Don't Expect Too Much Traffic Enforcement In PG

Thursday, November 12, 2009 03:45 AM

Each week that goes by another section of the city wants to add its name to the list of people who believe speeding is a problem in the city.

Tyner Boulevard, Ospika Boulevard, Highland Dr, and Highway 16 West, are just a few of the areas where complaints have risen on the issue of speeding motorists.

By lodging complaints with the police, are residents feeling that they are about to come away with results? Well they shouldn’t. The RCMP simply does not have the manpower to do justice to the highways and streets in the city and so speeding moves to the back burner when constables (who normally would be involved in policing traffic) are called in for general duties that entail crime of some nature.

Speeding or traffic enforcement is at the bottom of the ladder.

There would normally be eight officers on traffic in the city. But those eight would be required to service the entire city seven days a week. You can see by the numbers that it won’t work, but now add this dimension, 5 or 6 officers are more in line with what is available to do traffic control. Divide that into seven days a week, of course, assuming that none of the officers gets called out to perform other duties, which happens regularly and you can quickly see , that 4 police officers doing traffic patrols in the city is going to mean that your particular area of town can expect little attention.

Traffic control is not deemed to be an important enough function to get the kind of policing that is wanted by residents.

Faced with a similar situation in European countries, they opted for more road barriers, speed bumps and driving impediments to do the job. It would be a shame if that is the kind of traffic control we can expect to see in the future in Canada.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: Stompin Tom on November 12 2009 7:34 AM

Speed bumps on Highland Drive? My kinda solution. Slows traffic down and pisses off the locals.

Should be able to have it done in one day and you can just send the tab to the owners of the houses on Highland Drive.

Snow removal? Ah, who cares as long as the traffic is slowed down.

Posted by: MiddleGround on November 12 2009 7:45 AM

If people want more speed enforcement then does that mean:

1) you want fewer officers working on gangs, prolific offenders, or the downtown?

2) you are willing to have your taxes increased by another 1 or 2% to pay for more officers?

So, which is it?

Posted by: heidi1555 on November 12 2009 8:35 AM

Bring back the potholes.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on November 12 2009 8:38 AM

It isn't just in town.
Pay attention when you are out on the highway and see how many times you get passed on a double solid line!
Not to mention the other stupid things people are doing, as well as excessive speed.
Rarely see a cop out there any more, so it is not hard to figure out why there are no more rules!

Posted by: diplomat on November 12 2009 8:41 AM

Obviously my choice would have to be 2).

It could be a gold mine for the RCMP:

Write tickets for speeding, tailgating, passing on double lines, failure to signal lane changes, failure to stop at stop signs, missing headlights and tail lights, failure to wear seatbelts, driving without proper attention and not having even one hand on the steering wheel while roaring down the Hart Highway, etc.

Then, write tickets for bicycle riders for failure to wear a bike helmet, failure to stop at stop signs, failure to use a bicycle lane and use the sidewalk instead, driving on the wrong side of the road, failure to have lights on bicycles after dark, etc.

Then, write tickets for encountering dirt bikes, ATVs and snowmobiles on public streets and sidewalks...often travelling at insane speeds...

If everybody would obey simple traffic laws and common sense rules none of the above would be an issue, of course.

Will that ever happen? No, it's only going to get worse.

Now the usual sarcastic comments are going to start coming in!

Go ahead, make my day!

Posted by: Andyfreeze on November 12 2009 8:43 AM

Good morning heidi555!
Last time I checked,the potholes were still there...lots of them!
A good reason not to buy a used car in PG!
A friend was considering buying one 3 years old recently and it just didn't feel right.
Took it to an alignment shop and it needed 1300 bucks worth of front end work.
He passed.
Guy at the shop said ...potholes...and it is very common in PG.

Posted by: Palopu on November 12 2009 9:42 AM

As usual we are running off in all directions; The sky is falling, the sky is falling.

Prince George City has 121 or more police officers. Plus 50 staff. The traffic outside the City limits is the responsibility of the Regional District, whos offices are at 5th and Ospika.

To suggest that we do not have enough officers to properly police speeding is just not correct. Firstly we can and should target problem areas. No one expects the police to be in every area of the City at the same time. That is not feasible, however they can concentrate on certain area, and write a passel of tickets in these areas.

