Traffic perceptions and misconceptions

I’ve received several requests for traffic related articles due to, ahem, colorfully descriptive drivers in Las Vegas.  While the list is long and distinguished, traffic laws are sometimes definitive and a lot of times vague.  Even the people who enforce the law have a difficult time deciphering the meanings.

Here’s a few of the public’s perceptions and misconceptions of some traffic related issues;

Stop.  Webster’s dictionary states: to cease activity or operation, to cease to move on.

Stop means STOP!  Red lights, stop signs all mean stop.  No “California” stops, rolling through the intersection without coming to a complete stop.  Slowing down does not constitute a stop. 

Right turn on RED.  See above.   While acceptable to turn right on a red light (unless the posted sign says “No right turn on red”), you must come to a COMPLETE stop. 

U-turns.  The only time you cannot make a U-turn is if there is a posted sign indicating no U-turn.  Pay attention to the striping in the roadway as some do not allow any types of turns across them, such as double yellow. 

The cameras mounted on the traffic signals are not red light cameras.  And they don’t record the intersection.  They are used to monitor the traffic flow so the signals can be adjusted for maximum traffic efficiency, when needed.  So if you are involved in an accident, don’t ask the investigating officer to “pull the tape” or “check the camera”.

Asking to see the radar gun if stopped for speeding.  Officers do not have to show you the radar gun, if they used one, if you are being cited for speeding.  Radar is used to verify a visual estimation of your speed.  So, the officer doesn’t even need a radar gun to cite you.  The officer also may have paced you with his vehicle.  The officer has to deal with other traffic on the roadway while dealing with you and doesn’t need to be waltzing back and forth between his vehicle and yours unnecessarily or having you walking to his vehicle.

If I was asked for my radar gun, and it was safe to do so, I would unplug it and bring it to the driver’s window.  Of course, the display was off by then.

If you rear-end someone, you’re going to be at fault 99% of the time.  When investigating vehicle collisions involving rear enders, the occasional excuse would be “he stopped for no reason” or “he braked abruptly and I couldn’t stop in time”.  There really is no excuse for rear ending someone.  You’re either following too close or not paying attention. 

Here’s a typical argument from an at fault driver who caused a rear end collision;

Driver; “I was not following him too close, officer”

Officer; “Then why did you rear end him?”

Driver; “Because he stopped too quickly”

Officer; “So, you couldn’t stop in time?”

Driver; “Exactly”

Officer; “So you didn’t have enough time to react and stop your vehicle in time, right?”

Driver; “Yes”

Officer; “So you were following too closely”

Driver; “No, I wasn’t”

Officer; “Sigh”

If you are stopped for a violation or you find out you are at fault for an accident, a meltdown at the scene is definitely not going to help your case.   Getting out and throwing a tantrum will get you the attention of others and you may become responsible for other accidents, possibly getting you another citation or worse.  The officer will give you a copy of your citation and explain by you signing, you are not admitting guilt.  Which means you can go to court to dispute the violation.  

If you refuse to sign, you are saying you want to see the judge now.  That requires a trip to jail.  Your vehicle impounded.  A mark on your record. If it is the weekend, you may stay for the weekend before seeing the judge.

Really?

And yes, LVMPD motorcycle officers ride Harley-Davidsons.  Metro has one of the largest all Harley motor divisions in the country. 

One of the most common questions we fielded, usually by someone totally adorned with “Harley” t-shirts, “Harley” boots, “Harley” baseball cap, sometime wearing “Harley” leathers was, “Is that a Harley?”

The question of the year is “So, they’re putting Harley motors in those things now?”

Oh.  During the summer months where it reaches an indicated 115 degrees and you pull up next to a motorcycle officer, who is dripping wet, at the intersection, find something else to ask him other than “Aren’t you hot on that thing?”

I’d usually respond with “Yeah, the county’s broke, so they won’t fix the air conditioner on these things”, which always got this response: “Well, that’s BS”.

Sigh.

