Are you bothered more by potholes or road construction zones? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Borders, 700 N.H. on May 4, 2005

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“Potholes, I guess. I worry about my tires more than my time.”

— Jill Bennett, retired, Lawrence

“I don’t like the construction zones. I can avoid the potholes, but you can’t swerve around the construction.”

— Nick Purifoy, Washburn University law student, Lawrence

“I would rather be stuck in traffic because of construction than hit a pothole.”

— Correy Harris, Kansas University graduate student, Kansas City, Kan.

“Potholes, because they are bad for your car and they stop your CD player.”

— Megan Evans, KU freshman, Kansas City, Mo.

Discussion

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4 May 2005
at 5:48 a.m.

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Jayhawk226 (Anonymous) says…

Road construction…

…the potholes are seasonal. Road construction appears to be year-round in most cities. Ugh!!!
4 May 2005
at 5:55 a.m.

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merrill (Anonymous) says…

pothole hot line 832-3456
4 May 2005
at 7:16 a.m.

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lunacydetector (Anonymous) says…

though i do not know the schedule for future road construction, historically a major road project is started right before the students come back. expect something like iowa street/23rd street/6th street getting repaved with a construction start 2 weeks before the students arrive. that, or they will decide to replace the curbing along one of those major roadways (even though it was replaced a couple of years ago).

that reminds me, when is Kasold expected to be rebuilt? i know it is supposed to happen and our fine city engineers/commission want to make the roadway narrower to prevent people from using it as a thoroughfare. i'm sure it will have a 10' wide bicycle lane (for the tens of thousands of bicycle riders). i bet Kasold will start construction 2 weeks before the students get back!
4 May 2005
at 7:42 a.m.

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consumer1 (Anonymous) says…

Pot holes for sure. They don't back up traffic during high drive times.
Lunacy, I hope they do put in bike paths formally known as sidewalks, (where it used to be illegal to ride bikes). Trying to navigate Kasold is a death wish on foot or bike.
4 May 2005
at 8:01 a.m.

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The_Original_Bob (Anonymous) says…

Potholes. At least road construction has the aura of “getting things fixed.”
4 May 2005
at 8:11 a.m.

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lunacydetector (Anonymous) says…

are you the lonely guy?
4 May 2005
at 8:13 a.m.

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Fangorn (Anonymous) says…

Definitely potholes. Those blasted things can sneaky up on you. With all the bright orange signs blooming around town like some sort of mutated spring flower, it's hard to miss the construction zones!

4 May 2005
at 8:15 a.m.

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merrill (Anonymous) says…

10' bike /pedestrian paths are good for the community. As gas prices increase so would the use of these investments.
However until I see plans for such it ain't real.

At rush hours most folks probaly get a little irritated with construction zones but certainly nothing to commit sucide over. Life could always be worse. It's going to be another beautiful day for walking,biking, working or gardening prep.
I say enjoy the day and forget about those potholes and street construction…they are a fact of life.

See a pothole call the the hotline so it/they can be repaired. Funding is available.
4 May 2005
at 8:36 a.m.

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tir (Anonymous) says…

Potholes, and the idiot drivers who swerve blindly to avoid them and hit other cars. Some idiot did that to me on Kasold this spring.
4 May 2005
at 8:38 a.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

Potholes, particularly since one is now blooming at the end of my driveway.
4 May 2005
at 8:51 a.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

Just realized that my being in the work force probably caused that pothole!
4 May 2005
at 8:52 a.m.

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Topside (Anonymous) says…

Potholes. This is stupid.
4 May 2005
at 9:21 a.m.

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remember_username (Anonymous) says…

I drive a Wrangler so it has to be a serious pothole to bother my vehicle or me. But they seem to bother everybody else so go ahead and raise my tax share a tiny bit and then get them fixed!
4 May 2005
at 9:27 a.m.

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staff04 (Anonymous) says…

Lunacy-
Unbelievably, I agree with you. When I lived in Lawrence, it drove me insane that the roads would get no attention in the middle of summer when the city's population is at its lowest, but as soon as everyone starts moving back for school, construction begins on the main thoroughfares. I think that it is intentional. I think they do it to exaggerate the traffic problems in Lawrence so they can point to the last two weeks of August everytime they want to start talking about the South Lawrence Trafficway. Make the problem seem worse than it is, and maybe we'll change the people's minds.
4 May 2005
at 10:29 a.m.