I would suggest that they concentrate on Highway 97 South between 7 and 8 am. Also 16 West and the Hart Highway, and Foothills. This basically covers all the inbound traffic in the morning and outbound in the afternoon. I beleive they do this to some extent at this time.

Once people start to get traffic fines in the area of $300.00 you can rest assured that they will start to slow down.

We have plenty of Police in the area, and we certainly do not need more. What we need is more concentration in certain areas at peak times.

Have a nice day.

Posted by: DPJ on November 12 2009 10:06 AM

You can tell the police who do traffic enforcement. They drive the speed limit. All other police drive faster than the speed limit.

Posted by: Retired on November 12 2009 10:15 AM

I�m going north on Ospika in the outside lane the other day when I catch up to this rig it�s a sleigh that some guy has put wheels under as there is no snow yet. He is wearing a red coat with this peaked hat that has a tassel on the end. And you wont believe this but its being pulled by eight tiny reign deers. He�s on the Cell phone making a left turn at Ospika and 15th. He�s on the center line using both turn slots. People are flashing their lights and blowing their horns.

He cut off the guy behind him making a right turn into Timmy�s. The guy is blowing his horn and shaking his fist but the old guy just keeps on trucking. He�s at the order board still on his phone. The person at the desk doesn�t know if they are being talked to or what�s happening. When he gets to the takeout window the old girl almost hawks up her faults teeth. She hands him his donut and coffee that was finally ordered. He gives her twenty bucks and says keep the change. He mutters something about these Prince George drivers are the mos t stupid in the world all they ever do is whine about my driving habits.

He tweaks his nose and he�s off towards the horse in the sky. He is last seen in the Casino Hotel parking lot with a fist full of money heading for the entrance.
Cheers

Posted by: kitkat on November 12 2009 11:12 AM

I'm glad that speeding is the least enforced item on the cops list. Shows that they do have their priorities straight. I'm far more worried about the murders, thefts and drug use in this town than getting passed by someone!

Posted by: trackster on November 12 2009 11:18 AM

We had a solution to all this called Photo Radar. When the Liberal came in they promptly canceled the program and wrote off millions of buck in equipment, and if you remember $270 million in owed fines. Folks, that is over one quarter of a billion $!
The program had become very effective in cities in slowing down traffic to posted speeds. I paid the price a couple of times and I surly deserved it.
However when it got canceled drivers immediately upped their in it City speeds by 20 K and it has gotten worse.
In trying to maintain 50 on city streets you have someone fingering you shaking fists, or honking, abd trying to drive up your tail pipe.

Lets look at it another way, the $270 write off was less money than the difference between the original cost of the Fast Ferries and the final price.

So what Government is more fiscally responsible??

NONE!

Posted by: Bridget on November 12 2009 11:27 AM

I believe Community Policing has a program called Speed Watch. It runs similar to Block Watch. Worth looking into?

Posted by: caranmacil on November 12 2009 11:32 AM

I agree with trackster. All whining aside, the cameras worked. I disagree to some extent with kitkat: traffic has to be given a high priority in safeguarding human lives is a priority. Lets face it, for most of the population, traffic accidents pose more of a mortal danger than violent crime.

Posted by: diplomat on November 12 2009 12:04 PM

"I agree with trackster. All whining aside, the cameras worked."

I disagree. As soon as speeding vehicles noticed a photo radar van trap most of them slowed down successfully! Right after the trap began the real high speed free-for-all because they knew that there would not be another photo radar set-up for the next hundred kilometers or more on #16 or #97.!

This summer I have seen many tickets being issued to speeders on #97 south in the Quesnel highways district. There the RCMP does rigorous enforcement - without photo radar traps.

PG does NOT have enough officers since too many are tied up testifying in court and doing paper work concerned with drugs, break-ins and gangs.

BTW, I never got a single photo radar ticket because I set my cruise control for the posted maximum legal limit.

Posted by: EatsBushesShoots&Leaves on November 12 2009 12:18 PM

Radar detectors FTW. Highway speed limits are too low hence people speed.

