A Case in Point

Two days ago, I was coming home from downtown Miami.  I take I-95 north to 103rd St, come north on 6th Ave, and turn right on 119th St.

As I was approaching the intersection of 6th Avenue and 119th St, I could very clearly see an accident that occurred in the southbound lane of 6th Ave at 119th St.  BP police were there by then, and I couldn't tell if anyone was hurt.  There was obvious damage to two cars, though.

The lackadaisical habit BP police have of being on their shifts is either staying in the Administration Building, two cruisers facing in opposite directions so the officers can yack with each other in Griffing Park, a cruiser facing north in the break in the median at 116th St, or, as was true today, a cruiser sitting in the 119th St median at the intersection with 9th Ave.

The closest any of these come to considering in any way speeding on 6th Ave, which has always been our problem street, is the north-facing cruiser in the median at 116th St.  But the possible problematic driving that might have caused the accident I saw at 119th St already happened, and those two cars were never going to get to 116th St.

This is not "your father's BP."  No one makes a serious attempt to patrol our streets -- certainly not our most problematic one -- and, for what it's worth, as many times as I have raised the issue, the "Don't Even Think About Speeding" signs never re-appeared.  You could argue that's just as well, because apart from the signs, we don't give anyone reason to think we're serious.

As I said, 6th Ave has always been our worst street, in terms of speeding.  Sixth Ave is owned by the state, which has made clear they weren't going to allow us to lower the speed limit (although what difference would it make if we did, since we make no meaningful attempt to enforce whatever limit there is), and they're not going to install yet another traffic light after 125th and 123rd, and before the one at the bridge.

The fact that our police don't seem to care, which is a direct or indirect reflection of the fact that our recent succession of "managers" don't care, has cost an increasing number of drivers their vehicles, their health, and in one case, his life.  (I'm not including the recent road rage incident that was almost assuredly unstoppable by anyone.)

We have a problem.  It's a big problem, and it's increasing.  Anyone who lives on the north part of 6th Ave in the Park will tell you about this problem.  Most directly, our problem is a police chief who's uninterested.  Less directly, it's "managers" who are uninterested.  But ultimately -- the place where the buck stops -- it's Commissions that are uninterested.  They need to get a better manager, and make sure everyone knows which end is up.  This, as I said, would require them to care -- about this! -- and I have no evidence that they do.

They don't care about bad driving on 6th Ave, or enforcement, or accidents, or the medians.  So about what do they care?  "McMansions?"  Not impressive.  I don't care if someone lives in a larger, newer, nicer house than mine.  And I don't care what genre of architecture it is.  But I do care if the streets I and the rest of us have to drive are safe, and I care very much that no one runs into me or anyone else.  We need active patrolling, especially up and down 6th Ave, and we need those signs back.