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Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Bells are Ringing
August 25th, 2008 categories: Buyer Info, Charlotte Area News, Real Estate News, Seller Info
“Oh man… “ can’t you just hear that thousands of homes this morning as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system cranks up another year. When I was a kid in school, I always hated the end of summer, yet there was some excitement in the start of a new school year. New teachers, new people, new class…
It will be the top news item on all the local stations. Most likely there will be some miffed parents about something – bus schedules, bus route, school schedules, etc. Oh the joy of being a school administrator. I don’t know how they do it.
In case you have not checked it out here is a link to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System website. Two very convenient links on their site that I refer folks to regularly are the calendar. I mean, you gotta have the school calendar. How else do you count off the days until the first holiday? And guess what? Today is the first day of school, and in only one week there is a school holiday…woo hoo! Does it get any better?
Another good link that is really useful for someone about to move is the school locator page. This is always a difficult link form me to find on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg page. Once you find the assigned school from the school locator page, it would be a good idea to cross check that with the assignment maps. Of course, a person should always check with the school system if there are concerns or doubts.
Speaking of school buses. In North Carolina, one of the most serious traffic offenses you can commit is to pass a school bus unlawfully. According to the NC Dept of Transportation web site. A person’s driving license gets hit with 5 points if you get caught here. There are only two offenses that carry the 5–point penalty – Passing a school bus unlawfully and Aggressive Driving. So if you want to ignore the obvious safety issues about being careful around school buses, there is a great reason to behave.
One thing, though, that I personally get a little confused on is when it is ok to pass a school bus. Obviously as you go through your neighborhood, you cannot pass a stopped school bus with its lights. etc. flashing. Small, narrow roads are no issue for me, but I get a little confused on wide major roads, so today, I thought it would be a great time to look it up. Maybe I’m the only one a little confused, but in case someone else is interested here’s the scoop:
Two-lane roadway: When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop. This is a no-brainer, isn’t it?
Two-lane roadway with a center turning lane: When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop. Ok, this might be a little more confusing, and there is not an illustration, but just remember – two lanes? better stop.
Four-lane roadway without a median separation: When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop.
Divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation: When school bus stops for passengers, only traffic following the bus must stop
Roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane: When school bus stops for passengers, only traffic following the bus must stop. This is the one most confusing to me, because with a turning lane, there is not a physical barrier.
Disclaimer: Ok, now I’ve done what I think are the prudent things here on making sure this is accurate, but I’m not an attorney, and I’m not the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, so please consult NC Dept. of Transportation (www.NCDOT.org). Here are also two links from their site that discusses the rules for passing school buses. The first link is from the Drivers Handbook. The other link is from their information on School Bus Safety.
Have a great week and school year.
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