http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189 This is a request to all the parents, friends, relatives, etc... that drop off and pick up students at Tehachapi High School.&nbsp; Please pay attention to the signs and be courteous when driving through the parking lots.&nbsp; The RED CURB is not a drop off zone and there are several signs that tell you not to stop there.&nbsp; There is a designated area for student drop off &amp; pick up, please use it or use one of the many vancant parking spaces.&nbsp; There&nbsp;are also several areas along Dennison where the curbs are not painted allowing you to stop and drop off students.&nbsp;&nbsp;Every time you park illegally&nbsp;you make the parking lot even more dangerous. Thank you!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is a request to all the parents, friends, relatives, etc... that drop off and pick up students at Tehachapi High School.&nbsp; Please pay attention to the signs and be courteous when driving through the parking lots.&nbsp; The RED CURB is not a drop off zone and there are several signs that tell you not to stop there.&nbsp; There is a designated area for student drop off &amp; pick up, please use it or use one of the many vancant parking spaces.&nbsp; There&nbsp;are also several areas along Dennison where the curbs are not painted allowing you to stop and drop off students.&nbsp;&nbsp;Every time you park illegally&nbsp;you make the parking lot even more dangerous. Thank you!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; en-us Have you ever tried to pick up a student in that fiasco?&nbsp; The area designated for pick-ups can squeeze in maybe five cars, less if someone has a big truck or suv.&nbsp; Park in the lot?&nbsp; And then do I climb on top of my car and wave a flag?&nbsp; Do you really want students wandering about the parking lot, dodging fellow students, looking for their ride?&nbsp; If parents followed directions and only used the designated areas for pick-ups the line waiting for their turn in that little yellow zone would extend into Valley.&nbsp; Whoever designed it should be required to use it for a month.&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154126 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154126 Have you ever tried to pick up a student in that fiasco?&nbsp; The area designated for pick-ups can squeeze in maybe five cars, less if someone has a big truck or suv.&nbsp; Park in the lot?&nbsp; And then do I climb on top of my car and wave a flag?&nbsp; Do you really want students wandering about the parking lot, dodging fellow students, looking for their ride?&nbsp; If parents followed directions and only used the designated areas for pick-ups the line waiting for their turn in that little yellow zone would extend into Valley.&nbsp; Whoever designed it should be required to use it for a month.&nbsp; <p>I always find a parking space and my children know what our vehicles look like so I have not needed to stand on the hood and wave a flag.&nbsp; The danger lies in the illegal parking and parents not paying attention.&nbsp;&nbsp;This morning a few knuckleheads pulled in to the lot and stopped in the middle of the road to drop their students off causing a major back up.&nbsp; I have requested TPD get involved and help enforce safety.&nbsp; They did a good job&nbsp;cleaning up the double &amp; triple parking issues on Curry near Tompkins.&nbsp; </p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154145 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154145 <p>I always find a parking space and my children know what our vehicles look like so I have not needed to stand on the hood and wave a flag.&nbsp; The danger lies in the illegal parking and parents not paying attention.&nbsp;&nbsp;This morning a few knuckleheads pulled in to the lot and stopped in the middle of the road to drop their students off causing a major back up.&nbsp; I have requested TPD get involved and help enforce safety.&nbsp; They did a good job&nbsp;cleaning up the double &amp; triple parking issues on Curry near Tompkins.&nbsp; </p> I agree that Tompkins is a problem also, I either get there early or pick the boys up a few blocks away.&nbsp; Whether the design is poor or not, it is not an excuse for breaking the law and / or driving like a knucklehead. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154146 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154146 I agree that Tompkins is a problem also, I either get there early or pick the boys up a few blocks away.&nbsp; Whether the design is poor or not, it is not an excuse for breaking the law and / or driving like a knucklehead. I'm glad I'm within walking distance of the schools.  It'll be much healthier for my kids that way.  When I was in high school, we walked about a half mile away to get picked up.  