Then get out of the way of cars and go play in our city parks. Cant you find them

You are complaining about people driving too fast and dangerously, and at the same time you're complaining about teenagers playing basketball in the street, making it more difficult to drive through. Sounds to me like the kids are helping to solve the speeding problem. Atwater is a side street. Unless you live on it, you don't need to be driving through there anyway. I say let the kids play in the street. It's better than other ways they could be spending their time. And I'd rather have a group of kids blocking the street than all the speeding.

I support seeing kids out playing in our neighborhood, but they do need to be cognizant of and respectful of cars and vice versa. I remember a movie with some current famous funny guy--can't remember the actor or the movie--where they are playing street hockey, and when a car is coming, they move everything to the side, then, move it back and yell, "Game on!" This would be a great alternative...

Steve, not to be a nitpicker, but many of us Fair Haveners use Atwater, not just Atwater Street residents, so it is a safety issue if kids are not clearing the street for cars, and if cars are not paying attention or driving through too quickly.

Jon Doe: I think you need to bring this up right away with the new area manager (Police) before it gets out of hand again. At least the cars with the burn-outs and speeding. I can see this is getting out of hand over here by Dover St. I want them to nip it in the bud - these little idiots think they own the street.

stick a video camera out your window or car window from a safe distance, get some good shots.Send one copy in to NH police, wait a week, if nothing is done send another copy into channel 8 news.

Fair Haven Mom,

I recommend using Clinton Ave or Ferry Street for through trips, not Atwater. It's not designed for through trips. For you as a driver, I don't see how it's a safety issue. This is a neighborhood street, it ought to belong to the neighbors that live there and want to play outside in front of their homes, not driver looking for a shortcut.

Steve, I have worked, played, and lived in the Chatham Square neighborhood and have been an involved community member for almost six years and HAVE to use Atwater to get to my job. Before you make assumptions, please consider whom you might be addressing. I was very respectful to you.

I mean no disrespect. Of course for some people, it's necessary to use this street. However, I see this complaint come up every year and I can't help wondering whether having kids blocking the street isn't preferable to having speeding cars.

I live in Fair Haven too, on Chatham Street. I am an involved Chatham Square neighbor too. For me the number one quality of life issue is speeding cars on my street day and night. I'd trade my wide speedway on Chatham with the narrow Atwater, with kids playing in the street, any day.

Touche, Steve! I am all for kids playing out and about and glad you're a neighbor. I didn't mean to be oversensitive, but, not realizing you lived here, too, I sometimes get frustrated with people who post who don't live in our community, because they don't always get it. We probably know one another, as I bet we live around the corner from one another. :)

I think the reason "Jon Doe" brings up the cars doing burnouts and the kids in the street is because the group is one in the same. I live very closeby and if it's anything like over here they all know each other. The folks drivng crazy are just showing off to the kids playing in the street. It's not all sweet and innocent like it's being portrayed. Trust me.

I live on Atwater so Steve tell me how do i get my car into my driveway. Maybe if you had to deal with this stuff daily you would understand. Steve why dont you and the Chatham square get a hope put in the chatham park instead of a tree this year. Take a drive on Atwater street on a nice day between grafton and chatham street people are all over the street working on cars and just hanging out in the street.

So now we use our kids to claim down traffic, good idea go national with it. Let see what other think of your idea. Steve in 2012.

Fair haven Mom when i was a kid the only parents that told or allowed there kids to play in the streets where parents that didnt want them anymore. There is a park a block away have them play there if you really care about your kids

Kids playing in the street has been a form of traffic calming since before the term "traffic calming" was invented. Before the car was invented actually.

It is a more complex problem than "traffic calming". Like I said Jon Doe, make plenty of noise with the new police area manager, LCI, and your alderman. Don't allow yourself to be victimized by the BS. You are allowed quiet enjoyment of your property and quality of life as much as anybody else.

Video tape it, send it to the city police. You'll get no where until you get the police involved. Same thing happened in my neighborhood. Now there are several fines being handed out for child neglect. You can't tell your kids to play in the street, it is illegal in most of the country.

I'm closing this based on its age. Please open a new issue if this is a concern this summer, and if the main issue is concern about safety use the "traffic/road safety" category to report. If the concern is the attitude of the individuals involved making you feel unsafe, use "policing issue."