5yo hit and killed in Brookland last night

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The driver - the person driving the multi-thousand pound machine that killed another human - is at fault. But the driver behaves they way they do because our infrastructure and policy and legal choices mean that it's way easier to be an unsafe driver than a safe pedestrian.

And shame on all the apologists in this thread, who clearly identify more with the driver than with the child who was killed (or her family).

I disagree. We’re trying to keep future accidents from happening by telling pedestrians that just because you have the right of way, you have to be more vigilant so you don’t die. I see people texting walking across the street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A five year old on a scooter or bike should be on the sidewalk or right next to a parent. Unless the van was driving on the sidewalk, I don't know why you would assume it was the driver's fault.

Of course it is the driver's fault. Don't be an idiot.

Pedestrian accidents are rarely the drivers fault.

Well when the pedestrian is a 5 year old, in a crosswalk at a 4 way stop, in daylight, pretty sure we can all agree the driver is at fault

[Anonymous]

Was it determined the driver was at fault or is it too early for that. From the information given in the articles, it sounds like a tragic accident and the child could not control the bike/scooter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A five year old on a scooter or bike should be on the sidewalk or right next to a parent. Unless the van was driving on the sidewalk, I don't know why you would assume it was the driver's fault.

Of course it is the driver's fault. Don't be an idiot.

Pedestrian accidents are rarely the drivers fault.

Well when the pedestrian is a 5 year old, in a crosswalk at a 4 way stop, in daylight, pretty sure we can all agree the driver is at fault

No, we all can’t. At least not those of us that actually read the report indicating that the child could not stop her bike and went in front of a moving vehicle. No one was at fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is disgusting. If you knew this family you wouldn’t be making all these assumptions. This is a local family, many of us know them and their little girl. They lost their only child and you are here blaming them so you can feel Better with yourself. I hope that the family never see this thread. Have some empathy.

+1 million. The special interest advocates who are using this as an opportunity to push for change need to stop and give this family some respect and all of us some space to grieve. Stop making this unthinkable tragedy about you. Absolutely disgusting and extremely upsetting. There is a time and a place for pushing for needed changes and this is not it.

I’m very sorry about the tragic loss of this child and for the grief that her family, friends, and larger community are suffering. I sincerely wish you all healing and, eventually, peace. A gentle suggestion: do not visit a public, anonymous, “Off Topic” discussion board if you can’t bear a free wheeling discussion about this incident. This is not a place where you will find comfort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gofundme shared by a family friend: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ygkq9h-support-for-the-hart-family

Thank you for posting it! Donated!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so tragic.

I hope that everyone remembers this when they are tempted to text or mess with their phone while driving. So many parents do this at school drop off. Kid out of the car then pull up something on the phone while pulling out into the traffic lane. Reminder that a split second of inattention can end a life.

True that texting while driving is horrible and pedestrians should also not text or be distracted while walking across the street.

[Anonymous]

The poor driver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gofundme shared by a family friend: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ygkq9h-support-for-the-hart-family

Thank you for posting it! Donated!

+1. Thanks for a way to help the family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This problem with this thread is that (some of) the people are commenting are airing their grievances on bike safety, others are fighting for car/bike friendly policies.

Some of us are neighbors. Brookland is close knit and small. Almost all new Moms have a cohort in a new Mom group that meets at places like Sidamo (past), MSM, in the grass at TT, in the kids section at Barnes and Noble and more.

We also know the streets. We know that people FLY through the neighborhood, especially on Monroe, Newton, Franklin, 14th, Michigan and Otis. Everyone has a story of a close call. We've advocated for Safe Street, speed bumps.

We know that there's bad blind Hill by Bunker Hill Park. And across from MMBDA at Irving.

We know this might have been an "accident" and might have been a "tragedy" but that doesn't matter to this family

And we are heartbroken that if we didn't know this family, we know their faces and their child.

So again, take your armchair commentary to fairfaxunderground and let the family grieve. If you can't give grace to adults, give it to kindergartners who have been with her, some since they were born, some since they entered a new school in PK3.

I’m a neighbor and my child was an acquaintance. I sympathize both with the driver and the family. We live in a city and walk all over the place with our kids. We try our hardest to teach our kids traffic safety and to keep them right next to me, but I’ve had several terrifying instances that could have gone badly. Ever since I heard I just keep thinking that could have been mine.

I’ve also been channeling my anger toward the city and drivers. Even if this accident couldn’t have been prevented by traffic calming measures, others could. My street desperately needs speed bumps and traffic enforcement. I’m so sad and angry and anxious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is disgusting. If you knew this family you wouldn’t be making all these assumptions. This is a local family, many of us know them and their little girl. They lost their only child and you are here blaming them so you can feel Better with yourself. I hope that the family never see this thread. Have some empathy.

+1 million. The special interest advocates who are using this as an opportunity to push for change need to stop and give this family some respect and all of us some space to grieve. Stop making this unthinkable tragedy about you. Absolutely disgusting and extremely upsetting. There is a time and a place for pushing for needed changes and this is not it.

when are we “special interest advocates” supposed to push for safer streets? never? this is a public forum. it’s appropriate, especially since this family also was apparently advocating for safer streets before this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The driver - the person driving the multi-thousand pound machine that killed another human - is at fault. But the driver behaves they way they do because our infrastructure and policy and legal choices mean that it's way easier to be an unsafe driver than a safe pedestrian.

And shame on all the apologists in this thread, who clearly identify more with the driver than with the child who was killed (or her family).

I disagree. We’re trying to keep future accidents from happening by telling pedestrians that just because you have the right of way, you have to be more vigilant so you don’t die. I see people texting walking across the street.

oh come on. it’s the drivers. nobody is safe with this:

https://mobile.twitter.com/lambda_calculus/status/1437913085486960645

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The driver - the person driving the multi-thousand pound machine that killed another human - is at fault. But the driver behaves they way they do because our infrastructure and policy and legal choices mean that it's way easier to be an unsafe driver than a safe pedestrian.

And shame on all the apologists in this thread, who clearly identify more with the driver than with the child who was killed (or her family).

I disagree. We’re trying to keep future accidents from happening by telling pedestrians that just because you have the right of way, you have to be more vigilant so you don’t die. I see people texting walking across the street.

oh come on. it’s the drivers. nobody is safe with this:

it doesn't mean this driver did the same thing.

https://mobile.twitter.com/lambda_calculus/status/1437913085486960645

[Anonymous]

Why is a 5 year old alone on the street

[Anonymous]

If you want a safe place to raise children avoid dc