Move Over Law

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How many California drivers don't know there's a law requiring motorists to move over or slow down when approaching emergency vehicles with lights flashing while stopped on the side of  the road?  The law is SB1610, and it includes safely steering clear of CalTrans workers, police officers, fire trucks, ambulances, and tow trucks.

We are already required to pull over and make way for approaching emergency vehicles with sirens or lights flashing.  This law instructs drivers to safely slow down and/or change lanes (more than one lane adjacent to) any stopped emergency vehicle.  Violators face a $50 fine.

The California Highway Patrol originally rejected this law in 2005, arguing that pulling over violators would place traffic and drivers in more danger.  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed by vetoing the bill, saying, "This law could result in unintended consequences and additional road hazzards". 

However, SB1610 was eventually passed in 2006 before expiring last month, and then re-instated by the Governor on January 1, 2010.  Sponsoring Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto says the "Move Over, Slow Down" law closely resembles similiar laws in more than 40 states.

"This bill is about promoting highway safety, plain and simple, says Simitian.  "I hope it puts a stop to the senseless deaths of police officers, tow truck drivers, paramedics and other emergency personnel out there simply helping stranded motorists".

Over the past five years more than a dozen police and state road workers have been killed along California roads.  The latest was CalTrans worker Don Lichliter, who was struck down by a passing truck in Lodi on July 23, 2009.  Since 1924, 176 CalTrans employees have died from roadside accidents.

North Carolina was the first of 45 states to pass such a law in 2002,  following the injury or death of 66 state troopers over three-year period.  Violators there are fined $250.

If you think that's expensive try Virginia, where passing a stopped police officer without changing lanes is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by a $2500 fine!  This may be a bit steep, however, the message here seems clear!

Use common sense!  Drive defensively by seeing the BIG picture! (Remember drivers ed. class?)  Above all, pay attention around, and, ahead  of you....particularly with emergency vehicles. 

After all, our law enforcement and emergency professionals put thier lives on the line to protect us every day!  Slowing down or changing lanes to give these first responders enough room to work safely,  is the least we can do in return!  Move over California!  It's the law!

Thanks again, and drive safely! PeteCam4

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How to avoid a 2nd accident!

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It is often more dangerous the first moments after a traffic accident, than during the initial collision.  I witnessed a close call Thursday afternoon in Santa Clara, California that reminded me of this.

 

I was coming out of the lobby of a company I deliver to daily at the intersection of De La Cruz Blvd. and Martin Avenue which runs just west of The San Jose Airport. A two car accident had just happened at that intersecting stop light. I know because I was only in the office five-minutes, and was just returning to my car.

 

 Two badly damaged vehicles were facing south, side by side on the right portion of the intersection and light.  Both drivers had been escorted by witnesses to the south lawn of a strip mall across the street, and while dazed and shaken...neither looked seriously injured.  

 

However, I did notice heavy traffic sifting through the intersection at a bumper to bumper pace, passing very close on both sides of the vehicles. It looked like another accident waiting to happen, and almost did! 

 

As the sirens began sounding in the distance, one of the drivers got up from the lawn and began to stagger crookedly toward her car, probably to retrieve something...and came dangerously close to getting struck down by passing motorists.

 

Luckily, a transportation officer grabbed her just as she was about to stumble and fall.  This could have been a disaster that's happened many times before!  All it takes is a victim wandering recklessly without realizing they're in shock and/or suffering from a concussion.  Add to that rubber-necking drivers who often smash into one another as well as roadside pedestrians.

 

Years ago I was a passenger during a t-bone collision in East San Jose that left me pretty beat-up and bruised.  We were all very lucky, however, I do remember waking up sitting on the curb after blacking out!  I also had a caring bystander standing by to catch me after I began to stumble around in the intersection...with a concussion.

 

Here are a few ways to avoid a potential second or third accident at the same scene.  If you're there to actually help out, carefully secure yourself and any victims far away from traffic or other danger....while consoling and comforting them until help arrives. 