It was easier for all of us, but it was dangerous- I can't even remember how many times I was almost killed by cars almost mowing us down.  But then again, there were over 3000 students, which meant there were quite a few teenage drivers that felt it was necessary to drive 80mph in the school zone. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154239 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154239 I'm glad I'm within walking distance of the schools.  It'll be much healthier for my kids that way.  When I was in high school, we walked about a half mile away to get picked up.  It was easier for all of us, but it was dangerous- I can't even remember how many times I was almost killed by cars almost mowing us down.  But then again, there were over 3000 students, which meant there were quite a few teenage drivers that felt it was necessary to drive 80mph in the school zone. <p><font size="2">Madkow,&nbsp; your &nbsp;kids and others who must walk are in danger from the traffic&nbsp;of parents&nbsp;who take their kids to school.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Valley extension to the new High School is very congested as is Curry going to Tompkins. </font></p> <p><font size="2">I've stated before that I'm against the Curry/Valley&nbsp;---city hall/shopping center deal because of traffic concerns.&nbsp; I feel I must&nbsp; mention he traffic issue again.&nbsp;&nbsp; I pray nothing happens to our children- to me, nothing is more important.</font>&nbsp;</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154339 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154339 <p><font size="2">Madkow,&nbsp; your &nbsp;kids and others who must walk are in danger from the traffic&nbsp;of parents&nbsp;who take their kids to school.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Valley extension to the new High School is very congested as is Curry going to Tompkins. </font></p> <p><font size="2">I've stated before that I'm against the Curry/Valley&nbsp;---city hall/shopping center deal because of traffic concerns.&nbsp; I feel I must&nbsp; mention he traffic issue again.&nbsp;&nbsp; I pray nothing happens to our children- to me, nothing is more important.</font>&nbsp;</p> To be fair, some children live too far to walk to school.&nbsp; Where I grew up, the rule was 3 miles as the crow flies to be eligible for bus service (and in high school we didn't have buses).&nbsp; I don't know if that is the rule here as well, but I do know I would never let my kids walk three miles to school- so I can understand some parents driving their kids to and from school.&nbsp; The traffic is definitely a concern, and there are many other things that can happen in such a long distance, especially if the children are unsupervised.&nbsp; I've crossed at the Valley/Curry intersection with a stroller many times, and it's difficult and very unsafe.<br /> <br /> I'm a huge proponent for sidewalks and safe pedestrian areas.&nbsp; I really don't understand why there are not safe sidewalks along Valley, especially when I see students using small dirt pathways alongside heavy traffic every school day.&nbsp; What on earth would a handicapped student do to get home if their parent couldn't pick them up?&nbsp; The dirt pathways would be impassable.&nbsp; I haven't seen the students on a rainy or snowy day, but I imagine the pathways aren't very easy to walk on then.&nbsp; I'm sure this will be remedied by the time my children are in high school, but it needs to be attended to immediately for the students there now.<br /> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154390 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154390 To be fair, some children live too far to walk to school.&nbsp; Where I grew up, the rule was 3 miles as the crow flies to be eligible for bus service (and in high school we didn't have buses).&nbsp; I don't know if that is the rule here as well, but I do know I would never let my kids walk three miles to school- so I can understand some parents driving their kids to and from school.&nbsp; The traffic is definitely a concern, and there are many other things that can happen in such a long distance, especially if the children are unsupervised.&nbsp; I've crossed at the Valley/Curry intersection with a stroller many times, and it's difficult and very unsafe.<br /> <br /> I'm a huge proponent for sidewalks and safe pedestrian areas.&nbsp; I really don't understand why there are not safe sidewalks along Valley, especially when I see students using small dirt pathways alongside heavy traffic every school day.&nbsp; What on earth would a handicapped student do to get home if their parent couldn't pick them up?&nbsp; The dirt pathways would be impassable.&nbsp; I haven't seen the students on a rainy or snowy day, but I imagine the pathways aren't very easy to walk on then.&nbsp; I'm sure this will be remedied by the time my children are in high school, but it needs to be attended to immediately for the students there now.