This is so sad and senseless. Thankfully, her injuries weren't life threatening. Gave up my car in December 2010 and I can attest that drivers on Oakton St. speed going in both directions.

Was waiting for the bus yesterday on Davis St. at Benson Ave. when a huge truck almost struck an elderly man crossing Davis (with the light). Many drivers are oblivious to pedestrians and act like they're doing you a favor by letting you cross the street at a designated crosswalk.

The EPD needs to dedicate a small team to patrol such abuses and give hefty fines. If the word gets out that people are being ticketed, some will slow down. Schools will close for the summer soon and everyone needs to be careful.

While we are told that we should practice "defensive driving", every pedestrian should practice "defensive walking". Pedestrians should never assume that drivers will see them or obey the traffic laws. Although the law gives pedestrians the right-of-way, pedestrians should always yield to cars and trucks, unless, of course, you don't want to live to an old age.

To Richard Schulte: I swore to never address you, however, I find your remarks outrageous!!! These were young children crossing the street you knucklehead! Are you a parent?! If so, do you really love your children?! The other day I almost hit a woman head on because she was so engrossed with texting on her iPhone. This woman had to be every bit of 30 years in age. We as drivers have the responsibility of driving defensively, but, we should also drive with caution and respect for pedestrians, especially children. I think you missed the part of the story where it states the driver was "speeding". You're a very sad person who obviously needs attention or medical treatment. You disgust me!!! This is my first and last response to you.

Just the other day I was on Prairie/McDaniel light turning west onto Golf. Right at TJMax and Citco. A bunch of young girls about 13, were riding their bikes. 2 went on, and 1 was on the TJmax side. They caught my attention because as they said goodbye to the girl by me, they all said "I love you" to each other. The girl who stayed behind, looking over at me, to see if I saw her. We made eye contact and I pointed at her to go, to get across that very busy intersection. At that moment, I was glad that her parents taught her to watch what drivers are doing.
Richard.....this isn't about leftists/socialism.
This is about being a safe driver and looking out for people crossing the street. People that drive recklessly are asking for trouble. Its summer now, a lot of people are out, walking, riding bikes, and its up to the rest of us to be careful and make sure they are safe.
My question to you, is why are you arguing about the safety of our children? I have kids.
What do you think, those Skokie parents are going through right now? Burying their little boy who was only walking down the street with his bike? My heart goes out to them. And YOURS should too.
Insulting people here? You miss the point. Go volunteer somewhere. Help someone.

And by the way, lets thank God, the kids by Oakton school were not killed. I know their parents are.

If I lived in "gun-toting, red-neck Florida," I would give less than a d--n about " leftist, socialist" Evanston and would remove myself from the diverse Evanstonians. Something is amiss!

I would like to take the focus off this idiot Dick Schulte and offer my prayers to the family of the 8-year-old boy that was killed and the 7-year-old girl that was hit.

Frank, my first name is Richard. The term "dick" is slang for an erect penis. If you can't address me by my name, Mr. Schulte will do.

I realize Democrats are in a foul mood-most Americans now know that President Obama is a failure, it's Memorial Day weekend, a time when we honor the military, and Scott Walker is going to win the Wisconsin recall election, but you folks really need to cheer up-Rush Limbaugh will be retiring soon (in about 20 years or so).

I agree Frank, its pointless to focus on someone who clearly shows lack of empathy and sympathy for his fellow human beings.

I try to be very careful of pedestrians when I drive regardless of who has the right of way. I also try to be very careful of drivers when I am a pedestrian regardless of who has the right of way. Bikes are a whole other problem from a safety point of view, but that should be a separate discussion. When a child is killed no matter the motive or method, we should all be sad and send our thoughts and prayers to their loved ones. I have some experience with this and most parents never get over the loss.

I've been driving for almost 40 years, and I haven't run over a pedestrian yet! , but I hate this new law about pedestrians in the crosswalk. I think it gives pedestrians the idea that they can cross any time they like, regardless of the traffic. Some people feel that it's okay to walk right out in traffic. It gives them, children or adults, a false sense of security in the crosswalk. And then there's all those people who stop at the little stop signs even though no one's around, thereby snarling up traffic. The law says nothing btw about "right of way". It just says that cars must stop for pedestrians in the walkway.
By the way, the boy killed in Skokie was hit by a young woman who had a whole bunch of tickets and was under the influence of some amphetimines. She had first hit a car, and then was trying to get away and sped onto the sidewalk/parkway and killed the little boy on his bike. Then she tried to get away after that! (It had nothing to do with the crosswalk.) I doubt she is a voter, either Dem or Repub... And soon, I think, she'll be a convicted felon who can't!

I agree with Noreen, about people who walk in the crosswalks without looking to see if a car is coming. No one can assume a driver sees them and a lot DO. Its the people who walk out without looking that scare me as a driver. Or the people who wear dark clothing at night and you can't see them. And the walkers on Central Street, who walk out behind parked cars, even when there is a crosswalk 20 feet away and they insist on walking into the street in the middle of the block. They do it everyday.
The new law is fine with me, but everyone has to be careful and make no assumptions as to what the other person is doing.

Frank: ". . .and I'm glad you're not so dense that you realize what I really think you are..."

Name-calling is what little children do in a discussion. Which means, of course, that Frank has identified himself as a child.

From previous discussions in which Frank has participated, it was quite obvious that Frank has a child-like mind. (The Democrat Party is the party of people with child-like minds and an inability to think.)

