OKC Boulevard

[Plutonic Panda]

Nm

[Plutonic Panda]

BTW can we get this thread back on topic? It would be nice if BBQ eater could start a thread where he can bitch about people speeding... oh wait, that already exists. Let me grab a link for you: http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=37254&page=17

I mean at least that thred devolved into the safe heaven of whining and moaning about speeders and drivers making you have to brake in a city even though that stuff is way worse in most other cities, you can pretend it’s an issue in OKC there. Meanwhile, once again, it sure would be nice if we could get this thread back to Boulevard construction updates. I tried my hardest not to respond to the off topic “speeders suck” crap that always comes up but when murder charges were brought in I couldn’t help myself and I will apologize for contributing to an off topic conversation. Please move this conversation over there.

[Roger S]

I only made an observation that OKC was missing an opportunity. There was no complaining until you got involved in the conversation... But that's a nice puerile attempt at deflection you made there.

No need for you to respond since we are getting this thread back on track now.

[Of Sound Mind]

BTW can we get this thread back on topic? It would be nice if BBQ eater could start a thread where he can bitch about people speeding... oh wait, that already exists. Let me grab a link for you: http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=37254&page=17

I mean at least that thred devolved into the safe heaven of whining and moaning about speeders and drivers making you have to brake in a city even though that stuff is way worse in most other cities, you can pretend it’s an issue in OKC there. Meanwhile, once again, it sure would be nice if we could get this thread back to Boulevard construction updates. I tried my hardest not to respond to the off topic “speeders suck” crap that always comes up but when murder charges were brought in I couldn’t help myself and I will apologize for contributing to an off topic conversation. Please move this conversation over there.

Can we get this thread back on topic? Wait, let me continue my parting shots about the off-topic conversation, justify my own full-throated participation in that off-topic conversation and then take the high road by asking others to move their off-topic conversation elsewhere.

<SMH>

[Urbanized]

Sorry, PluPan. You can't just drop into a conversation and make a casual statement regarding the death of other human beings at the hands of other human beings being not really a big deal, and expect for people to not have strong reactions. Plenty of people here I'm sure have had friends or family killed or injured in traffic accidents. You can't expect the topic to go away just because say it should go away. Not to mention that "design speed" - a planning and engineering term - is incredibly relevant to conversations regarding the Boulevard, which as designed basically transitions from interstate highway to dense pedestrian environment within the span of a couple of blocks.

I know that part of what you do here is some playful trolling. I actually really enjoy a lot of your posts, you bring some humor to the board - whether intentional or unintentional - and often you have some excellent information. I also appreciate that you have started to embrace the idea that cities should have at least some areas which are walkable. That said, I think it is valuable to have your extreme car-first perspective on the board if nothing else as a foil to the walkabilty discussion and to draw comparisons between the two.

However, since you said you didn't know much about the legalities surrounding vehicular homicide, here you go:

https://www.justia.com/criminal/offe...ular-homicide/

Vehicular Homicide
Vehicular homicide, also known as vehicular manslaughter, is the reckless or negligent killing of another through the use of a vehicle. Vehicular homicide statutes are a relatively new category of criminal statutes that arose from state concerns about how to deal with the prevalence of vehicle-related deaths. Prior to the passing of these statutes, drivers were typically charged with involuntary manslaughter. Vehicular manslaughter charges are not limited to the death of a passenger, but can include the death of a pedestrian, bystander or other driver as well. Even where multiple drivers may be involved in an accident, vehicular homicide can still be charged if any driver has acted recklessly or negligently.

The exact actions by a driver that give rise of vehicular homicide vary by state. In some states ordinary negligence, which occurs when the driver fails to act with the same level of care that a reasonable person would under the circumstances, is sufficient to support a vehicular homicide charge. In other states, the negligence must be “criminal” or “gross” negligence, which is a higher standard than ordinary negligence. Gross negligence may include driving at excessively high speeds, driving on the wrong side of the road, or failing to obey traffic lights and signs.

In some states, drivers may also be charged with vehicular manslaughter for failing to abide by important safety statutes or other laws that states have determined are of particular importance. For instance, if a death results from a driver’s violation of a “no passing” sign, or a failure to keep his car in proper working order, this can result in a vehicular manslaughter charge. Likewise, many states explicitly include a failure of a driver to abide by rules related to school buses in their vehicular manslaughter statutes.

Drunk Driving
When we think of negligent or careless actions while driving, driving while intoxicated is one of the offenses that may quickly come to mind. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nearly 28 people are killed every day as a result of alcohol-impaired driving and over one-fifth of drivers involved in fatal crashes were reported to have a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. Driving under the influence (DUI) (also known as a driving while intoxicated [DWI] or operating while intoxicated [OWI]) constitutes a significant portion of vehicular homicide charges and is a problem more and more states are treating increasingly harshly. In some states, including California, convicted DUI offenders who repeatedly drive while intoxicated and cause a fatal collision may be charged with first-degree murder or second-degree murder.