 

When driving past an accident, be cautious, courtious  and aware of obstacles, pedestrians, the car in front of you, and any traffic instructions.  Help out by being careful....and don't rubber-neck!  That way we'll always keep it down to just ONE accident, which is bad enough as it is.

 

Thanks, take care and drive safely,

 

PeteCam4

  

 

 

An Expensive U-Turn

Have you ever made an illegal u-turn without realizing it?  Perhaps you didn't notice the posted sign,  but your passenger sure did, and loudly called it to your attention!

Have you ever scoped out the area for cops before intentionally making that u-turn anyway?  Be honest!  I'll bet at least 90-percent of you have!

 I have....once or twice over the years. Like most of You I got away with it....but, I wouldn't recommend making a habit of it. These days there are lots of camera's out there filling in for police, and the tickets you get in the mail are just as expensive. It's also dangerous!

This brings to mind two personal experiences on the road.  The first happened last year in Fremont, California.  I was cited for what I considered a bogus grid-lock violation at the Southland Mall on Mowry Avenue.

 I took the ticket to court and won when the cop never showed, but before that I watched several other cases fail miserably. Most were photo traffic citations caught on video cameras!  The judge actually called each driver up to his bench, and had them watch their violation play-out....right there on his computer monitor!  

They had little or no room to argue, against something much tougher that any citing police officer. I also noted a good many illegal u-turn cases.  I'll bet each driver THOUGHT they'd gotten away with it...but didn't!

The other personal event happened today in Santa Clara.  I was westbound on Lafayette Street waiting for a green light where it intersects at El Camino Real. To my right was a motorcycle cop also waiting to cross sorthbound.

Directly across from me was a lady who made a poor decision.  When our signal turned green she decided to cross the double-yellow line in front of the light,  and make a forced u-turn.  Sure enough she stranded herself illegally against the curb blocking me and two lanes of  traffic.

I cautiously eased forward while glancing toward to cop to my right, and we both shook our heads.  He quickly cracked a smile, cut in front of me and flashed his red lights to pull her over. 

My point is, either way you may want to try it....don't do it again unless it's legal, especially in front of motorcycle police, and more specifically in Fremont, Newark and Campbell, California where most photo ticketing occurs.

 Even if you're in a hurry, take the time to make it legal, safe and,  less expensive!

Thanks, and take it easy out there on the road!

PeteCam4

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

The Oakland Museum of California was established in 1969 as a museum for
the people, to tells the stories of California. Back then the main focus
was on art, history and natural sciences. Oakland museum is undergoing
renovation and transformation, the grand opening will be in May 2010.
With the new transformation Oakland Museum of California will also focus
on visitor participation, interpretive tools, interactive features, new
gathering spaces and program areas that will engage and encourage
visitors to share their perspectives questions and stories of California.
Oakland Museum of California has always had strong ties to the community,
so schools, scholars, local audiences and visitors will be welcome to
participate in events and activities and be part of California’s past,
present, and future. A local artists has already gave the Oakland Museum
of California a face lift with a new mural at the Oak Street Entry, this
mural is beautiful. If this is any indication of what the museum to be
like, Oakland Museum of California this is going to be something to see.
I can’t wait until it reopens.

http://museumca.org/node/738/photos


LM

Holiday Checkpoint Season

It's holiday checkpoint season again, and time for local police and The California Highway Patrol to put up random sobriety roadblocks.  But, just how necessary are they, and what restrictions govern them regarding the rights of motorists?

 

The fourth amendment to the Constitution protects people from being stopped without a search warrant, or at least "probable cause" that they've committed a crime.  While the US Supreme Court did make an exemption regarding DUI checkpoints, eleven states have still outlawed them...following a landmark 1990 ruling in Michigan that granted  permission to uphold  outstanding state law. 

 

Here in California, the CHP maintains that checkpoints reduce the number of drunk drivers on the roads and highways, and diminishes  the amount of pain, suffering and death that result from drunk driving.  Still, 51-percent of all drivers in America fall victim to at least one alchohol-related accident, while one person dies every 22 minutes from a drunk driving accident.  The current annual death toll is at 11, 888.
    

