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360 Chatter Discussions Petaluma 360 Fix it please! Busy stop light out for hours, no traffic cop?
360 Chatter Discussions Petaluma 360 Fix it please! Busy stop light out for hours, no traffic cop?Page 1 2
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I was a little upset today sitting through traffic on Washington St, all afternoon!!! Around 2PM i went from the east to the westside to pick my friend up from work. It was around when school got out so i didn't think anything of the heavy traffic. When i found out the cause i didn't care either, thinking it would soon be fixed. It was the stop light by Old Kenilworth, Flashing red.
When i had to go up to Santa Rosa the light was still messed up. Then when i got home around 6 and it was still messed up I had to say something. Why wasn't there a traffic cop there to help with the conjestion? What would have happened if there was an emergency? There was no way a fire truck and ambulance could have gotten through there. Also, by the K-mart shopping center everyone waiting to go that way was blocking all the driveways!!! Where were the cops giving out tickets to those stupid people, sorry... If people would obey traffic laws, have common curticey, and we had a little help from the PPD, the situation would not have gotten that bad. There was a cop type truck with his lights on A block away, obviously not pulling someone over, just sitting there. I am not bad mouthing the PPD, just asking why, and where were you guys. That light messed up a lot of peoples day. Oh and i also have a feeling that is what the intersection is goign to look like when Target comes around...hehehe |
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I had my own problems with traffic at 2:00 this afternoon. It took half an hour to get from the DMV to the McDowell/Corona intersection. This is usually a one minute drive! Someone chose to work on the roads at an extremely busy time of day. One lane was closed which caused a major back-up. After leaving the outlet mall, I decided I did not want to go through that mess again so I took the boulevard home only to run into the mess on Washington with the flashing red lights. It should not take half an hour to get from one side of town to another. It is quicker to drive to Rohnert Park to do my shopping!!!
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And I thought we were the only ones who noticed! Yesterday we were headed back to the East Side and got caught in the E Washington backup---which at that point was pushing as far back as the Golden Eagle shopping center. Did not know what the cause was until we FINALLY made it to the light (south bound 101) at 3:30.
I called the Police Non Emergency Number to report the traffic light problem. The PD transfered my call to Public Works where I reported it by leaving a message on an answering machine. Don't know when--or if--the light was fixed. It was a grand mess. Perhaps, as one of the posters above suggests, an indication of what it will be like when Old Kenilworth is developed. |
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As a former Police Officer with the City Of Petaluma I understand your comments about having a traffic officer on scene to conduct traffic control at such a busy intersection. I agree with you, a traffic officer should probably conducted traffic control, but here is the reality at the PPD.
A patrol officer would takes initiative and conducts traffic control to aid and assist citizen's of the city is not awarded a "stat" for traffic control. A patrol who is out writing citations and getting arrests is awarded a "stat". The patrol officer is constantly reminded of his duty to issue citations and the PPD administration has created a numbers game ivolving the citations each officer writes. These "stats" are posted each month idicating the ammount of tickets and arrests each officer completes during the month. The "stats" that are not tracked are when an officer helps out a family who is having problems with their teenager, or the ten year old kid who the officer returns his lost skateboard, or solving a neighbor dispute. The PPD administraion doesn't "stat" these duties, they focus on citations and arrests and create the mentality in the departmnet that the patrol officer needs his tickets and arrests each month. The chief then takes these "stats" to the monthly county meeting with the sheriff and all the other chiefs, compares it to their "stats", and says "look at me, look at me, my city is rocking!" A large portion of each citation funds the state, the state then returns the favor to the city and buys the city those Harley Davison police bikes you see driving around, and pays for officers salaries. This mentality takes discretion and common understanding away from the officer and effects the public's view of the local police department. I'm not writing as a disgrunted ex employee that was fired, or bitter about my years as a cop, I'm writing this because I have been in the officers shoes that were in the traffic truck, and instead of conducting traffic control, I'm would have been thinking of "stats". Your concerns are valid but blame the Administraion for there miss guided approach to their "stat" driven mentality. |
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Thank You CC, for clarifying and giving the "Protect & Serve' moniker a single word, and reason for the lack thereof (stats). I couldn't agree more. I've maintained for quite some time that the 'Protect & Serve' should be changed to just 'Self-Serve'. Seems more and more you find patrol cars camped out somewhere close to a drinking establishment waiting like a predator to cite someone for a DUI rather than patrol the city streets protecting the community. 'Stats' explain why my business has been vandalized innumerable times over the years - 'Stats' explain why a police officer can be called to take a report and ask the citizen if they've been drinking (could there be a citation in here somewhere?). As a citizen I am entitled to vent my disappointment. I've also had no less than 4 family members involved in local law enforcement in the past 30 years and have seen dramatic changes since they started, and left. My business is constantly being tagged and I wonder how it is that the offenders manage to get away with it from one week to the next. 'Stats' = Profit, and it seems that even (now) our law enforcement is motivated by the all-mighty dollar. |
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They probably need to camp out by the bars on ie. Kentucky and I don't mind if they pull over people for DUI.
What I can't condone is officers sitting UNDER the speed limit sign (where it changes from ie 35 to 30) and writing me a ticket for going.... 39. That's right folks... 39 miles per hour, on a 4-lane road (2 each direction) with clear weather, visibility, etc.. in my small sports-coupe. That's apparently "speeding" in Petaluma. But of course, it's NOT about "safety" it's all about REVENUE. That's how the PPD buys all those BRAND NEW 300-HP "Hemi" Dodge Chargers -- because we all know high-speed chases are SUCH a big problem in Petaluma... (Actually, the NYC PD tested both the V8 "Hemi" and the V6 versions of this vehicle and determined that the V6 has virtually the same performance as the V8 in 0-60 city driving, yet costs less and gets better gas mileage, and is therefore MUCH better suited to that type of environment). |
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To walk2k...
