Community Corner

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: SJC's Bad Drivers

Author complains of red-light running and intersection blocking all over town. She calls for more vigilant traffic enforcement.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This letter was originally addressed to San Juan Capistrano City Manager Karen Brust.

Dear Ms. Brust:

It is unavoidable that an increase of population and an increase in large construction projects will affect traffic adversely. I realize this and do my best to be patient in congested areas of town.

I am writing you, however, because others apparently are not so patient, and are increasingly ignoring traffic laws. It is now to the point where at every major intersection I encounter, there is ALWAYS someone running a red light.  It's a guaranteed event, so I pause before entering the intersection (as a driver or as a pedestrian) to avoid a collision.

Another increasing problem is drivers blocking intersections: insisting on entering an intersection they cannot clear, thus remaining in the center of the intersection when the light has changed and preventing the cross traffic from moving.

Adding to the free-for-all attitude on the road are more mundane, yet also dangerous and very common, issues such as texting while driving, refusing to yield the right of way and driving in bike lanes.

I understand that budgets are tight and we must carefully allocate our limited law enforcement resources to the most-needed areas. But as our streets are gradually turning to anarchy, I would like to request that traffic enforcement might increase in priority.

Thank you for your attention,

Corinna Henson

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