Subscriber Comments for
Pedestrian Sting

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 289764	2012-06-20 04:15 PM
To be fair they should do jay walking stings..
COMMENT 289769	2012-06-20 04:22 PM
To be fair, jaywalkers are not responsible for sending car drivers to the hospital on an almost daily basis in SB, and and never responsible for their deaths.
COMMENT 289772	2012-06-20 04:24 PM
What about mental anguish when you hit one? Are they responsible for that?
COMMENT 289775P	2012-06-20 04:26 PM
Good. Let's make the streets safer.
COMMENT 289777	2012-06-20 04:30 PM
I can't believe they DON'T do jaywalking stings here. I've lived a lot of places and the sheer ignorance of the pedestrians/tourists on State St. is unbelievable. They act as though the lights don't exist, just themselves...
COMMENT 289778	2012-06-20 04:35 PM
The SBPD are tricking people into the tickets. What they do is deliberately try and frustrate the drivers. They have someone walk very very slowly through the crosswalk, sometimes talking on a cellphone or looking at a handheld device... I've seen happen twice. It's not about safety... it all about REVENUE!
COMMENT 289795	2012-06-20 05:12 PM
Old Town Hollister is pretty scary for pedestrians. Although I agree with nailing jaywalkers. Lot's of gym rats run across Carrillo from the Saks parking lot during rush hour to get to Spectrum. I can usually dodge them, but I've come close to hitting 3 in five years. That's far too many.
COMMENT 289797	2012-06-20 05:13 PM
Another vote for jaywalking stings! And double the fine if the jaywalker is on their cell phone talking or texting while COMPLETELY ignoring the traffic as they cross the street where ever they feel like it!
ROGER DODGER	2012-06-20 05:17 PM
I love it when the SBPD does these stings..Tricking people? No if motorists drive and obey the traffic laws they will not get a ticket..It's really quite simple.
COMMENT 289800	2012-06-20 05:17 PM
i agree with you @777. there is no regard for the lights downtown. i've almost hit people when its clearly my light and people just dart out of nowhere. wait your damn turn, its only like 20 seconds, you'll live! that and cyclists...they have no regard for lights either. people are in such a hurry these days. slow down.
REXOFSB	2012-06-20 05:26 PM
And how about stings for bike riders who blow through the red lights in the middle of the blocks on downtown State Street? One recent afternoon while I was waiting for someone for 15 minutes near the mid-block light on State between Figueroa and Carrillo, not one of the eight (8) bikes I saw that went by stopped for the light after it had changed to red. It really is remarkable that no pedestrians have been killed or seriously injured by these irresponsible bicyclists.
COMMENT 289769	2012-06-20 05:31 PM
772: You mean the mental anguish that you experience when you realize that you were speeding and/or not paying attention and your actions have caused irreversible damage to another human being? That must be a total drag, but there's a very easy way to avoid it: just don't drive like an idiot, especially in residential neighborhoods or downtown SB. .
COMMENT 289775P	2012-06-20 06:01 PM
And SBPD, here's another great revenue source: ticket the taxis that park in the Downtown Shuttle's bus stops up and down State st.
COMMENT 289834	2012-06-20 06:19 PM
Another vote for jaywalking stings and stiffer fines especially for those who cross against a red light. Not defending bad drivers but peds can stop on a dime while moving vehicles cannot, even at 15 mph! But they choose not to. Another consequence of helicopter parenting.
COMMENT 289764	2012-06-20 06:31 PM
@772 what if a jay walker steps in front of my car and I have to swerve into the the car next to me to avoid and I go to the hospital or die because of the accident?
COMMENT 289769	2012-06-20 06:35 PM
When that happens, I'll play the world's tiniest violin for you, and you'll be eternally grateful that because you were riding in 2 tons of metal, you only caused damage to a couple of vehicles and didn't take anyone's life.
COMMENT 289879	2012-06-20 08:00 PM
how about all the bike riders that blow thru the stop sign at Tunnel rd. and Mission Canyon Rd.? It's been 20 yrs. of this.
COMMENT 289895P	2012-06-20 08:43 PM
For goodness sakes people, calm down. It is not unreasonable for the police to set up stings to make sure drivers stop and allow pedestrians to safely cross the street. It does not matter if the pedestrian takes longer to cross the street than we think they should. I agree pedestrians and bikers need to be monitored as well. Not quite sure why they don't do that it, that would definitely make the city some money. It would be a show of good faith to be fair to all citizens as well. No matter what it is not a trap or a trick. If you do not stop and allow a pedestrian to cross the street you are breaking the law and deserve the ticket. Take responsibility for your actions and stop acting like a victim. Also to all of us who still drive cars, we really should petition the council to have the police get the bicycle riders and pedestrians under control as well so we are not feeling like targets.
COMMENT 289905	2012-06-20 09:50 PM
I agree, too, that there should be stings for people riding their bikes and/or skateboards in the crosswalks. They can move so fast that a vehicle driver doesn't see them mainly because, I believe, that the crosswalk is a designated space for people to WALK in to CROSS the road. People riding bikes on sidewalks is also dangerous. Perhaps the reason why the stings are targeted at people driving cars is because they have 'deeper pockets' to pay the fines. Just a thought...