<br /> <p><em>My son goes to Jacobsen,&nbsp; He gets out of school at 2:19.&nbsp; I wait until 2:30 and leave work to go pick him up.&nbsp; He knows that he is suppose to walk the same way everytime, that way when I get to him I&nbsp;pull over, pick&nbsp;him up and we're on our way.&nbsp; </em></p> <p><em>The system they have is unsafe.&nbsp; Have you seen some of those teen-age drivers?&nbsp; I want to pull them over and slap them in the head at times.&nbsp; You see a lot of little ones walking down 202 and Curry to go to Tompkins and with all the traffic I'm surprised more haven't been hurt.</em></p> <p><em>I think the whole transportation system in Tehachapi is bull.&nbsp; I think we have been taken advantage of and it's too bad that it's come to this.</em>&nbsp; <em>At one time, I had one child in Tompkins, one in Golden Hills,&nbsp; one in Jacobsen, and two at the high school.&nbsp; Do you think I could afford the darn bus.....hellllll no.&nbsp; I wouldn't have paid the price even if I could.&nbsp; Thank goodness my job has always been willing to work with me, I can't imagine what I would have done.&nbsp; Thank Goodness I'm almost done.&nbsp; </em></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154474 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154474 <p><em>My son goes to Jacobsen,&nbsp; He gets out of school at 2:19.&nbsp; I wait until 2:30 and leave work to go pick him up.&nbsp; He knows that he is suppose to walk the same way everytime, that way when I get to him I&nbsp;pull over, pick&nbsp;him up and we're on our way.&nbsp; </em></p> <p><em>The system they have is unsafe.&nbsp; Have you seen some of those teen-age drivers?&nbsp; I want to pull them over and slap them in the head at times.&nbsp; You see a lot of little ones walking down 202 and Curry to go to Tompkins and with all the traffic I'm surprised more haven't been hurt.</em></p> <p><em>I think the whole transportation system in Tehachapi is bull.&nbsp; I think we have been taken advantage of and it's too bad that it's come to this.</em>&nbsp; <em>At one time, I had one child in Tompkins, one in Golden Hills,&nbsp; one in Jacobsen, and two at the high school.&nbsp; Do you think I could afford the darn bus.....hellllll no.&nbsp; I wouldn't have paid the price even if I could.&nbsp; Thank goodness my job has always been willing to work with me, I can't imagine what I would have done.&nbsp; Thank Goodness I'm almost done.&nbsp; </em></p> Where on the city planning priority list&nbsp;is installing adequate sidewalks? Wouldn't this be necessary for such a downtown-orientated approach by so many people?&nbsp;Is this a subject to be brought up at city council meetings? How about school board meetings? http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154500 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154500 Where on the city planning priority list&nbsp;is installing adequate sidewalks? Wouldn't this be necessary for such a downtown-orientated approach by so many people?&nbsp;Is this a subject to be brought up at city council meetings? How about school board meetings? <p><font face="Verdana" size="3">Born and raised in the public school system of a big city back east.&nbsp; I'm trying to think of some reason my mother would have driven me to school or picked me up.&nbsp; Nope - there isn't one.&nbsp; And we lived about 3 miles from the high school.&nbsp; And the winters could be bitter cold.&nbsp; </font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="3">It was a kinder and gentler time, I know that, but it seems - to be on the safe side - the kids could walk a couple blocks from the school where mom could carefully get them into the car without either breaking the traffic rules, causing a traffic jam or an accident.&nbsp; Come one TK - a couple blocks.</font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="3">OR - mom, you park a couple blocks away, walk over to a designated meeting place and walk back to the car with your darling?&nbsp; That would work.</font></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154588 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154588 <p><font face="Verdana" size="3">Born and raised in the public school system of a big city back east.&nbsp; I'm trying to think of some reason my mother would have driven me to school or picked me up.&nbsp; Nope - there isn't one.&nbsp; And we lived about 3 miles from the high school.&nbsp; And the winters could be bitter cold.&nbsp; </font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="3">It was a kinder and gentler time, I know that, but it seems - to be on the safe side - the kids could walk a couple blocks from the school where mom could carefully get them into the car without either breaking the traffic rules, causing a traffic jam or an accident.&nbsp; Come one TK - a couple blocks.