• MBCG Seeks Radar Displays To Nab Speeders


    by on Mar 25th, 2010

    An example of a radar speed display monitor (Courtesy of Peds.org)

    If a driver speeds in Manhattan Beach, and everyone’s around to see it, will it slow his butt down?

    The Manhattan Beach Community Group is betting it will, and that’s why they’re lobbying to install radar speed display monitors along Oriental Boulevard.

    The group passed a motion Wednesday night to endorse a plan pressuring local politicians to find funds for the monitor.

    “I think it’s a great deterrent,” said Judy Baron, chair of MBCG’s traffic committee. Baron came up with the idea after seeing the radars in use on vacation in Boca Raton, Fl. When she entered areas where the signs were up, “everyone was going 30 miles per hour. It was amazing,” she said.

    The solar-powered signs use radar to detect speeds and then display the results on a screen that can vary in size, making clear to speeders that they’re going over the limit. Data collected by the radar is saved and can be transmitted to local police precincts and highway patrol to reveal the most frequent times that speeders are careening down the boulevard. Lawmen can increase enforcement at those times.

    Manhattan Beach residents grapple with speeders along its two major arteries, Oriental Boulevard and Shore Boulevard. Residents say the speeding gets worse when Kingsborough Community College is in session and students rush to and from classes. In October 2009, 34 summonses were issued in the neighborhood for speeding. And along the corridor light poles are adorned with flowers for those killed by speeding and reckless driving.

    “Making Manhattan Beach safe not only for its residents, but for the thousands of people who work, play and visit Manhattan Beach is my highest priority,” MBCG President Ira Zalcman said in a statement about the proposal. “I was delighted when members of our traffic committee, after having done extensive research on these devices informed me that they are effective in reducing vehicular speed.”

    Baron said Manhattan Beach would be the first New York community with the signs, but they’ve proven effective in neighborhoods in Chicago, Miami, Denver, and Los Angeles.

    City Councilman Michael Nelson, who was at the MBCG meeting, said that it could be a “pilot program for other communities” in New York City, but that the “number one issue is going to be fiscal restraints.”

    According to Baron, she’s received estimates from several manufacturers of the radar speed display monitors and they range in price from $3,400 to around $6,000. The group is asking for four signs to be installed – two on each side of Oriental Boulevard. The total cost would be around $13,000 and $24,000.

    Nelson said it “would be so incredibly difficult” to find the funds during a troubled economy but the best bet would be to request it from the capital budget. He also said he would look to see if he could get money that was earmarked for traffic safety programs.

    The councilman said the nearly $600,000 he receives for discretionary funding couldn’t be used to cover the expense.

    Baron, though, insisted that the program would be a good investment for the city since they can maximize efficiency of police resources. The data will give officers the knowledge of when they’ll be most likely to catch speeders and issue tickets.

    “The city will make a lot of money,” she said. “They’ll make back their $6,000. It’ll pay for itself.”

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    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=665079815 Allan Berkovitz

      It's not going to stop people from speeding there. An actual police presence is the only way to do that. At best, it will encourage people that follow rules to notice they are speeding and slow down, but people that don't care will continue to speed. I give the sign one month from the date of installation before it's knocked down or broken.

    • http://www.bksouthie.com/ Brian Hedden | BK Southie

      These signs used to work on me, until I realized that the police used them in place of, instead of in addition to, actual enforcement. From then on, I took it as a challenge – to resist that psychological urge to slow down to the speed limit and maintain full speed through the radar “trap” (if it can be called a trap). I usually end up letting off the gas pedal anyway, but never use the brake.

      You can tell, when Rita wrote about Bay Ridge speeders on BK Southie, her message was totally lost on me. =(

      That said – if a concerned citizen started taking pictures of all of the speeders and put all of them up on their Oriental Boulevard Douchery Tumblr, then I'd probably straighten up.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=665079815 Allan Berkovitz

      I would be more inclined to believe people would slow down if they put speed bumps every block, all the way down Oriental. I know I hate driving over them and always slow down for them.

    • David

      I agree 100% with the speed bumps. The only thing the people racing down oriental blvd care about are their cars. They don't care about the tickets because they think they can get away without getting any (and they are right about that). With speed bumps, they will damage their cars if they are speeding.

    • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

      No no no no. This is bullshit. It's pointless, and useless and will not cause anyone to slow down. Neither will Speed bumps. Place stop signs or flashing red every 3 blocks and that will slow everyone down. That's the simplest and best solution.

      Enough looking for ways to ticket people or shame them into doing something they wouldn't normally do. IT WONT WORK.

