Traffic enforcement pays off in many, many ways
Last Friday, we saw something that’s never occurred in Hamtramck.
The Police Department set up a check lane, so to speak, on Jos. Campau in front of Glory Market to see if drivers and their passengers were wearing seatbelts. It’s not unusual for state police to beef up traffic enforcement during Memorial Day weekend, but it’s pretty much unheard of in Hamtramck.
Considering Hamtramck’s limited budget, we would not expect extra officers on patrol during the weekend. But the city now has two officers assigned specifically to traffic patrol. Subsequently, more and more drivers have been ticketed for all sorts of traffic offenses.
That’s a breath of fresh air.
For some reason, Hamtramck drivers are some of the worse in the metro area. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, someone comes up with yet another outrageous move.
Some of our “favorites” include swerving first left to make a right.
Done suddenly of course.
Or passing at a high speed on the right side of the lane.
Or stopping suddenly to make a turn.
Or riding your bumper.
Or speeding through a red light without a care in the world.
Or, driving as slow as possible.
Well, you get our point.
The way we figure it, in a few more years of aggressive traffic enforcement, Hamtramck may be a decent place to once again drive.
One Response to Traffic enforcement pays off in many, many ways
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Roger
June 9, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Well I lived in Detroit for 2 years and I learned real quick how to survive driving on the streets there. Trust me this is no joke.
In Detroit the first rule is you keep moving. all stops must be rolling stops or outright veering around slow cars/pedestrians/police cruisers.
Yield signs are just targets, Stop signs are yield signs and Red lights are optional.
If the person in front of you seems to slow down with no brake lights and no signals they are making a left. If they brake then either they are making a right turn or braking because of the person that they were tailgating suddeny slowed down andy they will most likely go around them on the right(al though sometimes on the left) so if you see brake lights, slow down and watch the other cars around you.
At night, headlights are optional, and many a car has no taillights at all even though the headlights are functional.
Pedestrians in detroit seem to learn from an early age to ignore traffic and flashing lights. they will suddenly walk in front of you, slow down when crossing to make sure you know they dont care and if you flash your lights or honk they stop until they are satisfied you have been thoroughly ticked off. It is reminescent of a certain video game…
Some of these habits seem to be trickling into Hamtramck.