COMMENT 289935	2012-06-21 07:08 AM
I'd like to see the police set up two video cameras on any busy intersection...let's say Carrillo and Chapala. One video camera is looking at the driver and the other is looking at the license plate. A cop can monitor the drivers remotely and when he sees a driver talking or texting on a cell phone, he hits a save button which permanently records that snippet of video. Then issue the tickets. I would guarantee you that 95% of the tickets would go to women under the age of 25.
COMMENT 289936	2012-06-21 07:08 AM
One sting at a time... sting drivers today then tomorrow go after jaywalkers then the next day focus on bike riders that run red lights and then please set up stings for all of them at once. It WILL increase revenue and will decrease pedestrian vs car, bike vs car and bike vs pedestrian accidents. It's a win win for all if SBPD can focus on ALL of the issues, that is the only way that real results will be seen! Do it starting now and do it all summer, our city will make a fortune off the tourists because they are BIG offenders, especially downtown where they are turning the wrong way onto our one way streets!!!
COMMENT 289943	2012-06-21 07:15 AM
I don't think we should be worrying so much about the "slightly illegal" activities of people who are for the most part risking their own neck doing what it is they are doing. If a jaywalker gets hit, chances are only the jaywalker will be hurt. Same is true for a skateboarder in the bike lane. Caveat Peccator. But when it comes to peds legally crossing in crosswalks, drivers need to be aware. And these stings raise awareness.
COMMENT 289949	2012-06-21 07:26 AM
Last I saw the police decoy was wearing a bright orange vest that said police. If you see someone like that waiting to cross, I suggest you come to an immediate stop no matter where you are. I'd like to invite the police to come over to the westside along Mission. The speed limit is 25 mph but almost no one goes that slow. There is only one crosswalk at Modoc for the La Cumbre kids to to use to cross Mission, even though Gillespie is supposed to be a "safe street" for the kids to use to get to school. When I'm walking my dogs, crossing Mission is always an adventure.
COMMENT 289956	2012-06-21 07:38 AM
Commenters: SBPD just did a similar sting back in April, and you voiced all of these exact arguments and concerns back then.
ARCHIE	2012-06-21 08:01 AM
I grew up in San Francisco. I remember a patrolcar being stationed at Union Square with a microphone to embarass any wayward pedestrian. "Lady! In the red coat! You're not in the pedestrian crosswalk!" And the lady would cringe with lowered head while making a beeline for the opposite curb. Seems so benign now.
COMMENT 289972	2012-06-21 08:11 AM
We have a "Crosswalk to nowhere" it lands the school children right into someone front yard and if they skirt around out of the neighbor's yard they land in head-on traffic. Who thought THAT was a good idea? I'll post it one day. Mental anguish. It is stressful to run someone over. Both people that I know, the drivers, were in the right and they were still stressed about it for over a year. An elderly man that exited between cars died.
COMMENT 289936	2012-06-21 08:32 AM
There are a lot of bad streets in this city where cars use side streets like mini-freeways but in reality those streets are where families with children live so the risk is higher than a ped may dart into the street. As a driver, even if it is their fault for running out in front of me with no warning, I would still be in mental anguish if I hit someone and they were injured or killed. It would have a long term impact on me, even if I did not suffer physical harm. Sure wish that everyone would just follow the rules!
COMMENT 290007	2012-06-21 09:07 AM
No, TRUTHTELLER, it's not because people driving cars have deeper pockets, it's because cars kill, and are far more numerous than bicycles. Also, the police DO patrol for bikes and skateboards on sidewalks and there was a recent article that mentioned Kasi Beutel specifically ... google it ... Feb 29 in the Independent.
ROGER DODGER	2012-06-21 09:09 AM
I just rode my bike in the bike lane and shared it with two motorists near the roundabout. There was acouple peds that walked out in front of me too..I obeyed all traffic laws.
COMMENT 290020	2012-06-21 09:17 AM
895, we are all born different, whereas I have an overly abundant sense of concern for others, there are people who just don't give a crap. Live with it.
COMMENT 290023P	2012-06-21 09:21 AM
Please teach your children, and remind your friends and family, to stop at curbs; look around, especially for cars turning right or left into your crosswalk when you are standing on a curb waiting to cross; and keep your eyes on cars all the time you are crossing the street. A crosswalk is not a magic safe zone. Any driver at any time can put his foot on the wrong pedal, or get distracted, or have sun in his eyes, or suddenly become ill. We need to have proactive pedestrians as well as watchful drivers.
COMMENT 290059	2012-06-21 10:12 AM
Archie, that is AWESOME! I wish we would start doing things like that again.
COMMENT 290060	2012-06-21 10:12 AM
I vote for bicycle traffic traps--there are way too many irresponsible cyclists out there making the rest of us look bad. Bicyclists must obey traffic laws too--I'll bet a lot of the ones that get hit by cars are because they're riding stupid.
COMMENT 290075P	2012-06-21 10:41 AM
I think these stings would be more effective if they were not advertised ahead of time. So many times, while using the sidewalk, my dog and I have been just about plowed over by impatient or careless drivers. I hope they will cite bicyclists and those on boards on the sidewalk.
COMMENT 290102	2012-06-21 11:40 AM
Archie: Your comment is hilarious and the thing that rings so true to me is that for some of us to learn we have to be shamed. Getting stopped by a cop is embarrassing, being called out on a bullhorn in public is embarrassing. Certainly pops the "bubble of isolation" many of us travel around in. So the Pedestrian stings and the DUI check points will go on because that's the only way some of us will learn-- the hard way.

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