Drive carefully around kids

Regarding the letters responding to my concern about speeders in residential neighborhoods, let me clarify a few points.

The driver that prompted my letter was exceeding the speed limit. I stated that the driver was "speeding up the street." The children were not playing in the middle of the street, per Donald Stricklin (July 19), but had just moved from one side of the street to the other. They were not, to answer Ricki Sospirato (July 19), staring down the driver in defiance or without adult supervision.

Mr. Stricklin was also mistaken about California law, among other things. My kids do not play in the street. There are occasions, however, when they are in the street to cross the road, retrieve a ball or even to get to a park. In these instances, the children are not breaking any California Vehicle Code or Ventura County Ordinance.

I confirmed with the CHP that it is not unlawful to be in the street as long as you are not interfering with traffic and no vehicles are in the road. By yelling "car," I was ensuring the kids were clear of the roadway when the car passed. They were within the law to cross the street in the middle of the residential neighborhood as there are no marked crosswalks nearby.

Regarding my parenting skills; Donald should worry about the parents who are not concerned about the safety of children, not those who want to keep kids safe. Waving to a driver to slow down is not vigilantism- it is being a concerned parent.

The California Driver Handbook states to "Always drive more carefully near . . . residential areas because children may suddenly dart into the street." My point remains the same: drive carefully around children. Lorena Billig Oak Park