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Centrist (Anonymous) says…

You cannot always avoid potholes. Try driving on Kasold! You dodge potholes in one lane, then switch to the other lane and get them again! It's ridiculous in a showcase city like Lawrence, trying to promote itself as .. umm .. what was it? A “tourist mecca” .. that there are chunks in the road on main thoroughfares. Ridiculous, especially with the over-inflated property and sales taxes we pay. Potholes and chunky roads shouldn't exist in this town for more than one day. Period.

4 May 2005
at 10:32 a.m.

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ms_canada (Anonymous) says…

Hi guys - greetings from Stevensville, Montana. Got here to my sisters yesterday and I must say it is road construction that got my goat yesterday. It took me one hour more than it should have to come from Eureka, just south of the B.C. border. But isn't that always the way it is in the summer, at least here in the north where winter construction is impossible. Oh, well. What the heck!!!
4 May 2005
at 10:50 a.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

ms_canada: welcome back! I thought maybe you were on your trip.

lunacy detector spoke earlier about the project for narrowing the lanes of Kasold to slow people down — duh — isn't that going in the wrong direction? That will accomplish a lot — a lot more accidents! Am I the only one that thinks the inmates have taken over the asylum? How long before we have traffic circles along Kasold? We could then be known as the City of Circles. Sounds downright romantic if you aren't trying to get across town.
4 May 2005
at 11:14 a.m.

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wichita_reader (Anonymous) says…

I don't know about 6th, but I bet W's croneys are going to be digging some deep potholes in ANWR soon!
4 May 2005
at 11:21 a.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

Since others have strayed from this exciting topic — I have a question.

I have seen several posts about the Hitchhiker's Guide movie. Sometimes even PG ratings can have some pretty adult humor/inuendos, etc. Do you think it is appropriate for a 7 year old to view?
4 May 2005
at 11:40 a.m.

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bleeding_flower (Anonymous) says…

I haven't posted yet today because the question was utterly stupid, but I like the question that Ceallach has brought up.
I believe that they are to lenient on some of the movie ratings. I wouldn't take my son to most the movies they put out as pg. He may not be old enough yet to understand the hidden inuendos, but he is a smart boy (and no I am not biased).
4 May 2005
at 12:16 p.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

Children are exposed to much more explicit material than in previous generations. Whether it is TV, radio, movies, etc. However, I do not want to be the one that exposes my granddaughter to such material when I can avoid it.

Thanks to all that have or will give their review of the HH's Guide to the Galaxy movie.
4 May 2005
at 12:43 p.m.

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Carmenilla (Anonymous) says…

I'm sick of both construction and potholes!!! We live on the east side past Haskell and I don't know which is worse. They have 2 or more roads closed off so that getting to Mass. St. or beyond is difficult. 15th is always backed up at rush hour. I miss my 14th St. not-so-super-secret route. And the potholes on 19th (esp going West as you hit the roundabout) are unavoidable. I have had to replace many a strut on my poor little car. I am a slow and careful driver but those potholes are everywhere!

Also, Ceallach, I took my 8 yr old to the movie and she loved it. Granted she has a savvy sense of humor but I really saw nothing objectionable. And this is from a mom who doesn't even let her child watch TV. Thats right! We don't have TV at our house. We have a monitor for watching DVDs and VHS. Thats it.
4 May 2005
at 1:07 p.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

Good for you Carmenilla. The world gets them soon enough! Thanks for the movie info.

4 May 2005
at 1:08 p.m.

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GreenEyedBlues (Anonymous) says…

I was driving down Lousiana and right near the intersection at 18th there was this HUGE chunk of sidewalk in the street. I manuevered ['swerved' makes me sound like a bad driver] around it only to catch a seemingly bigger chunk under my rear tire. Had to replace my tires and everything!

Lousiana is a mess with all those craters! The City should have paid for my new tires. Gah! Didn't you say that took responsibility for your alignment, Offtotheright? Anyway, that's my story. Construction zones are for weenies. Ciao!
4 May 2005
at 1:21 p.m.

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sunflower_sue (Anonymous) says…

I don't even let my children watch most TV shows because it's just too darn suggestive. I highly believe in educating them about sex at a very young age. That doesn't include watching titillating TV. Most of it makes the women out to be, well, not what I want for my daughters. We are a desensitized society. Walk into any grade school and you will hear words that will make your jaw drop…and the teachers will probably not even notice! Not trying to slam teachers, just think they are around it too much. For the one's that do take notice…more power to you! (You deserve more pay)
4 May 2005
at 1:41 p.m.

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italianprincess (Anonymous) says…

Potholes, potholes, and more potholes. I myself avoid construction where ever it may be.