Punishment
Depending on the severity of the actiotn, and the nature of your state’s statute, vehicular manslaughter can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony. Where the actions of the driver are less egregious, such as with ordinary negligence, the driver may only face a misdemeanor resulting in a maximum punishment of one year in jail or a fine. Where gross negligence is involved, or a driver violates an explicit state statute, some states will charge vehicular manslaughter as a felony, resulting in much more significant jail time. Most states treat fatalities resulting from drunk driving as felonies.

[Plutonic Panda]

Can we get this thread back on topic? Wait, let me continue my parting shots about the off-topic conversation, justify my own full-throated participation in that off-topic conversation and then take the high road by asking others to move their off-topic conversation elsewhere.

<SMH>

Okay shake your head at me. Fine. You aren’t wrong. Now laugh at me and move this topic to the proper thread. This isn’t first time I’ve asked this and it was unrelated to this topic.

[Urbanized]

Speed and pedestrian safety are completely relevant to this topic. In fact they are of the utmost importance.

[Plutonic Panda]

Sorry, PluPan. You can't just drop into a conversation and make a casual statement regarding the death of other human beings at the hands of other human beings being not really a big deal, and expect for people to not have strong reactions. Plenty of people here I'm sure have had friends or family killed or injured in traffic accidents. You can't expect the topic to go away just because say it should go away. Not to mention that "design speed" - a planning and engineering term - is incredibly relevant to conversations regarding the Boulevard, which as designed basically transitions from interstate highway to dense pedestrian environment within the span of a couple of blocks.

I know that part of what you do here is some playful trolling. I actually really enjoy a lot of your posts, you bring some humor to the board - whether intentional or unintentional - and often you have some excellent information. I also appreciate that you have started to embrace the idea that cities should have at least some areas which are walkable. That said, I think it is valuable to have your extreme car-first perspective on the board if nothing else as a foil to the walkabilty discussion and to draw comparisons between the two.

However, since you said you didn't know much about the legalities surrounding vehicular homicide, here you go:

https://www.justia.com/criminal/offe...ular-homicide/

Thanks for posting that I’m going to check it out after school. Finals this week so I’m pressed for time. But I need to add I have personally been impacted by speeders(hit several times on my bike) and had a friend die from being hit. It’s a important topic for me too.

Edit: from the quote you posted I don’t see anything about murder. You can’t just take a charge and apply it wherever you want because you think it should be that way. Now I’m referring to you thinking that but to anyone that does.

I know that design speed is important to engineering but even if the discussion were about that, this design has already been chosen. Now all that can happen is wait until it’s built and once the city wants to get serious about being major changes to this poorly designed boulevard, then talk all you want about how people speed and the changes that should come about. But right now all that is going on is people l(the typical posted that do) complaining about speeding and that isn’t relevant. We have a thread for that.

I’m not a moderator and this isn’t my site so this is nothing than my opinion, but my opinion is that this discussion should be taken to the proper thread and I’m sorry for even haven put my two cents in. I knew I shouldn’t have and I did anyways. Lesson learned.

[Plutonic Panda]

Speed and pedestrian safety are completely relevant to this topic. In fact they are of the utmost importance.

My last post to this. Click on page one and view the first post on this thread. There are actually two threads for this. Friends for a better Boulevard and the “complaining about how people drive” thread. This one is for construction updates. Up to the moderators.

[Urbanized]

Thanks for posting that I’m going to check it out after school. Finals this week so I’m pressed for time. But I need to add I have personally been impacted by speeders(hit several times on my bike) and had a friend die from being hit. It’s a important topic for me too.

Edit: from the quote you posted I don’t see anything about murder. You can’t just take a charge and apply it wherever you want because you think it should be that way. Now I’m referring to you thinking that but to anyone that does.

I know that design speed is important to engineering but even if the discussion were about that, this design has already been chosen. Now all that can happen is wait until it’s built and once the city wants to get serious about being major changes to this poorly designed boulevard, then talk all you want about how people speed and the changes that should come about. But right now all that is going on is people l(the typical posted that do) complaining about speeding and that isn’t relevant. We have a thread for that.

I’m not a moderator and this isn’t my site so this is nothing than my opinion, but my opinion is that this discussion should be taken to the proper thread and I’m sorry for even haven put my two cents in. I knew I shouldn’t have and I did anyways. Lesson learned.

