Comments
I did NOT report the incident. The only thing injured was my pride. I would be just as happy if this person and his friends just faded away as I'm sure they will, being renters who probably don't pay rent regularly. The problems continue as evidenced by the black "burnout" marks all over the street on the blacktop. I completely agree with "Lexington Ave". I don't condone the police "cracking heads", but I think that is the only language these people speak. We need appropriate action taken here!
On Thursday, May 24th, I was threatened and assualted by a neighbor for reporting incidents of speeding and racing cars to NHPD. I was told if I report what happened, I will have to move from my home.
For whatever reason Dover St is one of the only ones I can think of in Fair Haven that is newly paved from beginning to end (Clinton to Ferry). I'm not complaining about that, it's just it's an obvious great place to speed for anybody looking to do so. NHPD has certain policies which the average citizen would probably nice be in agreement with if we knew about it. One of them is not pursuing bikers that race around the streets with impunity. I KNOW from speaking to certain police officers this is a policy of the former Chief that is carried over with the new Chief - their names escape me this moment. Another is probably running radar traps to catch speeders and yet another is the use of unmarked police cars.
Dover St. needs speed bumps. Period.
Because I am re-opening it on another issue
The New Haven Traffic & Parking Dept is more in favor of installing moveable speed limit signs. I will bring this issue up to #15 Alderman and see if it can be approached a different way.
Now that the brown Toters have been added to every residence there are even MORE!! Obviously the City is not in favor of this issue, therefore it will not change.
Because no action is being taken by NHPD on this issue. I will open a similar issue so it will be in front of their eyes again.
I agree with this as well. These buses also have a lot to contribute to the city's traffic problems. Because the traffic lights are not sychronized for optimum traffic flow, they make things even worse not only by stopping in the middle of the street, they also drive way below the speed limit. It's like riding behind a slow moving amusement park ride designed for little kids!
Thanks NHPD for your appropriate action over here.
I'm not trying to bait you guys at all with this response, but the fact is this is a cop who is trained professionally in driving techniques. If he was right on somebody's bumper, I'm sure he had a good reason ie: the person driving cut off somebody, maybe the cop himself, ran a red light, whatever. Sometimes cops make their presence known without actually pulling someone over and issuing a ticket. I've had it happen to me and I appreciate them reminding me they are hear without giving me a ticket! Maybe this was the case here. Probably.
As a resident in this neighborhood, I wish to thank NHPD for promptly closing the auto repair/dismantler operating from the above address. Several people on the block have been complaining about this issue because of the noise and especially cars racing on Dover St. There have been many "near misses" with other vehicles traveling on the street, parked vehicles, pedestrians, pets, etc. It was an accident waiting to happen and dangerous to say the least.
On a related note, personally, I am tired of seeing these little buzz-box cars driving on our streets and ignoring traffic laws with complete impunity! I implore the New Haven Police Dept. to crack down on noise, speed, registration, insurance, equipment violations for the upcoming summer. We need the roads to be safe and we are entitled to enjoy Fair Haven without having to deal with this issue...
Re "S" I'm responding because of your comment about being here for 21 years. I am here just about 2 years. PART of the problem from my perspective are people that have lived here a long time and see how much better Fair Haven has gotten relative to 10-15 years ago. Supposedly quality of life has improved 100% around here. We can't rest on our laurels. Former area manager Casanova is a perfect example. At a neighborhood meeting one night last year, he said something to the effect 'if all I have to worry about is motorcycles doing wheelies, we are doing our job well' He was making referance to traffic infractions as compared to murders/robberies/etc that used to take place regularly. New people don't know this history personally, only what they hear. Everybody needs to keep pushing to make this a better place (including NHPD), as now traffic infractions and quality of life 'violations' are not acceptable.
A little further down Front St ok, but not into the Q-River as the graphic suggests.
I've seen many comments about Ms. Johnson - good and bad. I don't know her but all I can say is it must be a tremendously difficult job. For me it would be. I would have a house full of dogs! Pretty sure Ms. Johnson must love animals otherwise she wouldn't be at Animal Control. One must become hardened in that job and it probably comes off as not caring.
Thanks for that Emma. I posted something that I know is a MAJOR concern with a lot of my neighbors and in the general community. Instead of just saying "Speeding Bikers" (again) as it's been posted a hundred times here, I gave a whole account of something that occurred. I guess I was hoping somebody at NHPD would read the comments and see the general population is not in favor of their policy of "NO PURSUITS" due to the obvious results. Beyond that I'm not sure where to take this.
guest - most people pull over when a police car comes after them with lights flashing. The cops KNOW this group of bikers will not stop, they flee. So they call it a pursuit before it even happens is my guess.
Re J:
I could have written your letter. Your frustration is obvious. I live on Dover St and it is used primarily as a pass-through between Clinton and Ferry and vice-versa. The amount of traffic is far greater than those just living on Dover. Fine, it's not against the law to use a street. However I would have to say the average speed is WELL ABOVE what's posted and probably averages 40-40mph. Each day there are many people with nothing better to do (I guess) than do laps around the neighbvorhood (I know because sometimes I have nothing better to do than watch!) and part of this is I think is racetrack circuit seems to be driving crazy fast on Dover. Many I'm sure are exceeding 60-70 mph!! I've complained to the police - it seems natural they would hide behind a fence on the street and try to verify what I'm saying. It is a truly dangerous situation many times. Alderman Rodriguez used to get involved in this issue, however I think it is on the back-burner. If NHPD reads this I am requesting again this speeding problem be looked into on Dover St as well. I would like to see speed bumps placed in the street at regular intervals.
The "phenomenon" we see is caused by lax traffic enfocement.. I was a "victim" of it myself the other day when I got nailed doing 56 in a 25 zone on Whitney Ave. Just zipping along like everybody else. We all got pulled over. I understand there is no incentive for New Haven to enforce New Haven traffic laws on a regular basis because all dollars go to the state. Maybe that needs to change? When driving through New Haven, people seem to be making up their own rules of the road. Almost like one of those foreign countries with NO traffic laws - if you know what I mean.
People need to walk a little faster.
Biking is SUCH a valued means of transportation by SO many in New Haven (many of whom freely share their opinions here and a great many other locally read electronic publications) that CT Dept of Transportation hardly needs to push the idea. But still, a nice little idea.