47/m/curious

[captainsblog]

No, not about THAT.

Since I know some of you are affected more directly than I am, I invite your comment on this photo, from our weekly local fishwrap:




The 47-year-old responsible adult/driver in me thinks, right, OK, I've never quite known what to do with those DEAF CHILD AREA signs either, but I guess I'll be a smidge more careful.

The lawyer in me? I hope your liability insurance is paid up, because SOMEBODY probably just violated SOMETHING (whether HIPPA, COPA or section 51 of the Civil Rights Act by naming the kid).

But saddest, though? The vestigial traces of the 12-year-old in me: alternating between ha ha ::insert derisive term here:: and oh good, someone else in the neighborhood for the bullies to pick on.

But that's me, at least twice removed from it.

Comments

[fangirlsays.livejournal.com]

Eh, I suppose if it makes people drive more carefully, it's an okay thing. Personally, I doubt it'd change anything, though.

[chapter5.livejournal.com]

I'd much rather have a sign that says, "Hey, slow down asshole, you're going to kill somebody." Personally, with a child supposedly on the spectrum and a child off, both deserve a safe play area and I see no need for the distinction in attempting to create an aura of caution in the neighborhood.

So what if the kid tends to dart into streets? Well then he shouldn't be alone to do that. I guess. I don't know. I'm trying to figure out what autism has to do with it.

I don't know. I don't get it. I guess the deaf child makes a bit of sense to me because they might not hear your horn honk, but then again, I wouldn't leave a deaf child alone in a street. So I dunno.

[headbanger118.livejournal.com]

As the mother of a child with an Autistic Disorder, I say: WTF????

[lindapendant.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you've got them in your neck of the woods, but we've got signs with a picture of a child lying on the road which I'm assuming is supposed to be a child who has just been hit by a car rather than a warning that children tend to lie in the road - so you should be on the lookout for that.

I think the wording is something like, 'It could be your child'.

As far as 'Caution : Autism Ahead' signs go, it's my experience that perfectly 'normal' children run out in the street and drive bikes dangerously and nine cases out of ten - they're teenagers. No matter what the age - if I see kids on the road, I do a crawl by. Ain't no mother's child ever gonna end up under this lady's wheels.

[mayiwrite.livejournal.com]

So, I'm a little confused. This is all done without the consent of the parents/guardians of the child? Would the parents make such a request? And, couldn't the parents request to have the sign changed? Or, is it required by law to name the specific condition of the child/ren? Well, then, shouldn't we be seeing more signs: "Caution, Illegal Immigrant Children Scurrying About with Tuberculosis and Scurvy"? I get that just in case the kids slip out of their parents' supervision, signs are there.

Anyway, I'm all for "Caution: Children Playing." Yay, tax dollars!

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sure it was consented to, if not actively requested, by the 'rents. What I wonder about was the choice of language (identifying the condition instead of something closer to the more ignored "CHILDREN AT PLAY"), and I really wondered if they were all onboard with the kid's name and street being plastered in a newspaper.

[mayiwrite.livejournal.com]

See, that's just me and my benefit-of-the-doubt ways. I would have assumed parents granted permission through the entire process. Parents didn't HAVE to disclose kid's name to the press, nor his specific condition. (Or did they dig it up, and then, wouldn't they need the 'rents' permission to publish the info - because, hello, lawsuit?) Then, I'd only wish the parents used more discretion, because it would seem they're about to face some major taking-advantage-of and bullying, as you opined. They'll probably tire quickly of hearing where "that autistic kid" lives. That stuff will far outweigh the kindhearted neighbors, which is too bad.

[ellettra.livejournal.com]

i think pretty much everyone else has said it: non-autistic kids run into the street, too. i think "SLOW DOWN, children at play" is probably better, although "slow down, asshole," as someone else suggested, is also very good.