Tuesday, July 20, 2010

SFPD Park Station Renews Pedestrian Stings, Juggles Traffic Watch with Crime Trends


Pedestrian stings for infractions like this at Divisadero and Fell streets

Motorists who ignore crosswalk right-of- ways might get more than a few seconds shaved off their daily travels as SFPD's Park Station undertakes pedestrian stings at the district's worst intersections for the offense. Officers posing as pedestrians will target and ticket motorists who enter a crosswalk ahead of pedestrians, try to nudge the strollers to move faster, or nearly clip them from the rear. The Fell/Masonic and the Divisadero/Fell intersections will get special attention following complaints. The renewed operations will begin this week.

SFPD periodically monitors the crosswalk connecting the western and eastern parts of the Panhandle Path at Fell and Masonic, but anyone using the path or the streets observes intrusions at the crosswalks throughout the day and night. Problems occur at the east-west Divisadero and Fell crosswalks when motorists partly or completely block pedestrians while they await signal changes.

Park Station Captain Teresa Barrett explained to BIKE NOPA that the pedestrian stings are sometimes interrupted when traffic cops assigned to the district get directed to other operations. Recent diversions include crime trends in Golden Gate Park, robberies, and the all-district alert leading up to the verdict in the Johann Mehserle trial. Barrett said she expected the pedestrian stings to continue on an ongoing basis.

6 comments:

  1. This is hopefully shooting fish in a barrel - there are at least a dozen intersections and cross-walks in the area that are an optional stop for cars- they seem to slow a little if you are pushing a stroller. I just wish every ticket written would go to support some kind of livable streets program.

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  2. I have to wonder why they didn't go with zebra crossings. While it's not any more of a physical barrier, it makes a much better psychological barrier. I mention it because cars do seem to stay out of the crossing at Page and Masonic, even cars turning right seem to hang back and just wait for the green light rather than enter into the zebra crossing.

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  3. SFPD should hand out copies of the correct and incorrect way to stop at a crosswalk.

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  4. This is great news! At the risk of nitpicking I'd like to point out that cops walking across the street aren't "posing as pedestrians," they are pedestrians! :-)

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  5. @ Pedestrianist: Good point! Pedestrians with ticket-issuing authority.

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