DC A CIVIL CITY

DC A CIVIL CITY

how much would it take to start a progression towards this movement?
I am not asking for much
just thinking it would be nice for everyone if this city were more civilized


it would take attacks from several angles
it would not take anything great
lots of small things working together

for the most part it would be a matter of having people do their jobs that they are already being paid to do

we would need action... as in beautification
there would also need to be an education... as in Public Service Announcements or school safety programs
and some enforcement (not a heavy crack down... but the enforcement of some basic laws to regain order)

Education/Information
Enforcement
and
Beautification
that is all...

much of the education and information could be filtered through the schools...
notions of speed limits, responsible driving, responsible parking
seat belts and yielding to pedestrians
how to behave in a car around cyclists and pedestrians
the information could be unleashed through the schools
the action could be requested for the parents to behave around the schools during student drop off and pick up
then... if the parents were asked to extend their appropriate driving behavior to their own neighborhoods, other residential neighborhoods, and when passing other schools
well... the ripple effect could extend to their driving across the board
just a few cars slowing down would act as pace vehicles

get the driver out of autopilot
get the driver thinking

it is that easy...

then with the beautification process...
green space needs to be green
each patch of land that is supposed to be green should be green
if grass will not grow or is not maintained...
then try planting something else
too much of our National Park land and our Urban Park land is brown earth
when it should be green
close sections off for rejuvenation
let the seeds take hold before allowing people to use these areas again
stop cars from parking on patches of grass...
no pull off
no parking
a 500 Dollar ticket would stop that behavior

if there is a pedestrian shortcut
a beaten path that pedestrians have walked consistently enough so that nothing grows there
embrace that path
make sure it is thin tight and neat
then make sure the grass grows on the area surrounding that path

but... when a sidewalk or stairs are an option...
try to remove the temptation for people to shortcut things on the grass
put plants or trees in that area obstructing the shortcut

then with enforcement...
get people to start making complete stops at the stop line at intersections
this will ripple into many things...
the yielding to pedestrians as well as bringing down the maximum speed
get people to stop blocking the crosswalk
get people to stop blocking the intersection
if the sign says no stopping or standing... penalized the people who disobey this law
they are disrupting flow... on a daily basis the same people break the same set of laws
that is what is making that morning commute such a pain in the ass... people being selfish

enough on my soapbox

it all starts
if we want change
we need to start the change within ourselves

if the mothers and fathers of this city behaved like appropriate mothers and fathers we would have a more civilized city
with the kids in the car these parents are acting like animals
then wondering why the teens drive like assholes
no dah... they are driving like their parents

remove the cell phone from the car...
ban the cell phone from moving vehicles
businessman or not...
TEXTING! Text messaging while driving should be a moving violation


okay...
throw less trash... pick up some trash
plant some plants... let the grass take root

slow down around schools
put down the cell phone
yield to pedestrians
stop at the stop line

get a PSA information system through the schools
let the kids educate the parents

be respectful of others and the world that we live in
treat other neighborhoods how you wish your neighborhood to be treated
drive down other streets how you want people to drive down your street
drive around children the way you want people to drive past your children

it is all very easy!
how do we get this started?