Stepping up police patrols part of new plan
As a result of the July 24 crime meeting, Commander Richard Gentry immediately instituted a 60-day Operational Plan by the MPD which targets the neighborhoods with increased police presence. Patrol cars have been seen around day and night. Comm. Gentry said at the meeting, "Please express to all of your neighbors that the Miami Police Department will ensure our due diligence at the highest caliber in our efforts to curtail crime and promote a safe community," and he was as good as his word.
There was a 12 point plan listed as a partial solution to the crime problem and slowly it is working.
Regarding a police shortage, at the meeting it was brought up that the department was 95 officers down, good news now is that 34 new officers have been hired and another 30 will be hired.
Another pressing issue in the Grove is cars speeding down the streets. Recently an older friend named Pia, was brushed by a car as she was walking home on Tuesday, August 14, approximately 8 pm. She was on Oak Avenue at the intersection of Alamanda.
Pia is a long time, very active resident of Coconut Grove. She was working at the Fire Station on election day and was on her way home after the polls closed. A car suddenly came out of nowhere, speeding down the street and bumped into the bag she was carrying, which caused her to lose her balance and she fell. As the older woman fell, the driver just took off. Pia screamed for help and a neighbor and cyclist came to her rescue, they immediately notified the fire rescue and she was taken to Mercy Hospital with a broken ankle, she had surgery yesterday and will have to go through intensive physical therapy. All because a driver was speeding down the side streets and of course, just kept going after Pia fell.
I park at the Coconut Grove parking lot all the time, on Mary and Tigertail. As I am crossing the street to get to the Mayfair, it's almost impossible. Cars speed down Mary as if they are in a terrible rush, just to get to the stop sign on the corner. They see people standing or trying to cross, but it's a war to see how they could not allow the pedestrian to cross. I would love to see some police cars staked out around the Grove to get these speeders.
A friend, Raphael says, "The reckless driving traffic in the Center Grove has gotten out of control. This is an on-going topic among neighbors; now we need to come together and address this problem with the City for some immediate solutions."
There was a 12 point plan listed as a partial solution to the crime problem and slowly it is working.
Regarding a police shortage, at the meeting it was brought up that the department was 95 officers down, good news now is that 34 new officers have been hired and another 30 will be hired.
Another pressing issue in the Grove is cars speeding down the streets. Recently an older friend named Pia, was brushed by a car as she was walking home on Tuesday, August 14, approximately 8 pm. She was on Oak Avenue at the intersection of Alamanda.
Pia is a long time, very active resident of Coconut Grove. She was working at the Fire Station on election day and was on her way home after the polls closed. A car suddenly came out of nowhere, speeding down the street and bumped into the bag she was carrying, which caused her to lose her balance and she fell. As the older woman fell, the driver just took off. Pia screamed for help and a neighbor and cyclist came to her rescue, they immediately notified the fire rescue and she was taken to Mercy Hospital with a broken ankle, she had surgery yesterday and will have to go through intensive physical therapy. All because a driver was speeding down the side streets and of course, just kept going after Pia fell.
I park at the Coconut Grove parking lot all the time, on Mary and Tigertail. As I am crossing the street to get to the Mayfair, it's almost impossible. Cars speed down Mary as if they are in a terrible rush, just to get to the stop sign on the corner. They see people standing or trying to cross, but it's a war to see how they could not allow the pedestrian to cross. I would love to see some police cars staked out around the Grove to get these speeders.
A friend, Raphael says, "The reckless driving traffic in the Center Grove has gotten out of control. This is an on-going topic among neighbors; now we need to come together and address this problem with the City for some immediate solutions."
posted by Tom Falco at 7:50 AM
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21 Comments:
You can include Bayshore drive, Tigertail, Douglass and Ingraham Highway as roads too many consider race tracks. A friend of mine and I where almost killed Wednesday at 8:15 when pulling out from Plymouth Church heading south a north bound car pulled out and pass a car driving normally. My friend was barely spared and if hit would have nailed me as I was watch all this from my bike. Please enforce our speed limits exactly!!!
A few speed bumps on Mary, Virginia & Matilda would solve the problem
I agree. Many roads in the Grove don't even have sidewalks (or footpaths as I call them). The crossing outside Fresh Market may not even be there, very very few drivers pay heed to the flashing lights when people are trying to cross.
great news about increased police coverage.
so to focus on the traffic issue. What about that traffic circle discussion a year ago for mary/grand intersection?
also I would LOVE to see the road widened on main highway, would make it safer for the cyclists for sure.
Would rumble strips sprinkled periodically (not full blown speed bumps) slow traffic? what are some successful methods used in other cities for traffic abatement/slowing? i've heard those LCD radar things that show your speed are surprisingly effective.
Widen Main Highway?
You mean tear down those pesky Austrailian Pines and Banyan trees and other beautiful jungle foliage that line the road from the Circle to the Grove because a few self important cyclists don't want to use the bike path or any of the (beautiful and car free) alternate roads.
/cyclist in the Grove for over 40 years
//hit and run victim twice in the Grove last year.
/// if the road is not wide enough to let cars pass around you when you are doing 10 mph under the limit please use the BIKE path.
Just wait until the kids are back in school and you have parents rushing to get their kids to school on time because they woke up 15 minutes late.
Anon at 2:09PM
You obviously have no idea about the Laws and rights cyclists have to share the road with cars. You probably have never used a speed, road bike before.