You know who won a debate by who starts name-calling. The best Frank can do is name-call, which means that he has lost the debate.

Now back to the subject at hand, Ms. Metz makes the same point as I did before Tea, annie and Frank started the name-calling. Both Ms. Metz and I simply stated the obvious-pedestrians should use caution when walking. That's just plain old common sense.

Let me try state it once again in terms simple enough so that even Tea, annie and Frank can understand. In a collision between a pedestrian and a motor vehicle, the pedestrian always loses. Hence, pedestrians need to use extreme caution when walking. If a pedestrian assumes that motorists will comply with all traffic laws at all times, then it is likely that that pedestrian will be a victim of an incident similar to that which happened near Oakton School.

OK, Frank, Tea and annie, you can resume the name-calling. You can even call me a racist, bigot and homophobe if you want. Your name calling is a reflection on you, not me.

OK Richie I won't call you Dick anymore since it hurt your feelings.

And Ms. Metz and Richard are actually dead on. Way too many distracted motorists these days! Pedestrians need to pay better attention.

Frank: "If you're ever back in the are look me up and maybe we can meet up at the Loyola Field House and spar for a bit in the boxing ring. You are way to witty for me to beat mentally because I am only a "child" so I would like to do what real men have been doing for hundreds of years (before they started hiding behind computers) and spar for a few rounds. It's great exercise! Let me know OK..."

I'm sorry Frank, but I spar with the likes of Barry Scheck/Innocence Project (one of O. J. Simpson's attorneys in the Nicole Brown Simpson murder trial). I get enough of gladiator work as it is.

http://www.innocenceproject.org/docs/willingham/L_fm_Richard_Shulte_082510.pdf

Walking and lifting weights are also excellent forms of exercise. I have been doing both for the last 40 years. Don't need any more exercise than I'm already getting. Although I'm nearing 60 years old, I could easily pass for 40.

Again, my heart goes out to the family who's little boy was killed in Skokie and the parents of the little girl who was injured in Evanston.
Parents losing a child, I cannot imagine and hope I never will, feel the pain they are suffering.

I weigh 180# and walk 3 mph. I am no match for a car weighing 3000# and moving at 30 mph.

I think we all agree that people on both sides need to be aware of whats goin on. I walk a lot and I drive a lot in Evanston.
The man who hit the girl on Oakton was clearly speeding. It could have been worse and we are relieved it wasn't.

This is not the appropriate place to discuss your political stance and no one cares that you look 40 but are close to 60.

Christine Wolf: "Richard, it's a free country but you'll gain more respect sharing views that relate to the topic written above. After writing for Patch for almost two years, it's clear you favor digressing from the written topics, using the comments section to address your personal agenda being oppositional for the sake of getting attention."

"Tea: To Richard Schulte: I swore to never address you, however, I find your remarks outrageous!!! These were young children crossing the street you knucklehead! Are you a parent?! If so, do you really love your children?! . . . You're a very sad person who obviously needs attention or medical treatment. You disgust me!!! This is my first and last response to you."

Christine, if you bothered to follow the thread, I submitted an on-topic comment and this is Tea's response (above).

Many who submit comments to Patch post "off-topic". Sorry, if others want to post off-topic, then they have opened up another topic which is fair game and I will not let their off-topic comments go without comment.

Sorry, but you don't seem to get it. There are many who live in Evanston and Crook County who share my viewpoint, but are afraid to speak because of the political system in Evanston/Crook County. I speak for them and I'm not timid, nor ashamed of my views.

I am not concerned about gaining your respect-that is simply not possible, unless I mouth the same viewpoint as you. You are a typical biased liberal.

Christine, I have given your comment above further thought and a little elaboration may be in order.

Evanston is quite a cloistered community. For whatever reason, people who all think pretty much the same have come to live in this community. There is little diversity of thought in Evanston.

South of I-80 in Illinois, my views and opinions are pretty much mainstream. Recall that in the election for governor, Bill Brady, the Republican candidate, won a majority of votes in 98 out of 102 Illinois counties.

Are my views and opinions really that outrageous? Man-made climate change is a hoax. Chicago is the next Detroit. Chicago and Illinois are bankrupt. Evanston is anti-business. Chicago was named the most corrupt municipality in the US. Democrats supported the institution of slavery, started the KKK, instituted Jim Crow and supported racial segregation in the past and now practice their racism in the public schools in large cities all across America.

All but a few of these views are even arguable. Of course, these comments get people excited. Why? Because they are the truth and people don't like to hear the truth about themselves.

Folks who live in Evanston like to think they are smarter than everybody else. The folks who live in Evanston are some of the most closed-minded people I have ever met.

As for as getting attention, that's a charge often leveled at people who are working for change-it comes with the territory. Keep trying.

Richard,
Your blatherings are SO negative, no one wants to read them. Time to focus on Florida, old boy.

You would think that with what just happened on Main people would be more careful. Clearly, unless its their child crossing the street, they don't care. So sad!

Sorry for challenging you Dick. I didn't realize you were that old! Not sure how I would have known you were that old just by looking at posts...

I'm glad you are walking (exercise?) and lifting weights, that is good for your heart (especially at your age). You probably have strong hands too with all the typing you do!

Richie, I just noticed that you never said anything about the poor child that died other than to say something rude. You ever think of saying something genuinely nice and saying something about the child that died in the accident?

R.I.P. To the 8-year-old boy that died in the Skokie accident and also the the Evanston boy who drowned last summer.

Little Dick needs to go finish drying up in Florida!