Posted by: trackster on November 12 2009 12:30 PM

Diplomat:
My post was mainly in concern with City Traffic. This is the place where children, seniors, handicapped etc., are more likely to be victims. Daily in a 50 K zone if I travel slightly over, say 55k I get passed by every car behind me, some I would estimate doing 80. School zones are the most vulnerable with the rush in the early Am and after school. People only thing of themselves and how important they are, and then the attitude of " I don't have to obey the signs kicks in".
Women in vans are the worst for speeding in school zones, and 4x4 Jocks aren't far behind. If we can't protect our walking kids with police presence then we must find another way.

I agree with you on the highway situation however, it does become a ZOO out there.

Posted by: seamutt on November 12 2009 1:07 PM

If speed bumps are put on a road to slow traffic would not these same speed bumps also slow emergency vehicles responing to an emergency to ones home, where every second may count. What is the liability to whoever authorized same speedbumps if the emergency responders where delayed causing more harm or death because of the delay?

Posted by: BCPilotguy on November 12 2009 1:14 PM

"Speeding or traffic enforcement is at the bottom of the ladder."

Exactly where it should be. There are more important issues at hand.

Posted by: chloe on November 12 2009 3:22 PM

Solution, roundabouts, many communities are now going to the roundabouts instead of stop signs and such. After a trip back east I noticed alot of these and it does help to slow down traffic, these would be ideal in residential areas.

Posted by: downnotout on November 12 2009 4:16 PM

You got it right trackster Photo rader was a solution that would control speed without endangering the public. I would pity the police officer who pulled someone over on any of the busy roads in the morning or evening in PG. With the speedsers and rubbernecking in this town it would be very dangerous. As far as roundabouts people should learn how to use one before driving through one. You are supposed to use your signal lights going in and coming out of a roundabout. For sure comming out.

Posted by: NMG on November 12 2009 5:37 PM

"Once people start to get traffic fines in the area of $300.00 you can rest assured that they will start to slow down"

Agreed. Heck, bump it up to $500.00 for all I care. Make it $750.00 if you are speeding in a school zone or playground zone and $1,000.00 if you blow a red light. Don't want to pay the fines, don't break the rules. It's so simple even an idiot could understand it.

Posted by: Palopu on November 12 2009 8:14 PM

The police must be writing some tickets because the Province transfers over $1 Million each year to the City for their share of the traffic tickets. Which would be at least 10 tickets per day 365 days per year.

Maybe this whole issue is a tempest in a teapot. Im sure if the Police wished to write tickets and slow traffic they could do so.

Is this a non-issue????

Posted by: diplomat on November 12 2009 8:25 PM

Trackster: "Diplomat: My post was mainly in concern with City Traffic."

Yes, I know. I have never seen (during the nineties) a photo radar van on Highland Drive or West Austin Road, these being city streets.

But, certainly on the Hart Highway, often.

Traffic would suddenly slow down like magic, both lanes. Wouldn't you know it? A photo radar van parked on the shoulder. Then, once past, a surge in speed, like the Snowbirds flying in formation, the whole bunch as one, back to 80 or 85 clicks!

Photo radar controlling speed? Only for a few seconds, big deal!

Posted by: NMG on November 12 2009 9:56 PM

What I don't understand is why they couldn't put permanent photo radar or similar technology (red light cams, etc.) at HIGH RISK areas? If, as some here say, they only work to slow the traffic down in a limited area, would it not at least make sense to slow it down in the areas that are historically bad?

Posted by: gus on November 13 2009 8:24 AM

"You are supposed to use your signal lights going in and coming out of a roundabout. For sure comming out."

Coming in, who is going to make a left turn? Why use a signal light? You are being forced to make a right turn.

In fact, in a single lane roundabout as we have here, you will eventually make a right turn to get out. You will never make a left turn in a roundabout unless you are in a multilane one and are switching lanes to one that is further inside.

Posted by: gus on November 13 2009 8:58 AM

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/roundabouts/roundabouts.htm

Watch the Lacey movie that BC promotes. No mention of signaling. Not a single flashing signal visible on the vehicles.

The animation speaks about signaling. It is inconsistent with signaling information on some USA and UK sites. One site does mention that signaling can cause confusion and is a cause of accidents.