As a parent I don't allow my 7 year old to watch anything rated PG unless I view it first. I own a daycare at home ( its naptime now ) and I have kids here that have seen some movies I would never let my 7 year old see. She has seen all 3 ” Scary Movies “, both ” The Ring ” and the second one. She tells me about the movies she watches all the time. I also have one who just turned 3 and his favorite movie to watch with his grandma is ” Friday “. His mom wonders why he uses some language the way he does. Shes young and will learn I suppose. My son has a friend from school who is the same age who has seen every ” Halloween ” ever made. I admit I own the whole collection ( favorite old school slasher movie ) and he wants to watch them. I told him when hes older he can watch them, but for now the answer is no.

I own alot of movies that my son wants to watch, but knows how I feel and he can watch them when he gets older. We watch together so I know what hes watching and when he spends the night over a friends I let the parents know also.

Call me an overprotective movie mom, but there isn't much out there for kids these days. Hes found Star Wars so I will be taking him to see that on the 19th.
4 May 2005
at 1:47 p.m.

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kansas (Anonymous) says…

Yeah, and just think, OMB…..In 1961, Mike Wallace was about what?, 41? 42 years old??–With his jet-black hair and puffing away on one cigarette after another—in front of the camera!!!
Now here it is, 2005, Mike Wallace is 85 and still on TV, and still with the jet-black hair……but no more cigarette smoking in front of the camera (That sort of thing is considered taboo nowadays!)

Hmmmm…………..how much longer do you think he'll be around?? You think he'll still be interviewing Arab sheiks and movie stars when he's well into his 90's?? Geez! If he is, I'm sure his hair will still be slick and black!!
4 May 2005
at 1:52 p.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

My grandmother was always talking about television and it potential to do mental harm. I remember thinking she was soooooo old fashioned, and now, here I am :) telling my grandchildren they should be careful what they are inviting into their minds through the eye gates. Guess I will just try to do what I know my grandmother did, have my say and then shut up and pray.
4 May 2005
at 2:01 p.m.

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GreenEyedBlues (Anonymous) says…

I'll never forget when my Dad was away on business and my mom had bronchitis in the winter of '89… she taught me how to use the 'rewind' function on the VCR and I must have watched “The Jungle Book” six times that day. We owned more Disney movies than we did regular ones.

I now own all but five of the Disney animated features on DVD and I'm hoping it will serve well as a main avenue of entertainment for my chilluns. Knowing my luck, I'll raise some punk kids who demand piercings and cigarette money.
4 May 2005
at 2:21 p.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

I think it's great to go to a Disney movie in the theatre and see so many adults there — without children — just to see the movie. I take it as a good sign for our world. (Even when they are abundantly pierced:)
4 May 2005
at 2:22 p.m.

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Carmenilla (Anonymous) says…

Italianprincess, knowing that you care about this I thought I should warn you that the new installment of the Star Wars movies is not going to be little kid friendly. I know tons of people will bring their kids to it but it is supposed to be very dark and violent. My husband and I are waiting for some first hand reviews from friends. We made the mistake of assuming that our daughter could handle movies like Spider-Man and X-Men but they were waaay to violent for her a few years ago. The level of violence that is “acceptable” on TV and in movies is really incredible. Personally, I'll take Janet Jackson's nipple over gory death and intense fighting action. Thats just me though.

4 May 2005
at 2:28 p.m.

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Fangorn (Anonymous) says…

GreenEyedBlues: We seem somehow (grandparents?) to have acquired most of the Disney collection over the years. Some of it is VHS but we're slowly making the transition to DVD. Did you get the remastered “Bambi”? Or is it not quite out yet?
4 May 2005
at 2:47 p.m.

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italianprincess (Anonymous) says…

Carmenilla,

I own both Spider Man and Spider Man II, and also own both X-Men I and II. My son has seen both and knows its a fantasy type movie. He understands they are superheroes only , they are not real. I know the new Star Wars will be much darker and more violent then the others have been.

I was talking more appropriate aged movies some parents let their kids see. I would never in my life let him see a movie like ” Friday ” anything with slashing, gore, or bodies being ripped apart at his age. When my daycare kids tell me about what they have seen I just take a deep breath and say……..okay. Same goes for tv also. I tape certain shows that I watch then I watch them when he goes to bed at night. Gives me my relaxing mom time.