Homicide is the more appropriate term. If you are stuck on the idea that someone is saying a driver was INTENDING to kill, then no, and I don't think that is being discussed. But if someone is reckless in the operation of any device - a gun, an autombile, a boat, a forklift, a bow and arrow, heck, even pouring alcohol or serving someone tainted food, it rises above simple manslaughter. The idea is that they had it in their power to not put others at risk but instead they chose to irresponsibly use the power they held, and it resulted in the end of someone's life. That should (and does) hold consequences, both criminal and civil.

[Urbanized]

Friends for a better boulevard is a dead thread. That ship has sailed. As you pointed out what's done is done, as far as ODOT is concerned. The City has an opportunity to enact some traffic-calming interventions when they get the keys, and I hope and expect that they will.

[stile99]

Speed and pedestrian safety are completely relevant to this topic. In fact they are of the utmost importance.

When discussing the OKC Boulevard, it is THE topic. Attempts to sweep the conversation under the rug won't work, the conversation WILL be held regarding the boulevard. Several times.

[Plutonic Panda]

Homicide is the more appropriate term. If you are stuck on the idea that someone is saying a driver was INTENDING to kill, then no, and I don't think that is being discussed. But if someone is reckless in the operation of any device - a gun, an autombile, a boat, a forklift, a bow and arrow, heck, even pouring alcohol or serving someone tainted food, it rises above simple manslaughter. The idea is that they had it in their power to not put others at risk but instead they chose to irresponsibly use the power they held, and it resulted in the end of someone's life. That should (and does) hold consequences, both criminal and civil.

I couldn’t agree more.

[d-usa]

If I want to bitch about the soccer moms parking in my neighborhood and blocking the street, then the Oklahoma Drivers would be the appropriate threat.

How the design of the boulevard will influence the way people drive on the boulevard is an appropriate, and on-topic, discussion in the boulevard thread.

[Zuplar]

I got a question, maybe someone familiar can answer. I've thought it's a bit crazy that the boulevard goes to 25 mph so fast. 35mph seems like a more reasonable speed until maybe a bit further down, then it could go to 25mph, but I'm curious what is the speed of Reno is in this similar area? I thought it was 35mph, but I don't go down there enough to remember every speed limit. Seems like once I go East of Western I typically am driving slow in case of bikes or pedestrians, but in my mind that sort of the boundary of 35 to 25mph.

[LakeEffect]

I got a question, maybe someone familiar can answer. I've thought it's a bit crazy that the boulevard goes to 25 mph so fast. 35mph seems like a more reasonable speed until maybe a bit further down, then it could go to 25mph, but I'm curious what is the speed of Reno is in this similar area? I thought it was 35mph, but I don't go down there enough to remember every speed limit. Seems like once I go East of Western I typically am driving slow in case of bikes or pedestrians, but in my mind that sort of the boundary of 35 to 25mph.

IIRC, it's 35 mph west of Western, and 30 mph between Western and Shields.

[Anonymous.]

On the east end it goes:

Ramp speed to 35mph @ canal to 25mph @ Harkins.

But there is literally nothing there and feels like you are driving on the highway still. So slowing down to 25mph feels painfully slow considering it is 5 lanes of traffic with a large median and large grassy shoulders.

[Roger S]

I got a question, maybe someone familiar can answer. I've thought it's a bit crazy that the boulevard goes to 25 mph so fast. 35mph seems like a more reasonable speed until maybe a bit further down, then it could go to 25mph,

It's not 25 MPH until just before you get to Oklahoma Avenue.... Once the Co-Op is completed there will be a lot more foot traffic there.

[jn1780]

Having the boathouse district feed into the boulevard is part of the problem. That results in 4 westbound lanes as opposed to 3. Its silly we have a direct path to and from the Boulevard when we have Lincoln.

Also, you would think they could have gotten away with merging the ramp lanes together from I-40 and I-35 further east.

[Teo9969]

It's not 25 MPH until just before you get to Oklahoma Avenue.... Once the Co-Op is completed there will be a lot more foot traffic there.

Not if they're designing the COOP as poorly as it sounds like they are going to...

[Urban Pioneer]

Friends for a better boulevard is a dead thread.

Pains my heart. However, we did a pretty awesome job f**king up ODOT's grand plans for I.M. Pei elevated skyways Version #2 and saving taxpayers millions of dollars. At least the city can fix their mess now that it is on the ground.

[Pete]

I took these yesterday.

Note that Klein now goes through (foreground of 1st photo) as a work around the Classen / Western closure. They just added this.

[turnpup]

Ah, this explains things...I was kind of startled when getting onto the boulevard at Klein from Sheridan a couple of days ago to see cars coming from the opposite direction. Not used to that.

[shawnw]

http://kfor.com/2018/04/24/oklahoma-...l-parking-lot/

[catch22]

http://kfor.com/2018/04/24/oklahoma-...l-parking-lot/

Can I file a petition to rename this the “Blvd. Broken Dreams”?