</font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="3">OR - mom, you park a couple blocks away, walk over to a designated meeting place and walk back to the car with your darling?&nbsp; That would work.</font></p> The only problem with parking a few blocks away to pick up your children is that the surrounding area is residential.&nbsp; It wouldn't surprise me if the neighborhoods threw a fit about other people parking on &quot;their&quot; streets.&nbsp; I admit, I'd be wary of a lot of people parking in front of my house.&nbsp; But it's what my friends and I did, and it worked to get us away from the school traffic.&nbsp; <br /> <br /> I think a lot of it is laziness, with a side of fear.&nbsp; And some of it is also that some parents think they are too busy to walk their kids to school.&nbsp; The more I think about it, the less I understand it.&nbsp; But then again, when I was little, my parents took me to school- but it was because we went to the donut shop every morning together, and that served as an hour or two of family time, especially since my dad worked swing shift.&nbsp; But I always took the bus home.&nbsp; I suppose the lesson in that is: never assume.&nbsp; Some families have schedules that make an &quot;ordinary&quot; schedule very impractical.&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154656 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154656 The only problem with parking a few blocks away to pick up your children is that the surrounding area is residential.&nbsp; It wouldn't surprise me if the neighborhoods threw a fit about other people parking on &quot;their&quot; streets.&nbsp; I admit, I'd be wary of a lot of people parking in front of my house.&nbsp; But it's what my friends and I did, and it worked to get us away from the school traffic.&nbsp; <br /> <br /> I think a lot of it is laziness, with a side of fear.&nbsp; And some of it is also that some parents think they are too busy to walk their kids to school.&nbsp; The more I think about it, the less I understand it.&nbsp; But then again, when I was little, my parents took me to school- but it was because we went to the donut shop every morning together, and that served as an hour or two of family time, especially since my dad worked swing shift.&nbsp; But I always took the bus home.&nbsp; I suppose the lesson in that is: never assume.&nbsp; Some families have schedules that make an &quot;ordinary&quot; schedule very impractical.&nbsp; &nbsp;There is no safe place to pull over a couple blocks from the high school without having the students play dodge-em with their classmates-on-wheels and parents-on-a-schedule.&nbsp; Valley is very narrow with a curb.&nbsp; Dennison has a narrow dirt strip in a couple places, if the kids are allowed to walk up that way.&nbsp; I have no problem with older kids stretching their legs.&nbsp; I understand that the parents and students have to live with the faulty planning made by those in charge when the high school was built.&nbsp; I think it is possible to acknowledge that the system as designed stinks even&nbsp;as we acknowledge we must cope with it.&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154658 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154658 &nbsp;There is no safe place to pull over a couple blocks from the high school without having the students play dodge-em with their classmates-on-wheels and parents-on-a-schedule.&nbsp; Valley is very narrow with a curb.&nbsp; Dennison has a narrow dirt strip in a couple places, if the kids are allowed to walk up that way.&nbsp; I have no problem with older kids stretching their legs.&nbsp; I understand that the parents and students have to live with the faulty planning made by those in charge when the high school was built.&nbsp; I think it is possible to acknowledge that the system as designed stinks even&nbsp;as we acknowledge we must cope with it.&nbsp; <p><em>My son walks down "D" st toward the park.  I'm usually able to pick him up before he gets there.  That way if it's cold, or raining, he doesn't have to walk far.  My job is probably a little less than a mile, if I get caught up in something, and can't get away in time to pick him up, he walks there.  We live 4 miles from the school, walking is not an option  So, I'm very lucky that I drop him off and go on to work and then take a break to take him home.  I could afford the bus now, but I'm not going to pay the money for it.  I think it's an outrageous amount and feel I'm being taken advantage of.  It's worth boycotting the system for me.</em></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154686 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154686 <p><em>My son walks down "D" st toward the park.  I'm usually able to pick him up before he gets there.  That way if it's cold, or raining, he doesn't have to walk far.  