Now my oldest who will be 17 in July I'm sure has seen movies at friends houses. He is older, but I was the same way with him when he was younger. He went to see the movie ” Saw ” with friends and came home and told me that was the scariest movie hes seen. I haven't seen it yet, but will probably check it out when it comes to video. I love a good scary movie, but enjoy mostly comedy, action, and suspense thillers.

I believe that what you allow your young children to view and not view has an impact on them somehow.
4 May 2005
at 3:39 p.m.

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Carmenilla (Anonymous) says…

I hope we're not fooling ourselves, IP. I think that if I can control what my kid watches/hears than it will be beneficial as well. She loves to read so the less movies/TV she watches the better.

Also, I'm with you on the scary movie front. I love 'em but they are not kid-friendly. I went to see Blade:Trinity (yes, I'm a nerd) and there were so many little kids there! In fact, I am constantly amazed at parents who bring their children to all sorts of R rated, highly inappropriate movies. The topper for me was when I went to see Bad Santa. There was a 3 year old behind me and I couldn't believe it! I was unable to laugh and relax at that movie because I knew that an impressionable mind was soaking up all that incredibly raunchy humor. Call me a square but I care what my kid puts into her brain.
4 May 2005
at 3:56 p.m.

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Gootsie (Anonymous) says…

I grew up watching anything and everything I wanted, and let my kids do the same thing, and we am normal.

Excuse me, my shoe is ringing. I think it's my son calling collect AGAIN.
4 May 2005
at 3:59 p.m.

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italianprincess (Anonymous) says…

You are not a sqaure at all, but a mom who cares about her child enough to watch out for what movies are best suited for her age.

I have been reading about the new Star Wars and low and behold its going to be very dark. My son knows all the characters are not real and its all movie magic, so I will take him to see it and hope its not to to bad.

I have never seen Bad Santa but heard about it. To me that movie would rank in the category or White Chicks which I wouldn't pay a dime to see either. I also don't get why some parents take their kids to see garbage like that. I think that Cat in the Hat was horrible for kids with all its adult parts. I'm just hoping that Pixar stays around and gives us some more great movies.

My son also loves to read. After seeing ” Treasure Island” at the Art Center he wanted to read the book.
4 May 2005
at 4:11 p.m.

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Carmenilla (Anonymous) says…

Hey Gootsie, I was one of those kids who was allowed to watch anything and everything. I remember being 8 and catching the end of “The Excorcist”. It scarred me for life (yet, I love scary movies….hmmmm) and I guess I feel that TV and movie violence has reached an all time high in this country. I don't want my child to ever be desensitized to violence. It needs to be impactful so that she can realize the gravity of hurting people. We are a very apathetic society and I think desensitization has a big role in that.

Also, thank you folks for not correcting my bad spelling. See, I really can spell violence!
4 May 2005
at 4:21 p.m.

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Fangorn (Anonymous) says…

I was about 8 or so and my brother two years younger when our aunt stayed up with us to watch “The Exorcist” on HBO. (This will date me a bit, but HBO actually went off the air around 3am and didn't come back on until about 4pm back in those days!) Anyway, my aunt and I promptly fell asleep and my poor brother cowered in the corner of the couch, too scared to cross the living room to turn off the tv. And you know, I never have actually seen that whole movie.
4 May 2005
at 4:41 p.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

I was a teenager (and feeling very grown up) when I went to see “In Cold Blood.” I believe the fact that I knew the events were true added to the terror factor, but that movie really grabbed me. I had dreams off and on for several months afterwards. To this day, I have refused to watch when it aired on television. They were individually very bad men and together they formed a truly evil monster.

I spent much of my childhood in Kansas City and always thought my mother was silly for being so heavy handed if we left the door unlocked. After watching In Cold Blood she never had to complain about me leaving the door unlocked again. There really are monsters out there.

4 May 2005
at 4:58 p.m.

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wichita_reader (Anonymous) says…

Speaking about desensitization, what about video games like Grand Theft Auto? Last year, my wife's second grade students would come to school ranting and raving about Grand Theft Auto 3. I've got to admit, I've played the game and it is fun, but young kids have no business playing it!
4 May 2005
at 4:59 p.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

And yet he grew up to be a knight in shining armor — go figure.
4 May 2005
at 5:52 p.m.

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Fangorn (Anonymous) says…

H-n-K: No need to scream. As you guessed, my aunt was very young. She is only 4 years older than I am, so she would have been 12 or so at the time. We may have been a little older but not much. I don't think the adults knew what we were doing! A few years later I saw “Phantasm” (I don't recall the circumstances) and I had nightmares about it for years. I'm considerably more discriminating in what I let my daughter watch.
4 May 2005
at 6:08 p.m.

