Questions and Answers About Your Commute : Peace Officers Free to Ticket on Freeway

Dear Traffic Talk:

I’ve noticed that when there are sheriff’s or police cars driving alongside regular traffic on the freeways, timid drivers will not go around the officers, who often are going too slow for the proper flow of traffic.

I never go around those officers, either, for fear of getting a ticket.

Can agencies aside from the CHP cite drivers on the freeways?

Joseph Coles

Sylmar

Dear Joseph:

Speeding in the presence of any peace officer can result in a citation, according to Sgt. Ernie Garcia, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

First, police officers and sheriff’s deputies driving on a freeway in their coverage area can cite speeders, Garcia said.

Secondly, officers driving on a freeway outside their coverage area can radio CHP officers if a crime--including speeding--occurs in their presence, Garcia said.

Requesting a CHP officer when observing a speeder amounts to a citizen’s arrest, something that any officer or private citizen can do, he said.

CHP officers, on the other hand, have the power to cite on any freeway, state or county road or city street, he said.

Dear Traffic Talk:

I am a tenant in an office building located at 11712 Moorpark St. in Studio City.

The building has four retail stores to the east and an apartment complex and a nursery school to the west.

Cars are parked along the curb day and night, except in front of the nursery where there is a yellow zone.

It is hard to see oncoming vehicles when cars are parked to the west of our building. When vans are there, the view is completely blocked.

All tenants leaving our building move their cars with extreme caution, hoping that when the front section of their vehicle protrudes just enough to get a glimpse of the onslaught of traffic moving eastbound, they will have time to put their cars in reverse to avoid getting hit.

And the cars trying to beat the signal at the intersection only exacerbate the situation.

It is life-threatening to drive out of the building at the spur of a second.

Making the curb to the west of our building a red zone will give all tenants a clear view of the heavy traffic and protect our lives.

Rolf Eis

Studio City

Dear Rolf:

Measurements taken at the indicated address do not justify a red zone, according to David Tam, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

The agency’s measurements show that the property has a 28-foot driveway, a curb lane of 21 feet and is approximately 120 feet from the intersection, Tam said.

Given the measurements, inspectors were able to exit the driveway safely several times, he said.

Tenants should be able to use the wide curb lane to inch out and see oncoming traffic, he said, as well as to use the pause in traffic when the signal turns red for Moorpark Street at Colfax Avenue to make a right turn out of the driveway.

The area has a high demand for parking, and installation of a red curb would adversely affect businesses, Tam said.

Traffic Talk appears Fridays in The Times Valley Edition. Readers are invited to submit comments and questions about traffic in the Valley. Please write to Traffic Talk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Include your full name, address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted. To record your comments, call (818) 772-3303. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to [email protected]