Broken windows Part II

Recently I spoke of the smut peddlers on the Las Vegas Strip and how it is contributing to the degradation of the famous tourist hotspot.

While working the strip in previous years, it was noted that getting anywhere in a timely manner on Las Vegas Boulevard was next to impossible for emergency personnel, so a bicycle patrol was implemented to weave through the pedestrian and vehicle traffic to service the calls on the strip.

The bike patrol was, and is, successful to a point. 

The calls for service on the strip kept the bike officers busy, going from call to call and not able to do much pro-active patrol.

Drunken revelers, the homeless harassing tourists, smut peddlers clogging the sidewalks (all contributing heavily to the litter and traffic jams along the strip corridor), illegal sales of merchandise, traffic problems from sightseers, jaywalkers and illegal parking are some of the issues that officers have to deal with along the neon route. 

When traffic enforcement is implemented, it causes “rubbernecking” as drivers slow down, sometimes videotaping the stop, contributing to the slowdown of traffic, sometimes causing additional accidents.

When pedestrian enforcement is conducted, it causes the same congestion.

Prisoner transports are impeded by heavy traffic, so while waiting to get a prisoner transported, the officers are sometimes harassed by by-passers, yelling words of encouragement to the trouble-maker. And with the advent of social media outlets, everyone wants to get photos or videos of the event.

If medical response is needed, they encounter the same problem.

How about getting the contracted tow companies to have trucks positioned along the strip, waiting for a call from police?  I’m sure the requests would increase if the police knew that a tow would respond within a timely manner (and make it mandatory to get a realistic estimated time of arrival for the tow company. The department claims there is a minimum response time, but it is rarely followed).

And dedicated transport vehicles that patrol the strip for quick pickups and transports to jail every day (Civilians trained to conduct transports, maybe?).

Undercover officers that target peddlers/solicitors/vendors that are causing pedestrian problems along the sidewalk.

The very recognizable parking issues along the problem areas of the strip can be dealt with by officers on foot.

How about raised walkways over all intersections on the strip?  Harmon and Las Vegas Blvd. has ALWAYS been a problem, jaywalkers and vehicular traffic alike.

I’m more than sure there is a cost issue associated with the implementation of any plan, but how much is it costing Las Vegas in revenues by chasing our lifeblood away from returning and giving Las Vegas bad press to their friends in the meantime?

Companion animals; Pets are not Plates

There has been a drive to show that pet animals such as dogs and cats should not be classified as property and as sentient beings.

By definition, sentient is; responsive or conscious of sense impressions. Aware.  Finely sensitive in perception or feeling. (webster's.)

Any pet owner will not argue the fact that their beloved pet is attuned to them as a member of their family and will not consider them as property. 


They respond when called.  They have to be fed and cared for.  They have definitive personalities. They run around the house.  They might even like a stroll in the park or ride in the car.

There was a comparison that stated a pet was property, much like a couch.

My couch requires a cleaning now and then, not much more.  No feeding, no brushing, not much of a conversationalist, no one for long walks.

I can tear my couch apart with no legal issues, but there are charges involved if I maliciously injure my pet.  So if pets are property, why are there charges for the animals if they get intentionally “damaged”?

Usually, if there is an issue of replacement of a pet, it involves the cost that the owner paid for the pet originally and the sentimental value of the relationship between the owner and the pet was not taken into consideration.  Even so, courts are now recognizing the companionship between the pet and the owner and expressing discomfort in making their decision based on existing laws dictating the pets are property.

Recently, the relationship between a pet and the owner has been redefined by some jurisdictions. 

Owners are now defined as “guardians” in some cities and some legislation will allow recovering damages from negligent veterinarian care and intentional animal abusers. (story) 


So, instead of buying the pet, you should be “adopting” or “rescuing” them, implying that the pet is a child or family member.(idausa.org).  (You should be looking to adopt from a shelter anyways, those pets seem to be extremely grateful to be rescued).