No matter how grim the numbers, sobriety checkpoints must still follow strict protocol laid out by the California Supreme Court.  Checkpoint locations must be chosen by supervisory police officers, not field officers.  Advanced notice must also be given, while location of road blocks is not required.  Police must also us a a neutral mathematical formula when stopping drivers, such as....every car, or every 3rd car etc. 

 

Motorist safety must be a primary concern, with police providing proper lighting, warning signs and signals.  Checkpoints should be only open when traffic volume allows safe operation. In fact, checkpoints open during late evening hours on major holidays.  Here in San Jose, the next checkpoints are scheduled for December 31st between 8pm and 3am.

 

Officers are also not allowed to detain drivers longer than it takes to ask a few questions, while looking and smelling for obvious signs of intoxication.  If cleared,  the driver should be swiftly waived through, while those showing signs of  impairment are taken to a seperate area for a field sobriety test.  I recently discovered one other, unusual restriction during a personal road experience.

 

While driving north-bound on Bascom Avenue in San Jose this past Labor Day weekend,  I came upon a checkpoint  just past the stoplight at Stokes Avenue.  As I eased behind a slow line of cars heading for the blinking signs, I noticed a few cars making sudden U-turns in an obvious attempt to avoid the road block.  Even the driver in front of me darted left onto a double-yellow line and into a 7'11 parking lot.  Isn't that illegal, I thought?  Can't  the cops stop them for that?  None were around to see them!

 

According to the Supreme Court,  motorists may NOT be stopped while seeking to avoid a checkpoint.  However, if the ditching driver commits a vehicle code violation, or shows obvious signs of intoxication...police can pull them over.  Next evening the Bascom Avenue checkpoint was back up, but a half-mile closer to Valley Medical Center this time,and pointed North.

 

Curiously, I joined the checkpoint line again, but, this time a half-dozen  patrol cars were stationed BEHIND the line, partially hidden in dark parking lots. Up front and past the checkpoint to the right, was a very well lighted parking lot...filled with cars and their drivers performing drunk tests.

 

That scene reminds me of the age-old advice which always provides the best way around such a  scenerio. DON'T drink and drive!!

If you MUST drink....either stay home, take a cab or ride next to a designated driver.  That way you'll sail through all your checkpoints...without checking into jail or checking OUT for good! 

 

Stay safe and stay sober,

 

PeteCam4

 

 

San Jose Safest City

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Since the turn of the century, San Jose, California has been recognized as America's safest big city....claiming the top spot from 2001 through 2006.  This "safe city" list is based on populations of 500,000 or more, and on crime rates per 1000 people. 

 

Unfortunately, after slipping to 3rd place in 2007,  San Jose could only manage a 4th place ranking this past year of 2008, according to FBI crime statistics reports. Never-the-less, city officials are happy about recent crime drops in assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft.  "We're proud we held steady, and we're still the safest city in California," said Assistant Police Chief Dan Katz.  San Jose trailed Honolulu, El Paso,Texas and New York City. 

 

Mayor Chuck Reed stated that maintaining San Jose's crime ranking is a notable achievement,  given the poor economy and state funding raids on local governments.  "I'm proud that we saw a steady drop in most major crime categories," the Mayor said.  Drops in most crimes were attributed to increased focuses on gang-prevention efforts, auto thefts and burglaries.  Gang-related crimes were among seven of 10 types that dropped according to the FBI's annual report.

 

San Jose also reported smaller drops in property crime, aggravated assault, violent crime and homicide.  The only increases were mild ones in robbery(5.2 percent), larceny-theft(3.1 percent) and rape)from 217 cases to 220).  Despite that awful gang-related shooting in East San Jose on Halloween night which left a 12-year old boy critically wounded, overall gang violence is down 14.5 percent so far this year compared with 2008.

 

If similar progress is realized in most other crime categories, perhaps San Jose will once again claim the top spot....as our nation's SAFEST big city.

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving, and stay safe!

