School Zones

Posted by waffletheaccountant@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 38 comments

So I was driving down Ross towards Downtown this morning, and there are 3 sections of school zones. 1st section and 3rd section have a light that flashes, but the 2nd section light doesn't flash. So I'm curious, are you the type of person that slows down for all the school zones, or only the ones that have the light flashing? I wind up slowing down at all of them, because I find it ridiculous that only 2 of the 3 would have us slow down. I would expect the city to adjust the street signs if that was no longer a school zone. But I see other cars ignore the school zones if the light isn't flashing. Just curious what our other Dallas drivers are like out there. [View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/16ms6ys)

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38 Comments

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noncongruent@reddit

If the lights on the "school zone" signs are flashing then the zone is active, if not, it's not active. Pay attention when entering a non-active school zone to see if there's a backwards-facing light on the back of the other direction's school zone sign, if that activates after you've entered an inactive school zone then the zone just went active and you can get a ticket if you don't slow down.

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Bleh54@reddit

I don’t think there’s a statute that requires drivers to spot the single unmarked beacon on the back side a sign.

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noncongruent@reddit

Sure, but if that light's blinking and you speed in that school zone you're still getting a ticket, and claiming to the judge that you weren't required to see the light is likely going to get you an upgrade in your punishment for wasting the court's time.

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Loud_Internet572@reddit

Some places don't even have a light - you're expect to see the sign and then read the small print indicating the hours it's supposed to in effect. Really? Easy way to give you a ticket though.

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Ravioverlord@reddit

This has always confused me about TX. I'm from the PNW and school zones are always in effect. Because most have parks kids walk to at many hours/it is just a short stretch. I never know if it is when the light is on, if it is always, why people don't follow it even with a light on..etc. It is much easier to just always slow down in them but I've been honked at. Seems like it depends on country or even school, and isn't just an all around rule for them all which really makes me more unsure.

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waffletheaccountant@reddit (OP)

Yeah I was almost in an accident because someone was impatient behind me, which led me to ask this. I always just follow the "before 9? Go 20", but like you said, it doesn't really matter to other people.

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Ravioverlord@reddit

It is so tiring that each state can have its own rules for these sorts of things. I wish it was just country wide so if you visit another area you aren't honked at by impatient buttheads in BMWs who are in a rush and can't wait the 30 seconds extra it takes to be slow.

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James324285241990@reddit

If it says "when flashing," then you slow down when it's flashing. If it has hours posted, you slow down during that window. Or just drive through the school zones on Grand/Garland and don't slow down at all ever

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Right_Letterhead_120@reddit

Tell me you wear a mask while alone in your car without telling me you wear a mask while alone in your car…

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saxmanb767@reddit

What were the times on the second one? Not every school zone is in effect at the same times.

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waffletheaccountant@reddit (OP)

Ah that might make sense. It was \~8:30 in the morning. I'll have to see if the sign mentions the times.

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SandMan83000@reddit

The second one is for Chavez Elementary and that school starts at 8am- so the light shouldn’t be flashing at 8:30. The other two have middle school kids that start later.

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waffletheaccountant@reddit (OP)

I remember there was a cop pulling people over at the Exxon, so I've always just been weary of that whole area.

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mattmitsche@reddit

Aren't the schools along Ross Solar Prep for Boys, Innovative Design Academy, and Cesar Chavez? Solar and Chavez start at 8 but Innovative doesn't start till 9 I think.

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SandMan83000@reddit

That’s right. Solar Boys has middle school kids that might start later- the city could also just have the lights timed incorrectly. It wouldn’t be the first time.

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Not_your_CPA@reddit

Option 3) never slow down even if it’s flashing

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No-Potential-Or-Care@reddit

Makes sure you tell the officer that option after you get pulled over.

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iDerailThings@reddit

Option 3a) INCREASE speed by 20mph when you see the sign.

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waffletheaccountant@reddit (OP)

Oh shoot, I should have included that as an option. Whoops.

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Merciless972@reddit

And take all stop signs as suggestions

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No-Potential-Or-Care@reddit

Nah. If it's not flashing I'm not going to read the damn sign to see when I am supposed to slow down or not. That's not my problem if it's supposed to be flashing and it's not.

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jeffrey_n_c@reddit

Slow down. It's a an expensive ticket. And stop for school busses even if their lights aren't flashing, that's a HUGE ticket.

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nochknock@reddit

my personal favorite sections are when theres a sign that says 20mph when flashing but there's no lights attached to the signpost or anywhere in the zone at all

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manbearpig6793516@reddit

This is what I see most often

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molotovtotheface@reddit

Always based off the time. Regardless of whatever lights are doing. If it's school zone hours, slow down. The cops won't care if the light is flashing or not.

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SandMan83000@reddit

99% of the time DPD only monitors school zones on the first day of school and the first day back after Christmas. Which is probably why 1/3 of drivers don’t slow down at all

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strugglz@reddit

Unless something has changed (or I was told wrong) school zones are in effect in the posted areas during morning and afternoon hours regardless of flashing lights, and weirdly additionally whenever the lights are flashing regardless of time of day.

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noncongruent@reddit

Legally there must be signs posted that delineate the school zone, and those signs must include either the hours of the school zone or flashing lights to notify the driver that the zone is active.

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samz22@reddit

What’s worse is those walking lights in middle of the roads, like you can be going 40-50 mph then some dude runs up to the walkway light button and presses it many times and the walkway lights up while your driving thru it. Then they put their hands up like bro watch where your driving, like no dude learn to walk then streets are clear.

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Fit_Tale_4962@reddit

Pedestrians have right of way, but im always on the defense and assume drivers are on there phones.

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noncongruent@reddit

They have right of way under certain circumstances, it's not a blanket guarantee.

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Fit_Tale_4962@reddit

Of course but ive had cars come straight at me and that was scary as heck. So now i assume they are distracted and play defense both as a driver and when working out. Even if you are right you could be dead.

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noncongruent@reddit

It's shared problem, actually. I've lost count of the times I've skidded to a stop at a green light because a pedestrian was so wrapped up in their phone they didn't even break stride when they blasted into the crosswalk against a "DON'T WALK" signal. Sure, I'd get no-billed for the collision, but I bet they won't have the money or means to pay to fix my car so I'll be out the repair costs from my own pocket.

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Fit_Tale_4962@reddit

Yeah i agree two wrongs dont make a right. Unfortunately people around dallas seem to be in a hurry and distracted many times. Its unfortunate, all i can do i be defensive.

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noncongruent@reddit

Yep, and I run dashcams so that when people claim I had the red when in fact I had the green it's easy to prove they're lying. I've had this happen more than once with cars, so far I've managed to avoid hitting wayward pedestrians.

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harrietgarriet@reddit

> I would expect the city to adjust the street signs if that was no longer a school zone. Wouldn’t the light not flashing be the indicator that it’s not a school zone? The light is the tell for when the school zone limit is applicable. If there are kids around it’s probable the light is just broken and might need to be reported?

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waffletheaccountant@reddit (OP)

That's why I would expect the city to remove the school zone signs with lights if it's no longer a school zone in general. And also why I don't "trust" the lights flashing, because of the fact it might just not be functioning correctly at the time.

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Zanteri@reddit

Under the light it might say the rules where the light will be flashing. Two of them might be like 7-8 while the other might be 8-9 or something, depending on when the school nearby starts