My job is probably a little less than a mile, if I get caught up in something, and can't get away in time to pick him up, he walks there.  We live 4 miles from the school, walking is not an option  So, I'm very lucky that I drop him off and go on to work and then take a break to take him home.  I could afford the bus now, but I'm not going to pay the money for it.  I think it's an outrageous amount and feel I'm being taken advantage of.  It's worth boycotting the system for me.</em></p> Families have to pay for their kids to ride the school bus? Doesn't the school tax portion of my property taxes cover student transportation? We don't have kids attending school here so this is a first to hear about for us. If I dare ask, how much does this cost per student? http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154691 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154691 Families have to pay for their kids to ride the school bus? Doesn't the school tax portion of my property taxes cover student transportation? We don't have kids attending school here so this is a first to hear about for us. If I dare ask, how much does this cost per student? <p><em>I believe it just went up to $100.00 per student per semester.&nbsp; I think they are making a killing.&nbsp; The buses are full. That's a lot of cash.&nbsp; They have free passes or lower prices for families that qualify.&nbsp; Are we toting the bill for those too, or is the school district.&nbsp; I believe the cost is $300.00 per school year.&nbsp; Someone correct me if I'm wrong.&nbsp; I throw the darned applications in the trash.</em></p> <p><em>This is a subject that has been sour for me since they started it.&nbsp;</em></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154696 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154696 <p><em>I believe it just went up to $100.00 per student per semester.&nbsp; I think they are making a killing.&nbsp; The buses are full. That's a lot of cash.&nbsp; They have free passes or lower prices for families that qualify.&nbsp; Are we toting the bill for those too, or is the school district.&nbsp; I believe the cost is $300.00 per school year.&nbsp; Someone correct me if I'm wrong.&nbsp; I throw the darned applications in the trash.</em></p> <p><em>This is a subject that has been sour for me since they started it.&nbsp;</em></p> <p>I believe the cost for the bus is around $200 per year, but they refuse to provide us with adequate transportation - another blog for another day...   </p> <p>The point of this blog was to stop the illegal activity of parking illegally on a red curb, which is clearly marked no stopping.  I often drive large trucks and I in the parking lot and then I can not get out because of the ILLEGAL parking along the red curb.  On top of the ILLEGAL parking, parents are in such a hurry they pay little attention to the pedestrians.  </p> <p>Parents: Pay attention for your safety our children's safety, and my safety.  Red curbs are file lanes, not for student drop off.</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154923 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_154923 <p>I believe the cost for the bus is around $200 per year, but they refuse to provide us with adequate transportation - another blog for another day...   </p> <p>The point of this blog was to stop the illegal activity of parking illegally on a red curb, which is clearly marked no stopping.  I often drive large trucks and I in the parking lot and then I can not get out because of the ILLEGAL parking along the red curb.  On top of the ILLEGAL parking, parents are in such a hurry they pay little attention to the pedestrians.  </p> <p>Parents: Pay attention for your safety our children's safety, and my safety.  Red curbs are file lanes, not for student drop off.</p> <p>Good job TPD, keep it up!</p> <p>Last week I was working in town and saw TPD patrolling and ticketing&nbsp;drivers in the THS &amp; JMS areas.&nbsp; This needs to happen more!&nbsp; It will take a while for the parents to get the message, but they drive like morons!&nbsp; This students are not great drivers, but i think they pay a little more attention than the parents.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_160312 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_160312 <p>Good job TPD, keep it up!</p> <p>Last week I was working in town and saw TPD patrolling and ticketing&nbsp;drivers in the THS &amp; JMS areas.&nbsp; This needs to happen more!&nbsp; It will take a while for the parents to get the message, but they drive like morons!&nbsp; This students are not great drivers, but i think they pay a little more attention than the parents.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Sorry for the typos, I am a little rusty. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_160313 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/GLOBAL/16189/#c_160313 Sorry for the typos, I am a little rusty.