 

 

PeteCam4

 

 

THE BAY BRIDGE S CURVE IS IT SAFE?

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THE BAY BRIDGE S CURVE IS IT SAFE?

The Bay Bridge S curve has had Forty Two accidents on the bridge since it
was put into place. A Hayward man died November 9.2009. When he lost
control of the truck he was driving on the Bay Bridge S-curve. He went
over the side and fell 200 feet. October 14, 2009 a Safeway truck turned
on it’s side and block four lanes for hours. I think the Bay Bridge
S-curve is safe, if drivers would just slow down and stop speeding. It’s
just like any new high construction, you have to obey the laws of the
road, it’s put there for a reason. The other part of the bridge is another
story, the jury is still out. All you drivers pay attention to the road
and your speed and drive safely.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Caltrans-S-Curve-is-Safe-69609662.html


LM

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Bay Bridge Accident

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How soon before the San Francisco Bay Bridge re-opens?  More importantly, will the fix hold for good this time? 

High winds Tuesday night caused a steel cross-beam and two tie rods to snap off and fall to the upper deck, damaging three cars and injuring one person.  The three steel pieces were part of an emergency repair made just seven weeks ago during a planned Labor Day expansion project. 

An un-forseen crack in a structural beam then,  forced that repair... and threatened a possible major delay in the bridge's re-opening. However, the crack was repaired, and thus,  swiftly allowed the bridge to re-open...nearly on schedule!

After Tuesday's accident, which caused enormous commute problems throughout the entire North and East Bay Area, Caltrans refused to predict when the Bay Bridge would re-open, though the lead contractor predicted the new repair woud be complete sometime today.

Under intense public scrutiny--and now the eyes of the Federal Highway Administration, Caltrans blames high winds and traffic vibration for Tuesday's accident, claiming the repair design was a first-of-its-kind innovation, done on a type of cracked beam never before seen.

"Wind is something that should have been accounted for in that design," Caltrans spokesman Bart Ney said Wednesday. "We've identified fatigue as a factor, and our new design should address that." 

Still, there are skeptics who believe the initial brace design was an inadequate fix for a 73-year old bridge. UC-Berkeley engineering professor Abolhassan Astaneh-Asi said, "They rushed this repair over Labor Day, and now they refuse to acknowledge that it's an incorrect design."

Caltrans officials defended their brace design, claiming they are making vast improvements this time in order to provide additional protection. Meanwhile, Thursday's commute could set new traffic records as drivers crawl along adjacent highways and bridges, and pack into Bart train stations...all hoping that their sacrifices will lead to a FULLY fixed Bay Bridge--once and for all!

One final question. Who is going to pay for the three smashed autos damaged on the bridge, and the medical bills for the woman who was injured?  (Just wondering!) 

Thanks, and see you on the other side of the bridge.

PeteCam4

"Best Wishes"--PTCJr

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A Courier Story

I am a ground-courier for a company called Streetwise Special Delivery, which means I drive for a living. That may not sound too exciting, but it is! I get to deliver almost anything you can imagine...to anywhere...and at any time of day or night.

We deliver everything from computer parts to crime lab samples to court documents to chocolate cookies, and our client destinations cover the entire Bay Area, California, and beyond.

The key to our success is delivering whatever is needed ON time, every time, and to the customer's satisfaction... without exception. It's either be consistent, or they'll call another delivery service. There are NO second chances.

If this fails to generate enough excitement, challenge, or variety to my career...there is one final perk that puts the icing on my cake. I get a lot of satisfaction from the appreciative smiles and warm handshakes customers give when a delivery is there early, or their day is saved. I know now that I've helped to make a positive difference somehow!.

I'll share one very special example: We deliver highly controlled medication to critically ill hospice patients dying of cancer or other terminal disease. They are often surviving in the hopeful comfort of thier last days..

A highly specialized hospice care company provides us with pharmacy pick-up information, nurses instructions, and patient addresses where the medicine is delivered to a designated family member or home-care nurse.

