By Charrie Foglio
I recently completed the Coronado Police Department’s 8-week Citizens Police Academy here in Coronado. I highly recommend it to anyone who has the time to attend. I walked out with a greater appreciation and understanding of who our police department are, how they function, what they are up against, and how to defend myself against them (that last part’s a joke…).
I signed up because I was in a quandary over feeling like a prisoner in my own home. Every time I left my house there were at least three police cars pouncing on someone. For the most part, I imagine that it was some poor unsuspecting Islander or Military personnel who didn’t know that it was illegal to do what they were doing. This included parking their car in the same spot for more than 72 hours or hanging a string of macaroni from their rearview mirror. It was my opinion that they lie in wait to accomplish their ticket giving quota.
After completing the course and getting to know many of the fine people at our police station, my anxiety has diminished. I still feel solidly that they teach by ticketing, and that is bad. It creates a bright line distinction between “us and them” and that’s not good any way you slice it. So the only way to beat them at their own game (when it comes to moving violations) is to become knowledgeable of the rules yourself and not break them.
So, I attended this free program, asked many questions and took pages of notes. Below are the points that stood out to me the most.
BICYCLES
The rules of riding a bicycle on the road are the same as driving a car on the road. Bikes must follow the same rules as those written in the Vehicle Code. Which means you must stop at a stop sign, you must ride in the same direction as traffic, you must have your lights on at night, etc. In addition to California’s Vehicle Code, Coronado has its own Municipal code found at our city’s website www.coronado.ca.us. On the website there is a Municipal Code button that will take you to the Coronado Municipal Code. Under Title 56 (TRAFFIC CODE), you will find the additional rules for bicycles (56.08).
You CAN ride your bike on the sidewalk ANYWHERE in the city EXCEPT the business district. I asked what the business district encompassed and was told, “Any area that has a parking meter.” I asked for more detail and was given, “From 6th Street down to the Hotel Del, only on Orange Avenue.” There are also signs on Orange between 1st and 2nd. This information was from Erica in the records department. I know that there are signs so pay attention and that might save you some grief. If you are on Orange, your best bet is to get off of your bike and push it. This does not mean sit on your bike and push it. You can always ride in the road on Orange, but that’s too crazy for me.
You can only have headphones/earbuds in one ear while riding, the other must remain unfettered in case of emergency.
The second most important issue with bikes is to register them. Again, go to https://www.coronado.ca.us/. Click on the tab that says I WANT TO… the next page gives you the option to Apply for Bicycle Registration online. This improves your chance of having it returned to you if stolen. I was told that the thieves are between 30 and 50 years old. I had thought it was kids….my apologies to the younger people.
Also, a U-Lock is a Security Level 5 type of bike lock, much better than a chain lock. You can buy a Kryptonite U-Lock at Walmart for about $18. Your odds of keeping your bike will increase exponentially.
NIXLE
I also learned about Nixle, which is a cellphone text program the police use to notify us (you can also opt in to have emails sent to you). A recent Nixle that came over my phone told me that both lanes of the bridge were closed due to an accident. Then a follow up Nixle alert informed me when the bridge was clear. This was huge, as I was taking someone to the airport. To sign up for Nixle, go to the Message/Text app on your phone and send a message to 888777. Type in our zip code, 92118, and it will connect you to our police department. You will get a text message when there is an issue in town.
TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS
Now on to traffic violations. Most important are the speed limits and stopping at stop signs. A full stop will pull your body back in the seat of your car. If an officer pulls you over, you are to pull over and stop on the right side of the road.
Primarily on 3rd and 4th Streets and Orange Avenue (but everywhere really), you can’t block the intersections. When the Military let out it is done in shifts. So from 3pm to 6pm there’s quite a bit of traffic. When the traffic is backed up all the way down 4th you will get a ticket if you block an intersection. Even with a green light you must stop before the intersection if you would end up stopped within it, until the traffic lightens up and you can move forward past the intersection. This allows crosstown traffic to remain in flux.
When you pull onto one street from another, you need to turn into the closest lane to you, or stay in the same lane you’re in if two lanes both turn to two more lanes. Once turned, you then signal to change lanes. I always swooped over to the second lane if there was room when I was coming onto 4th or Orange – that is a ticket.
If you get a ticket, always fight it. Go to your arraignment and plead not guilty. Officers are mandated to appear, BUT if the court date falls on their day off, then you win and the ticket will be dismissed. If they do show, make a good argument for your actions or ask for traffic school.
You can make a U-turn on your street, IF there is no double yellow line and you are 100 feet away from a moving vehicle. I live in the middle of my block and this was useful information to me.
You need to be no more than 18 inches from the curb when parked at a curb. This keeps you from getting sideswiped and from getting a ticket.
Also, you cannot leave your car in the same place for more than 72 hours. You must move it at least 200 feet every 72 hours. You can back up and put it right back in nearly the same space. If you are there longer than 72 hours and one of your neighbors reports the car, the police will come out and literally draw a square around your tire with chalk, then mark the tire. It will be very obvious. They don’t just mark your tire with a piece of chalk. If it is there three days later in the same chalk square, you will get a ticket, then after that, towed.
If you have a handicapped placard or plate, you do not have to feed the meters. But note that you cannot ever park in the white crosshatch grid lined area NEXT to a handicapped space. That is for loading and unloading of a handicapped vehicle, it is an access aisle, not for parking.
You can’t park at a broken meter. However, if you call them and tell them which meter it is, not only can you park there, but you will not get a ticket. You can pay your meter with a credit card. If you put it in the wrong way, the meter will eat your card. Call the station and they will send someone out to retrieve it. I keep the non-emergency number in my phone — 522-7350.
If you want to go out for a drink, do yourself a favor — walk around the car before you head out and make sure you have everything in working order. No burned out taillights, etc. Eat food with your alcohol and if you don’t have a designated driver, remember that it takes about one hour to burn off a standard shot or a beer. If you get pulled over and refuse to take a test your license is automatically suspended for one month. That was a little ditty in the fine print of your license paperwork at the DMV. There are five sobriety tests available to officers, they usually use about three. Each one they give you is YOUR opportunity to prove that you are not above the legal limit; not their opportunity to give you a DUI. They can determine that you are over the limit practically by sight. If you are on some sort of medication or having a medical issue that might be affecting you and causing you to drive recklessly, tell them. The cost of your first DUI is about $8000 in fees, lawyers and classes.
I was informed that Coronado keeps “pennies” from the monies brought in from fines. The rest goes to CalTrans.
Important to the police is our ability to be a good witness to an event or a crime. If you call something in, give them the time and date of the event. Did suspect have any weapons? Try to remember the suspect from the top down — race, sex, age, clothing, hair, eye color, height, weight and direction of travel. If it had something to do with a car, try to grab the make, model, color and direction. Even a partial plate is better than nothing.
DOGS
It is mandatory that all dog bites are reported to the police department. The hospital reports automatically if you end up in the ER. Also, there is basically a 15 minute allowance where dogs can bark outside. After 15 minutes, the police will come out if called and listen for themselves, then put the owner on notice.
IN CONCLUSION
There was so much helpful information given out during this 8 week program. I really enjoyed the classes and I feel better now knowing what is legal and what is not. I ordered both the most recent versions of the Vehicle Code and the Criminal Code to keep on hand for some light reading…
All the best, and I hope that little bit helps you as much as it helped me.
Charrie Foglio