You were over the speed limit - period. It's not up to you to determine safe speeds and if you were going 9 MPH over in a 25 or 55 zone you would have gotten the same and deserved it. I am guessing you were on Lakeville Street? Point is, it's a STREET and not a highway. Far to many people take it for granted that 4 lanes means the faster the better. It's riduculous that the Petaluma PD needs to babysit drivers who feel speed limits are unreasonable or illogical. That 30 zone is needed with the congestion that builds up at East D and Lakeville intersection & left hand turn lane. If everyone keeps up at a speed of 39+ and someone isn't paying attention, then you will have the same result as the incident in Santa Rosa on Gueneville Road. Slow down...the 9 MPH will only get you to where you are going a few short minutes before I get there. [QUOTE]Originally posted by walk2k: They probably need to camp out by the bars on ie. Kentucky and I don't mind if they pull over people for DUI. What I can't condone is officers sitting UNDER the speed limit sign (where it changes from ie 35 to 30) and writing me a ticket for going.... 39. That's right folks... 39 miles per hour, on a 4-lane road (2 each direction) with clear weather, visibility, etc.. in my small sports-coupe. That's apparently "speeding" in Petaluma. **************************** |
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I'm with walk2k...that's crazy getting pulled over right where the speed changes for going 39 in a 35 zone...it's a joke and all about income...if the city/state needs the money that bad they should get rid of the point system and start charging us for speeding...at least that way I wouldn't care as much and my car insurance wouldn't go up! Deduct it on my income tax just like every other tax.
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I have the misfortune of living on the same street as a very high profile police officer. He routinely speeds.
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walk2k- Make a believer out of all of us and prove you have a ticket for "39 in 30". A speed limit is set for a reason and justified by a speed survey- Do some research on how the limit is determined. I highly doubt the Police Officer was sitting right at the change from 35 to 30.
About the revenue......Once again you sound clueless. Ford Police Interceptor (Crown Vic) V8 250hp Estimated city MPG: 14mpg Fully equipped cost: $29,600 Dodge Charger: V8 340hp Estimated city MPG: 16mpg Fully equipped cost: $30,600 A V6 Police Car- Your funny. The city will probably see a whole $20 from your speeding ticket fine. Walk back to Marin where you belong. Maybe you will meet the Bear on the way. |
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After 20 years traveling through many cities and counties in the Bay Area, here are my experiences with some Police departments.
During my 20 year period I had been pulled over twice, once for a red light, and one year later for speeding. The first experience I approached an intersection after exiting the freeway. The light turned yellow and I tried to hustle through the intersection. I later found out it is a favorite spot for officers; people always "hustled" through this intersection. During my future trips I frequently spotted patrol cars and motorbikes laying in wait at this intersection. My second experience was a ticket for 38 in a 30mph zone. After speaking with business counterparts who lived in that town; I was told it is known popular spot for the Police Department's easy tickets. I agree that many if not all Police Departments establish "Quotas" for traffic issues. If they had none they would not be doing the job we pay them to do. The bottom line is, I ran a red light, and exceeded the speed limit. I accept responsibility for my actions. Are there areas in towns for those "easy" tickets, yes. It can be stop signs, red lights, or speeding. Problem is too many people make these easy tickets possible. If you violate the traffic law, accept responsibility. |
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well stated OB1, very well stated. instead of complaining, accept responsibility! funny, i'm trying to teach that to my kids right now.....what is funny is that adults don't seem to get it!
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I'm sorry but you don't know what you're talking about. In CA there are two "speeding" laws, the "Basic speed law" (22350) which is what I was cited under:
Link
In no way imaginable was my speed of whopping 39 mph unsafe for the conditions, which were sunny and clear with light traffic, or endagering the safety of persons or property (no more than driving a car at any speed above about 7 mph does). The other law is called the "Maximum Speed" law (22349) This only applies to highways where the limit is 55 (or faster where posted). Yes under this law you can technically be cited for driving 56 mph (or 60mph) but of course they don't pull you over unless you are doing 10+ over (because it's perfectly safe and they know it, but more because they want to write tickets with bigger fines). Know the law. Know your rights. Fight your ticket (by mail!) Link |
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What do you want me to do, scan the ticket? I don't even know where it is, I'm sure I threw it out. It was on the Blvd near the police station (a whole city to protect and this guy doesn't even go 2 blocks from the station, whoa don't try too hard) where the limit changes from 35 to 30, and yes he was right near the sign, sorry I didn't take a picture, not that I have to prove anything to you... About the V6 vs the Hemi: Link
and
Whoops! Let's not even bring up the improved mileage or (likely) longer lifespan the V6 will have. Put simply, having the revenue from traffic tickets go directly to the local PD's coffers is classic conflict-of-interest and should be abolished. |
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Scan the ticket- threw it out, right? You are good at the copy and paste from internet.
I know 22349 CVC & 22350 CVC very well. Look up: Traffic Engineering Survey, 85th percentile, Reasonable Doubt, Trial by Written Declaration and Trial De Novo. Try not to speed in front of the Police Department next time. Not very smart- accept responsibility for your actions. V6 Police Car- again... your funny & who cares? Use some fancy words on your reply to make yourself look smart. By the way, there are more than 2 speed laws in CA. Look up 22411 CVC Next topic please- this is getting old. |
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Petaluma360 360 Chatter Discussions Petaluma 360 Fix it please! Busy stop light out for hours, no traffic cop?
360 Chatter Discussions Petaluma 360 Fix it please! Busy stop light out for hours, no traffic cop?