More Campus Talk

There is a new article in the campus newspaper that has raised a lot of comments.

Driver receives no additional charges after student death
Royal Purple News - Whitewater,WI,USA
The driver of the car that struck Michael Chaloupka, will not receive additional charges as a result of his death. Roschelle Sims, 22, a resident of ...
See all stories on this topic

I would like to comment that we talked to Mike while he was at the Fort Atkinson ER before he was flown to Madison. He did agree we should have a lawyer represent his interests and we contacted one the next day. What happens now is I guess up to his Mom and me. We have not decided the path this should take, and we are considering what we think Mike would like to do. We cannot decide until we know more and things settle down. All options remain open.

Another thought that came up in the comments and the article is about the crosswalk lights there and at other intersections. Most of us have crossed the street and have pushed these buttons. Now consider trying to push that button while sitting in a chair and not having the strength to raise your hand 2 inches above their resting point in front of you. There has to be an available reasonably costed technology available to solve that problem. Instead of a physical button, break a light beam on the post or some short range sensor that doesn't require physical strength to operate. My daughter struggles to get around the city of Waukesha, and most places in Waukesha have installed recently ADA compliant (but only for the sight impaired) crosswalk buttons that are hard for me to push. She has NO chance at pushing them unless someone is walking with her to do it.

Talk to the people that Mike walked around with. He was incredibly paranoid about crossing the street. You would be too if your older sister were hit by a bus 14 years earlier crossing a Waukesha street. She is luckier than Mike, and survived after a dozen operations, an amputation, and seizure disorder the rest of her life. There had to be something going on that Mike and the Young Lady didn't see each other. Someday I hope we will find out what that was. In the mean time, the authorities say there should be no further charges and I don't see a reason to dissagree. Be mad that it happened. Work towards getting better crosswalks and buttons that the less able among us can operate. Remember Mike for who he was and what he did and what he would want. Life goes on. Lets make the place we are in a better place, not an angry place. I guarentee you Mike would not want anyone to hate or harrass or otherwise wish bad things on the Young Lady. So please don't.

Mike's Dad

(PS, if someone could post these comments or a link to this posting in the comments of that article above, I would appreciate it.)