DATE: Friday, April 11, 1997                TAG: 9704100171

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 
COLUMN: THE ROAD WARRIOR 

SOURCE: Road Warrior 

                                            LENGTH:  104 lines

RED-LIGHT CAMPAIGN SURVEYORS WATCHING BUSY INTERSECTIONS

Wow. There were 109 calls for bumper stickers last week. That means nearly 300 folks are proclaiming their determination to stop at red lights.

Road didn't get any bumper sticker requests from any City Council members or additional businesses. But, the campaign has hardly begun. In fact, next week will be the official kickoff, where you'll get a glimpse at some very surprising and not so surprising facts about who runs red lights and which city has the highest number of offenders.

Road was out this week sitting in on a monitoring session at an intersection with an Old Dominion University psychology student who is helping gather the numbers for this campaign, which they've dubbed ``Survive The Drive.''

We'll get into the students and their role next week. Road can't divulge which intersection we were watching, but it was busy and during rush hour. Road counted four to five vehicles running the red light every single time the light went through a cycle and that was only in one direction.

If that's not enough to scare you, Road doesn't know what is.

Road almost became witness to an accident when a driver blew through a red light and almost broadsided two other vehicles.

Road was a bundle of nerves just watching the fiasco, Just think, this scenario plays out over and over again, day after day.

If you'd like to take a stand on the issue and want an ``I STOP FOR RED LIGHTS'' bumper sticker, call Road's INFOLINE number, leave your name and address and we'll send one out pronto.

Meanwhile, stay tuned for next week's column where we'll talk about numbers and what they mean for us law-abiding drivers. Parental discretion advised. It isn't pretty.

SNARLS OF THE WEEK

The following people called Road's INFOLINE number with their complaints.

Bonnie Grimstead, no address given. I'm sick and tired of people going down VIRGINIA BEACH BOULEVARD, turning right on the red light at on ROSEMONT Monday through Friday. There are two signs there and you can't miss them. ``No turn on red Monday through Friday between 3 and 5 p.m.''

No one, I mean no one, stops. Who the heck do these people think they are?

RW: Obviously, they're folks with no regard for the law. Happens all the time. Too bad we can't have a cop hanging around at that corner from 3 to 5 p.m. Heck, even a ``dummy'' cop would work. Lots of areas have tried it - mannequins that sit in cop cars. It stops people dead in their tracks. Anyone got an extra dummy hanging around they'd like to donate to the cause?

Bill Stewart, Bishops Gate.I'm calling regarding the intersection of NORTH LYNNHAVEN and LITTLE NECK. There have been numerous accidents at this location. A right from North Lynnhaven Road onto Little Neck requires the driver to turn almost completely around to see if there's any traffic coming. I would suggest that the right-hand turn lane on Little Neck, just prior to this intersection, be made into a right turn lane only with diagonal stripes. This would free the lane then for merging traffic that's coming off North Lynnhaven Road.

RW: Engineers say they're willing to take a look at your idea, which is good. But Road always says, don't bet the farm on the outcome.

Ellen, no address given.Calling to complain about the signal going north on BAKER ROAD at WESLEYAN DRIVE. The left arrow stays on for a half a car to make a turn. I called the city for the last two months and it hasn't changed a bit. Thanks.

RW: Engineers think this signal may be on the bad loop list, which is a list of intersections where the detector under the pavement has gone bad, meaning that the light doesn't cycle right.

John, Salem Woods, I have a question about PARKLAND LANE off INDIAN RIVER ROAD. There's a right turn there at Parkland and the intersection with CENTERVILLE TURNPIKE and after the light it turns into four lanes. Seems like it'd make more sense to make that right turn lane a right or straight lane. I drive this road every morning and I never see anybody turning right into that subdivision.

RW: The lane is a right turn only because there was concern about whether folks would be rear-ended trying to turn right into the neighborhood. In order to protect those turning right into the neighborhood, and there are folks who do it, the lane was designated a right turn only.

Pat McBride, no address given.I just would like to make the observation that the left turn lane on PRINCESS ANNE ROAD turning north onto WITCHDUCK ROAD is too short. The light only allows four or five cars to turn left during the morning rush hour. That's just not enough time to get all the cars through.

Extend that light time limit a little bit longer. It's about the shortest left turn light i've seen in town. Thanks.

RW: If you'll notice, Pat, during rush hour, morning or evening, not every car will clear from either direction on a given light cycle. That's because the intersection is maxed out as far as vehicles go and there's no more time left to give in the cycle. Sorry.

Mr. Pugh, no address given. I ran into my favorite problem on the highways yesterday, I was driving near the straight line and I found myself in the right turn lane.

The arrows need to be put back further because many times the cars are covering them and you can't see and you don't realize you're in the turn lane until it's too late. Some places have them overhead in front of the traffic lights.

RW: Road's noticed that some of the painted arrows are closer to the stop bar than at other intersections. Road's checking to see if there's some sort of uniform distance used when using these pavement markings. Road'll have an answer for you in next week's column.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu