We have a radar trailer which is deployed daily somewhere in South City, usually in some neighborhood where there have been numerous complaints of speeding vehicles. The trailer is usually deployed by a Community Service Officer (CSO). It just so happened that the CSO was off and the radar trailer deployment gets left to yours truly.
I stop the SUV I'm towing this trailer with at the reported "hot spot" of felonious speeders. As I'm unhitching the radar trailer I heard a voice behind me, "Are you going to leave that 'thing' parked here in front of this house?" I turn around, not knowing whether this is the home owner or a passerby.
And here's how the dialog continued;
2WT; "Yeah."
Anonymous Citizen (AC); "Right here in the street in front of his house? What if the home owner wants to park in front of their house?" (In a condescending tone of voice)
2WT; "That's right, the last time I checked this was a public street and it looks to me that this house has a driveway and three car garage for the homeowner. But when I get back to the office I'll check and see if the residents of this area have privatized this roadway with them bearing the responsibility of maintaining it."
AC; "Isn't it against the law to park next to a fire hydrant?"
2WT; "Typically yes, if its parked less than 15' from the hydrant. The trailer is 15' 1" away so we're good." and for good measure I threw in a little white lie, "The section applies to motor vehicles and this isn't."
Now it is beyond me that this idiot was complaining about where a radar trailer is parked, especially when it's at that location purposely to slow down drivers in the area and to remind them that the posted speed limit is 25 mph not 40 mph.
The only thing this scene was missing was gas lamps for street lights, snow, the old geezer wearing a tall black top hat, scarf. long coat and saying "Bah Humbug."
See ya Ebeneezer !
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Uh-huh... I don't suppose there's a correlation between the excessive speeding complaints from a given area and the excessive bitchiness of the people residing in the same area, eh? ;-)
ReplyDeleteBesides, 99% of the time, 40 in a 25 is perfectly safe as long as the driver is in compliance with VC22350
Safe possibly, but not legal. I'm not from the States but from my reading of VC22350 it serves to lower a set speed limit if its not safe to drive at, ie the 25 limit if visibility is 20 yards
ReplyDeleteJust checking on ya. Be safe. Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteA RADAR trailer with display was parked in my neighborhood some months ago. Main Lady and I are out walking the dog when a police unit passes us. Now, the speed limit here is 25. I watch the official police unit roll down the street with the hammer down, the speed recorded on the display: 20, 35, 45, 50, 53... then sharply drop as the unit approaches the trailer.
ReplyDeleteA policewoman gets out and hooks up the trailer then hauls it away, shattering speed limits while she departs. Hot date, I guess.