This is a unique type of delivery that requires security, safety, and special respect,,,.not just for handling controlled prescription drugs, but, also handling the sensitive mood of the receiving family. It is in this atmosphere, that I enjoyed my most memorable delivery success.

I was called out of bed in San Jose to drive to Walnut Creek to pick up medication bound for a needy patient in Fairfield. I left the house at 12:15am with a deadline of 2:30am. With no traffic and no need to break speed laws, everything fell into place....and I reached the patient's home early, at 1:50am.

As it turned out, the grieving husband ran out of his wife's much needed pain medicine hours earlier, and wasn't expecting me that soon. When he answered the door I couldn't help but see his worried face flash open a relieved smile. Upon signing my release form he began to cry, and then extended me a warm hug of appreciation.

"ThankYou so much and God bless You", he said. I felt shivers down my spine while driving way, bound for home with a little lost sleep, and a lot of self-satisfaction and purpose!!

Thanks, Drive safely, and with purpose.

PeteCam4

Road Rage

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Road rage is an act of agression by a vehicle driver toward another.  If taken to the extreme, it often leads to physical assault, injury, and even death. It has risen to epidemic proportions throughout the country, whereby more drivers fear being victimized by road rage than by drunk drivers.

Between 1000 and 1500 people are killed each year due to road rage incidents, most involving firearms and other weapons...including the assailant's car. In every day, common cases, plain old aggression and aggressive driving also cause over 50-percent of all car crashes in this country.

How  do we slow this disease down, especially here in the Bay Area?  To start with, we all need to lighten up when driving.  I'm going to share an incident that happened to me a few weeks ago that may offer some help::

I take DeLaCruz Blvd every day when working for StreetWise Special Delivery. I was driving South the other morning between Hwy.101 and the San Jose Airport, when I nearly ran a small truck off the road. It happened at a wishbone fork that leads right to Santa Clara or left where it turns into Coleman Ave. I turned left onto Coleman at the same time this small truck turned onto Coleman from the Santa Clara, ElCamino Real side.  I was either not paying attention or he drifted into my huge, sunrise blind-spot....because I never saw him!. I changed lanes and cut him right off,  not realizing a thing until we stopped a half -mile ahead at the airport entrance stoplight. 

This is the perfect road rage scenerio!  The driver could either lay on the horn, flip me off, get out of his truck screaming for a fight, or pull out a weapon and physically assault me. It happens all to often, but thankfully...not to me, at least not this day. What did happen was just the opposite, and an example to learn from:

...I heard a tap on the horn from behind me and turned around. The man signaled me to roll down my window. (I thought something may be wrong with my car) He then leaned out of his window, and, in a calm voice intoned..."Did you know you just cut right in front of me?" You almost ran me off the road back there at the bridge." I apologized and said....  "I didn't even see you...is everything OK?"  "Yea, I'll live. Just be more careful next time, and have a nice day", he said.  I told him thanks and apologized again. We both drove off on our seperate ways,  safely and free of  road rage!! This truck driver teaches a great lesson! Lighten UP!

...It comes down to the basics.... Don't drive in a bad mood, avoid being in a hurry, and drive defensivly as opposed to aggressively!  Always signal when changing lanes.(57% don't) Do not tailgate, do not drive slowly in fast(left) lanes, and above all...AVOID possible confrontations on the road. This means no return screams, obscene gestures, horn honking or high beams. If threatened or taunted by another driver, avoid and evade them.

If pursued, use your cell to call police and/or drive to a station if possible.  Do NOT drive home, and do NOT leave your car unless safely away from danger. These rules should help reduce road rage incidents, but it may also come down to common sense.

If you make a mistake behind the wheel and have the chance...apologize appropriatly. Be cheerful and polite to other drivers especially in heavy traffic where most road rage originates. Smile, and let the other driver in, or slow down...and let them pass peacefully.

If we all follow these basic steps, perhaps we can pave more PEACEFUL roads to drive on.

Continue to drive safely out there, and avoid THE RAGE.

Sincerely..PeteCam4

   

  

"Best Wishes"--PTCJr