    • PayPaul

      I like this idea. It should embarrass the hell out of some of these maniacs. What are the statics on the accident and even possible deaths as a result of these speedsters.

      Now if I only there was a sign that would announce when someone just went through the red light. Maybe even broadcast their picture on a jumbotron screen by the side of the road. Hee! Hee! Hee!

    • Stacey

      There is also a need for speed help on West End Avenue…. especially when we are dismissing the students of the Yeshiva of Manhattan Beach. I am the PTO president and I try to stand in the middle of the street to help kids cross and the cars are STILL flying by. They try to go around us, close enough that we can reach out and touch the car. Any thoughts???

    • Brighton Resident

      Stacy, The help need on West End Ave. at your dismissal time is to keep the double and triple parkers away, and for kids to cross at the corners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop blocking the street!!!

    • Stacey

      WE don't block the street…. the cars that park where the buses need to go need to be ticketed, then the buses will be along the curb and then there will be no issues! The bigger problem is the cars that race down the block with NO regard for anyone that tries to cross the street!!!

    • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

      They use those around here. They're not terribly expensive, and if you RTFA, they use the data to gauge WHEN to increase police presence, to efficiently plan their activities. Plus some people ARE deterred by it.

    • brightonresident

      There is no crosswalk in fornt of your shcool, so noone should be crossing there!!!!!!!!

    • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

      If anything, there SHOULD be a cross walk in front of the school.

    • brightonresident

      Why? It is the middle of the block– Is it to far for the children to walk to the corner? It is not always the drivers fault, sometimes the pedestrian does the wrong thing (like jaywalk!)
      And Stacey, the cars parking in the bus area are the parents picking up the children, do something about them!

    • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

      Because it is the safe thing to do. Because it is the sensible thing to do. Because pedestrians should be a priority. Then public transportation/bikes, THEN private cars clogging up the streets. NYC is an extremely walkable city, with decent public transportation, and good weather. And yet there are far too many people who get in their cars for short trips, without any sense to the environment, fellow residents, anyone but themselves. At the end of the day, it is the driver's responsibility, EVEN WITH JAYWALKERS, to pay attention to all possible hazards on the road. If you do not understand this simple LAW, then you need to turn your license in. That's simply irresponsible. Be accountable for your actions; stop looking to blame others. Imagine, someone so selfish as to complain about the concept of a crosswalk for children in front of a school. No wonder the city is going down the toilet. Screwy priorities.

    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

      In recent years the number of schools here have increased astronomically. Unfortunately, so has automobile traffic. On a long block, a crosswalk with a stop sign might be justified if the school population is large enough. But on shorter blocks the children should be encouraged to cross at the corner,

    • brightonresident

      Putting a crosswalk in the middle of a street is NOT a safe thing to do! Teaching children where and when to cross IS the safe thing to do. Properly driven cars do not clog the street, double and triple parked cars and jaywalkers do! I undestand the law, but I don't think you do at all!!!!!!
      The screwy priority is on your end, forcing children to break the law!

    • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

      A crosswalk is not breaking the law. Furthermore, the schools have crossing guards. You really need to read up on your motor vehicle laws, and perhaps look further into communities that actually plan their roads better. The sense of entitlement for drivers in Brooklyn is absolutely outrageous. This is one of the reasons I wouldn't return — no community planning/sense of community/common sense. It's as if it all moved away.

    • http://kibblesbits.wordpress.com/ Ann

      Perhaps, but if the streets are that wild, a crosswalk and guard would help break up the run/slow the cars down. It really needs to be investigated by a civil engineer, but considering they can't even get people to plan digging up the street in a coordinated manner, I suspect it won't happen.

    • brightonresident

      You need to read what I said!!! It seems to me that you don't even live here so you propbably have no idea what the situation looks like and the kind of traffic mess caused when this “private” school has dismissal time. Cars cannot speed odwn this street due to the amount of illegally parked cars of parents whose children have to picked up right in fornt of the school and the amount of traffic on the block. Seems like you are from a small town that has only one traffic light.
      Before you comment, ypu need to witness the situation!!!!!!!!!

    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

      Since the president of the PTO of the school in question is reading this I suggest that they contact a transportation consulting firms that engages in creating proposals that would address the traffic issue. I worked in that field in the 80s. However, the companies I worked for may not take on small projects anymore. Perhaps as a starting point they could contact Urbitran Associates. If they do not engage in such work these days perhaps they can recommend someone who does.

    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

      Ann lived here until recently. She knows the area quite well.

    • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

      Wrong. Cars first, Pedestrians and Bikes last.
      If anyone gets hurt the drivers are held responsible even when they arent. So we should be given the right of way, period. Keep off the street except at marked crosswalks and for gods sake look both fucking ways!

    • http://www.nedberke.com Ned Berke

      Disagreed, Arthur. Cars last. Drivers are held responsible because they're the ones hurtling around in a 2 ton cage of steel, glass, and plastic. Yes, everyone needs to be careful, but at the end of the day you need to be MORE than careful. Even if cars are double parked and buses are testing your patience, there's no excuse for speeding down the street once you get out of that trap. That being said, kids should cross at crosswalks on the corner.

    • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

      I always AM careful. I have to be. The problem is that pedestrians and bikers feel they are “entitled” and they intentionally take stupid risks knowing that drivers HAVE to pay attention FOR them.

      Nobody can deny this. I see it every day first hand. Pedestrians and Bikers thumb their noses at cars. They only do this because they can. In the eyes of the law they are always right, no matter what. Even if they are jaywalking. It's WRONG. And it's frustrating. The only way it's going to change is if everyone is held accountable for their actions. That means pedestrians and bikers need to be fined and controlled!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=839675042 Holly Renee Reinhardt

      Whoa. While I agree with you about cyclists (if cops wrote them tickets as severely as they would for cars, they would OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS), but pedestrians aren't so much a problem. It's VERY easy for a driver to miss a pedestrian, even at an intersection. I know the first time I drove around the neighborhood, it was hard for me, as a driver, to see the intersection clearly because of on-street parking. I don't think drivers can easily see pedestrians sometimes, even at crosswalks. And don't get me started on people that make right/left turns and don't look out for people walking across the intersection!
      My point is that I agree with Ned for the most part, in that as a driver, you NEED to be more careful – but pedestrians, sometimes, really cannot help what's happening on the road.
      If all that makes sense…

    • PayPaul

      This is not a videogame. I loved Carmageddon and killing the peds and other small creatures was the highlight of my day at one time but this is real life. You are in possession of a two ton weapon of mass destruction. I'm not too thrilled about all these little Saddams driving around trying to kill me at a moments notice.

    • PayPaul

      I've lost count of how many times I've seen your kind run through red lights, driving through the “box” at intersections and swerving in manic directions making illegal u-turns. Then of course there are the real 'tards' who smash their semis through overpasses as has been noted in these pages. I do believe people who ascribe to your way of thinking must be either blind or have selective vision. It's not our thumbs that are up our noses that you're seeing. What pedestrians may be doing is flipping you road hogs the finger for nearly running them over or causing a major cardiac infarction.

    • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

      I always AM careful. I have to be. The problem is that pedestrians and bikers feel they are “entitled” and they intentionally take stupid risks knowing that drivers HAVE to pay attention FOR them.

      Nobody can deny this. I see it every day first hand. Pedestrians and Bikers thumb their noses at cars. They only do this because they can. In the eyes of the law they are always right, no matter what. Even if they are jaywalking. It's WRONG. And it's frustrating. The only way it's going to change is if everyone is held accountable for their actions. That means pedestrians and bikers need to be fined and controlled!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=839675042 Holly Renee Reinhardt

      Whoa. While I agree with you about cyclists (if cops wrote them tickets as severely as they would for cars, they would OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS), but pedestrians aren't so much a problem. It's VERY easy for a driver to miss a pedestrian, even at an intersection. I know the first time I drove around the neighborhood, it was hard for me, as a driver, to see the intersection clearly because of on-street parking. I don't think drivers can easily see pedestrians sometimes, even at crosswalks. And don't get me started on people that make right/left turns and don't look out for people walking across the intersection!
      My point is that I agree with Ned for the most part, in that as a driver, you NEED to be more careful – but pedestrians, sometimes, really cannot help what's happening on the road.
      If all that makes sense…

    • PayPaul

      This is not a videogame. I loved Carmageddon and killing the peds and other small creatures was the highlight of my day at one time but this is real life. You are in possession of a two ton weapon of mass destruction. I'm not too thrilled about all these little Saddams driving around trying to kill me at a moments notice.

    • PayPaul

      I've lost count of how many times I've seen your kind run through red lights, driving through the “box” at intersections and swerving in manic directions making illegal u-turns. Then of course there are the real 'tards' who smash their semis through overpasses as has been noted in these pages. I do believe people who ascribe to your way of thinking must be either blind or have selective vision. It's not our thumbs that are up our noses that you're seeing. What pedestrians may be doing is flipping you road hogs the finger for nearly running them over or causing a major cardiac infarction.

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