the facts don't support it all the way:

for instance, you say that "the buses dont run later or more often because people opt to drive instead of actually use the bus."

apparently not so. try this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/us/04transit.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1

you say "the problems caused by jay walkers and bikers in minuscule when compared to the issues created by an automobile culture. some of these issues include: destroyed street scape, too wide roads, too much traffic, too much noise, accident fatalities, pollution, [etc.]"

maybe. i agree with the basic premise that car-centered life is detrimental for many reasons that you mention. but there is ample pollution in the area in question notwithstanding the car culture you justifiably challenge. not about to get into that, because it's arguably tangential, even if it is visually symbolic of a palpable lack of respect for self and other that... well, never mind.

You say "And people are going to sit here and complain about some kids on bikes? really?"

Yes, really. As it is, not as we would wish it to be, the bikes are a legitimate problem in that they create unpredictable situations when they weave in and out of existing automobile traffic. I just don't understand why you would make excuses for that. Can't you both be "anti-car" and also understand that rules are rules for a reason, which is to protect the safety of all? My original point was that by creating consistently chaotic and unpredictable situations and not exercising an amount of care that reflects respect for self OR other people with whom the road is shared (yes, share the road, ok, but everyone has to), there is a greater likelihood of driver distraction, etc. But please tell me that you agree that bikers and motorists alike should exercise responsibility and good faith in transport as long as they both shall exist.

As for your evil exurbanites, well, I can't wait to join them; I'll choose to be sustainable AND safe. Please write me when that combination becomes possible in all quarters of the Elm City, which has systematically ground out of me almost all hopes for a "New Urbanism" fantasy world and much of my idealism in other respects.

Posted by: Consti2amend | July 3, 2009 4:49 PM

Morris Cove;
I'll guess that the jogger had on some type of ear buds. They are out jogging in an area they feel "safe" in. This puts them at ease, and they stop paying attention to what is going on around them. Also, they cannot hear what is happening either. The jogger also probably did NOT have on NOR train with the type of firearm or "gear" they would normally carry. When taken by surprise, even a LEO can be "taken down"! And they have A LOT more training. If you let your senses go "numb" for a moment, things like this can happen.
That is part of the reason why LEO's {should} train several times per year. This is also why, in the course of my training, I will shoot 7000-8000 rounds per year, with my primary firearm!
If you have read some of my other posts, you will have found that I am a HUGE supporter of firearms training. I have been training since the late `70's. There are certain pointers that I show people, but I will NOT state them here! After all, I can refuse to teach certain people, but anyone can read this blog! I will not knowingly give out info that can help the "denizens of the dark"!
By the way, my post does in fact encourage people to get together and take back their neighborhoods! It encourages them to check their neighboorhoods for broken street lights, as well. Criminals don't like to be seen, and so they are afraid of light and crowds! They can ONLY act by their "intimidating" their prey.

Oh, I almost forgot, I did not see the report you were referencing in the New Haven Ragister.

Posted by: Norton Street | July 3, 2009 5:17 PM

the public transportation system in this country is broken. the problem stems from a sprawling lifestyle. the new haven trolley system in 1907 sold 31.6 million rides. and that is when new haven's population was identical to today's. the vast majority of people worked within 2 miles of where they lived, around half within .5 miles.

and i am one of the bikers you speak of, so no i dont really have a problem with others that ride like me. i can bike at maximum 20 mph, i usually go between 10-15 mph. if i hit someone im going to barely injure them. a 2000 lb car is a little different, so these two vehicles should be treated differently. one is a light, human scaled, mode of transport, the other is a mutated, bulky, steel machine. bikes can swerve in and out of heavy pedestrian traffic easily, cars cannot. the only way bikes make for unpredictable situations that can cause harm is in a car-centric society. get rid of the majority of cars and the streets are open for bikes. trolleys or buses make enough noise for the bikes to hear them coming and move, some cars are pretty silent.

Posted by: kamb | July 3, 2009 5:43 PM

Those cops are gonna be real busy with all the hit and runs in New Haven.

Posted by: Consti2amend | July 4, 2009 10:28 PM

Kamb,
Maybe our legislators could enact a law, one that would make it mandatory to register cars! This way, we can keep track of who owns them, and where they are! This way, we can track down those who use their cars as weapons!

Remember, when cars are outlawed, only outlaws will drive cars!!

Oh, wait a minute! That is what liberals want to do with firearms.

LOL, LOL, LOL!

Really, it is a shame that this keeps happening! It is MY opinion that this type of behavior is learned from our parents. If they do NOT teach their children right from wrong, what do you think would happen? They could NOT possibly raise law abiding children!!

Posted by: K | July 5, 2009 10:09 AM

I don't think John is talking about cyclists - people using bikes as transportation and/or a statement about car culture. John is talking about the teenagers and children on dirtbikes who basically play chicken on Grand and Chapel and ride right in front of your car, crossing within feet in front of you, daring you to hit them, staring you down aggressively, weaving back and forth across the whole street sometimes, so you can't even pass safely. There is a real attitude problem in Fair Haven.

Posted by: kamb | July 7, 2009 9:16 PM

good point Constit2amend