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Fangorn (Anonymous) says…

H-n-K: A week or two ago, someone opined that I see myself as a “knight in shinging armor” coming to the rescue of the females on this board. Ceallach might be teasing me or perhaps our resident pychoanalyst. Either way, it *is* kind of funny! “Child Slasher Flick Watcher Grows Up to Be Knight Errant” ;)
4 May 2005
at 7:33 p.m.

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sunflower_sue (Anonymous) says…

7:30 p.m., TV still not on. Kids still not fighting. Maybe it's the weather. I think I'll move to Hawaii and not own a TV!
4 May 2005
at 8:26 p.m.

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italianprincess (Anonymous) says…

I went to see ” The Excorcist ” when I was 15. We all drove to Hollyweird. I held onto my cross around my neck the whole time. I couldn't get pass the part where her body was flipping back and forth on her bed. I had nightmares for weeks and would see her face when it looked the worse everytime I closed my eyes. A friend of mine calls it Catholic guilt because I refuse to watch now.

I truely HATE that movie. I don't hate things but that movie ranks #1 for me.
4 May 2005
at 8:51 p.m.

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Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

sorry H-n-K: I was joking because of the post on a previous line. The poster made it sound like being a knight was a bad thing! I thought it was a compliment to him.

I wasn't being sarcastic. I absolutely agree with the points you and other posters have made regarding protecting children from the influence of either violent or sexual material as long as we have the abiity to do so. Even in their early to mid teens when they are quite 'resistant' to parental guidelines.

My daughter's rolled their eyes at me so many times I was afraid they would get stuck in that position. Know what? Now they have young children and as you might have guessed, they filter their children's exposure as much or more than I did. I say maybe more because their children go to school with some of the children mentioned in an earlier post by italianprincess, children that are allowed to see and hear all the filth and gargage that our society now tolerates in music, films, restaurants, etc.

Kids may occasionally sneak around and view things they know they should not be watching (Fangorn and his brother and aunt :) but they know they should not and I believe that still keeps the material in it's place in their mind. The children I worry about are the ones that think violence, cursing and sexual immorality are just part of everyday life.
4 May 2005
at 8:58 p.m.

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Fangorn (Anonymous) says…

H-n-K: You know, I really should have mentioned my aunt's age in my earlier post. Re-reading it, I see how irresponsible it sounds! As for the whole “knight in shining armor” thing, I think the poster's screen name was “one_persons_opinion”. (I can't know for sure but I think a regular poster may have adopted a new name briefly to offer some constructive criticism. They weren't unkind in what they said, though I admit it did sting a little.) I don't recall what day it was, but it was within the last two weeks or so. I don't think HKP or M47 and I have ever been at odds. That isn't to say we've never disagreed on an issue. But if we did, it didn't get hurtful.

4 May 2005
at 9:10 p.m.

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Fangorn (Anonymous) says…

H-n-K: You piqued my curiosity now. I've chided myself because my memory should be better, so I had to go back and look. If you care to read it, the nature and tone of my posts was critiqued on April 25. The post at 2:09pm and a few shortly thereafter cover the matter. (And one_persons_opinion, if you're still out there, I really am trying to keep what you wrote in mind. I may not agree with your conclusions, but I certainly don't want to give offense needlessly.)
4 May 2005
at 9:11 p.m.

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gccs14r (Anonymous) says…

It's good to be careful about what your children watch. The first movie I remember seeing was Patton, at the drive-in. I was *maybe* six, depending on what time of year we saw it. It was a double feature that night, with the second movie being M*A*S*H, which we didn't stay to see. All things considered, M*A*S*H was probably less inappropriate for a six-year-old to see than was Patton. Later on came movies such as The Poseidon Adventure, Deliverance, The Exorcist, Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, Airport 1975, and Rosemary's Baby (on TV), all before I was 12. It's no wonder I have strange behavioral quirks. That stuff sticks with you.
5 May 2005
at 1:53 p.m.

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Gootsie (Anonymous) says…

It's time to let it go gcss14r. Don't hang onto your hangups and blame them on TV. Let it go!!!

My brother and I would watch movies like Mothra. Whenever we would watch scary movies, he would cover his eyes and make me watch, then tell him what happened. We still laugh about that today, and my kids tease him about it.

I am not desensitized to violence - I actually some days stop reading these threads because you start arguing and criticizing and I can't stand that. So I still fear violence even though I watched it. I think it's more your personality than your upbringing, don't you?