That so called "bike path" is cut a every corner, full of bumps. You need a freeking mountain bike with double suspension to get through, at very low speeds, dodging pedestrians and their dogs.
That's one of the terrible roads we have here, both for cars and other legal vehicles, such as bikes. As a car driver too, bikes certainly have to go single lane there and get the hell out of there to safer places ASAP. That's what most of us do. Meanwhile, by LAW, cars have to keep a 3ft distance away from bikes.
CI
@sledge
Its dangerous during bike times for both drivers and bikers (oncoming traffic doesn't follow rules either).
also agree with you that that "bike path" is laughable. its dangerous for runners with so many divots and holes and such. however, its better than nothing for the runners/walkers.
You know what would be awesome? If more bicyclists respected the law and didn't ride 2 abreast on busy 2 lane roads where passing them is damn near impossible.
Jane you... I mean Sledge, So you're telling me the bike path has too many obstacles and is too slow so get on the road and create those same problems for the vehicles. Brilliant.
I ride an old school Specialized Allez most of the time but also have two Mountain bikes for off-road fun. They are called full suspension, not double suspension. Got my first road bike when I was seven at Dade Cycle in the Grove from Joe Avalos. There is a reason I know about the old Grove Bike Race. ;)
My point is I do have more than a little experience with road bikes and Grove / Miami traffic and I feel that though the "enhanced" police presence will help a little, cyclists need to move when they are an obvious traffic hazard. If you are going 10 mph under the limit please use the bike path. If you are walking and hear a car coming up behind you, step off the road to let it pass. If you're driving, slow the F down. This ain't rocket science folks.
There is also no excuse for a car hitting a pedestrian on our side streets. Share and use a little common sense. This means vehicles, bikes and pedestrians.
Trying to keep it short and focused, Anon 2:09
aka OF
How about SLOWING down. Way to many drivers are speeding. Guess we wait until someone gets killed...like I almost did Wednesday.
And another thing
(steps back on soapbox)
Put the smartphone down. Those texts and tweets and calls will still be there when you turn off your engine/get off your bike/ end your jog or walk around the block.
OF
Anon . August 17, 2012 4:45 PM
You'd mess up even your basic Specialized Allez road bike in no time trying to use that so called "bike path" on Main street, that's if you don't run someone over.
That's not for ROAD bikes. I personally try to avoid the area, and almost quit riding on weedays around here (s. bayshore is also a mess) so I ride early morning on weekends, and take alternative streets when possible, single file on narrow streets, as far to the right as possible to avoid getting hit by cars and as a courtesy, because bikes do have to share the road with cars, and be polite, as well.
But we don't have a choice, we have to use bad streets like Old Cutler, Main, etc, to get somewhere on long trips, and we have the LEGAL RIGHT to go 15-20 or 25MPH on our roads. Cars better chill too.
CI
Oh for F's sake, put a GD speed bump on Oak already. I am so sick of cars speeding down an OBVIOUS side street like it's I-95!!!! I can't tell you how many times I have almost been hit or seen someone else hit by those typical narcissistic a-holes.
You need to be realistic. The roads are too clogged as it is and while there is no need for the excess speeding, no one really gives a damn about your silly biking rights. Not when it's not practical for you to be blocking the road during rush hour and cars are only going at a crawl anyway. YOU are making things worse with your bike. Go to a park or move to China if you don't like it!
Anon at 5:52PM.
Typical example of Ignorance and petulance. Had to be an anonymous..
CI.
My name is Maria P. Hardly anonymous. CI, YOU are the ignorant and petulant one for even complaining about the practical problems of biking on overcrowded roads. And, as I recall, you weren't even remotely reasonable considering the Expo comments and your precious 'water views.'. You have quite the reputation around here for angering people with YOUR petulant, entitled, spoiled views. Please look in the mirror for your problems. It is clear that you are not part of a community's solution.
@sledge- I see your posts and would love to meet you.... I'm a young guy, been in the grove 10 years. Totally disagree with all your comments and arrogance. I'm at 24 Hour Sundays around 8 am, big tattoo on left arm. Come see me, I would love to meet you.
Grape- Keep up the good work!
Maria & Mark: I'm not the one in favor of getting the cyclists off the road, nor I'm the one in favor of blocking rare waterviews.
CI
I am a cyclist - but will chose to comment on the begining of Grape's post. The cops are saying they are down 95 officers, and just hired 34 (great!) They will hire another 30...Do you know how long that takes? Background checks, interviews, polligraphs, you name it. Then police academy. By then, another 50 will have retired, and the shortage will continue.
I have heard it too long - "we are short officers. From Chief O'Brien, Martinez, Timoney,all of them. Those who have been active civically in the Grove in the last 15 years have heard the same bullcrap. And we are still short of officers. To believe them - this time - I would like to hear for facts. How many cops are retiring in the next 12 month; how long will it take to hire the new 30 cops; what will that net us after the end of the year (minus retiring officers). When, precisely when, will the police department be at adequate staffing level?
Then I will believe them.
There are frequent speed traps on Brickell Avenue and Brickell Bay Drive, so we don't we have the same in the Grove. Our neighborhoods have had a 30 MPH speed limit for decades and we get no enforcement, yet the Brickell area gets constant enforcement for their relatively new reduced speed limits. Write our commissioner's office and the Police Dept. demanding enforcement throughout the Grove.
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