You might also consider contacting your legislator about changing the laws here regarding your family member. (check here)


Need an idea to check out for a future family member?  Check out Colossal Canine Care for some possibilities.  They are a no-kill shelter and screen potential “guardians” and their residence for the compatibility of the new family member at www.facebook.com/CCCFoundation.  Or contact the VegasNewsReview.com team at 702-727-4210

Hey! The police would tell us!!

Clark County officials have concluded their investigation reference the sick leave abuse by county firefighters and have adjudicated the punishment to those who broke the rules, BUT they won’t tell the public who broke the rules and who were punished based on personnel privacy rules. 

Really?

LVMPD cannot wait to run to the highest hilltop with the biggest megaphone and scream their results of their internal investigations across the valley. 

I guess police officers have a lot less rights to privacy.

Sometimes they won’t even tell those accused of the violation until they find out later that something was placed in their file.   But the complainant will receive a letter from internal affairs with the disciplinary action taken.

CCFD had two employees terminated after managers determined that they abused the sick leave policy and 12 other employees cases didn’t end with their termination.  But the punishments for the 12 will not be released to the public because of the “Privacy” rules.  So how do we know that they will be punished or even if the investigation is complete?

Oh, and after termination, the two “fired” employees still received their retirement and cash-out. (read article) 

Fired or quit.  What’s the difference?

Allegedly, other employees suspected of abusing the sick leave quit or retired before the investigation was complete.

Commissioner Tom Collins claimed that the internal investigation revealed that only a “handful” of “wrongdoers” was revealed, not the 230 initially thought that were involved.  He further stated that he believed that the Fire Department’s damaged reputation was unfounded and the investigation proved it.

Okay.  Prove it to us. (Here)

Support your local school teacher.

With the new school year fast approaching, getting your kids ready for school is a priority.
New clothes and school supplies are at the top of the list to buy.

After talking with parents and teachers, it’s apparent that school supplies are in demand at the school itself. Many of the necessary supplies are paid for, out-of pocket, by the teachers themselves, because they want the children they teach to have a great, fun and productive school year.

Teachers spend much of their free time setting up their classroom to make the children more comfortable and increase their desire to come to school.

If you have any skills that would be useful, I’m sure the teachers would appreciate the help. They need to hang bulletin boards, decorations, etc..

A friend with carpentry skills once built a reading corner consisting of a decorative picket fence and faux front of a house; the kids could sit in the “front” yard of the house and read while in the classroom. Little things like this break up the monotony of the typical day at school and sometimes add that extra touch of inspiration.

With the economy in the toilet and Las Vegas unemployment at the highest in the country, many parents are having a difficult time furnishing the necessities for the school year.
Teachers are very appreciative of any donations that parents can make to the school or even to a specific classroom.

Believe it or not, many teachers love getting gifts of back packs, copy paper, crayons, pencils, paper towels, tissues, colored paper (construction paper), glue, tape, sanitary wipes, spray disinfectant, multi-surface cleaners, scissors (safety, of course), hobby-type supplies (glitter, decorative cutters, etc.) and other items, age appropriate, of course.


Even if your children are not of school age or don’t go to the school in your area, please be generous and support your local school teacher. They are overworked, underpaid (they recently took a massive pay cut), and would love to see that they are supported by the community. They are helping our children with their futures.

So, next visit to the warehouse store or the dollar store, grab a bundle, bushel, pack, gross, peck, pallet, or basketful of school supplies and donate generously to your favorite school or teacher.

Remember, if you can read this, thank a teacher...


You can contact the school in your area for instructions on how to donate or call the Clark County School District at 702-799-5000 or visit Clark County School District site for more info.

School starts August 29th. Bus service registration starts August 8th.

Join the Vegas News Review Team for
 “back to school night”

at Shari’s Diner

August 27th, ~ 5pm to 10pm
Check out with the Mustang & Classic Ford Club of LV
Have dinner and bring a School item to benefit “Lily and Wing Fong” Elementary School

Back to school fairs are as follows:

Meadows Mall: Saturday, August 13th, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Boulevard Mall: Saturday, August 20th, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Galleria Mall: Saturday, August 27th, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Enough is enough

A San Diego police officer was shot, as he sat in his cruiser, at a stoplight, unaware that the car pulled up next to him had been involved in a shooting earlier.  (read article) 

After the suspect vehicle signaled to the officer to get his attention, the passenger in the suspect vehicle fired a shotgun through an open window at close range.

Hours earlier, police had been pursuing the vehicle and had terminated the pursuit due to “high speeds”.

A dangerous felony had been committed, and an inherent danger to the public was very apparent.

Most of the suspects I’ve encountered that flee from the police usually incorporate some sort of speed, usually high, to get away from the police, whether on foot or with a vehicle.

Many police departments, including LVMPD, have instituted policies restricting officers from pursuing vehicles, usually based on the type of crimes known to have been committed.  Now, they’ve even gone as far to limit foot chases, to prevent injuries.

Most citizens, good and bad know of these policies and restrictions and some now flaunt their ability to avoid being stopped for minor violations, knowing the officer will be disciplined for not following policy if they are stopped.

I’ve heard rumors that some motor vehicle related businesses (motorcycles, street racers), usually clubs of some sort, will post department policy on their walls so the members can see that the local PD has restrictions on pursuits.

Some would say that a person signs up to be an officer, knowing full and well, the dangers of becoming an officer. 

When most people sign up to be a member of the law enforcement community, they do so as part of the “Sheepdog” mentality, to protect the flock and to confront the wolf, head on.

Departments are now not allowing the sheepdog mentality to prevail, more likely the sheepish mentality.

Those dangers don’t include sitting at the stop light, minding your own business and getting murdered.

Some say that police pursuits are not necessary.

Really?

Suspects, knowing those policies, routinely drive from police while they are attempting a traffic stop. 

We’ve all seen the craziest police pursuits on TV, with the drivers waving the infamous one-finger wave at the following officers.

In this case, the suspects got away and were able to murder (RIP) a police officer. 

The officer, 36 year old Jeremy Henwood, a 4 year veteran of the San Diego Police Department and United States Marine Corp veteran of 3 overseas tours, might be a husband, father, brother or uncle, just like any other male in your family.  Unfortunately, he was wearing a police uniform.

What is the public going to say when suspects pull up to an unaware family in their vehicle and blast them after a police pursuit was called off because they were driving “too fast”.

Unfortunately, police departments are “damned if they do, and damned if they don’t” and appear to be taking the “damned if we won’t” path.

How long will it take before police apathy will result in rampant crimes due to criminals use and knowledge of the police department’s own policies?

Guess you will be looking at the car next to you at the red light…

Operation “Extra Sugar”?

There are certain articles that cross my desk that I simply cannot ignore.  This is one of those articles.

Some will say because of my previous profession, I may have been attracted to the headline and the business involved.

In Rockaway Township, New Jersey, police arrested a “Dunkin’ Donuts” employee for engaging in acts of prostitution during her breaks.  (article attached)

The operation was called “Extra Sugar”.

 I am not going to make reference to words such as extra sugar, muffins, cream filling, donut holes, flaky pastry, again, because we are a family show (really?)

I’m glad it was during her breaks. The visuals of her engaged in her side business at the counter are not a good one.  How many breaks do you get working there?  How busy is that place? How do you place your order?  What do you get with a “baker’s dozen”?

So, even more questions remain.  How do you order “The Special”?  How was she caught?  Was there an unsatisfied customer? Why was he unsatisfied?  Did the women in Rockaway notice their men developing a taste for donuts all of a sudden and coming home smoking a cigarette with a smile on their face? 

And why did it take six months for police to finally nab her with an undercover officer?  Did he gain or lose weight during those six months? Was she covered with powdered sugar before and they couldn’t recognize her?  Inquiring minds would like to know…or see the video.

Oh yeah.  No comment from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Really?