The Irvine Police Department will post a sobriety checkpoint in the area of Culver Drive and Barranca Parkway tonight from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
“The checkpoint will be clearly marked and vehicles will be selected for further screening on a pre-set basis to ensure objectivity,” states an Irvine PD news release. “Motorists will be greeted and given information about the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Trained officers will direct suspected impaired drivers to a secondary area for further evaluation. Most motorists will experience little or no delay.”
In addition, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) will conduct bike and pedestrian safety enforcement operations in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, June 1, and in Dana Point on Monday, June 3.
On those days, Sheriff’s Deputies will pay extra attention to drivers that speed, make illegal turns, fail to stop for signs and signals, and don’t yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. They’ll also watch for pedestrians and bicycle riders who don’t follow the rules of the road.
“Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities are rising in California as more people use these non-motorized means of transportation,” states an OCSD news release. “Locally, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has investigated 759 fatal and injury collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists during the past three (3) years. In 2013, California witnessed 701 pedestrians and 141 bicyclists killed, accounting for more than 28 percent of all traffic fatalities.”
Funding for all these enforcement operations comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety.
Anthony Pignataro has been a journalist since 1996. He spent a dozen years as Editor of MauiTime, the last alt weekly in Hawaii. He also wrote three trashy novels about Maui, which were published by Event Horizon Press. But he got his start at OC Weekly, and returned to the paper in 2019 as a Staff Writer.
How about using turn signals!!!!!!!! It’s a moving violation to not use signals as you drive. Guess what. Most Don’t not even police officers.
Enforce the law or get rid of it
“They’ll also watch for pedestrians and bicycle riders who don’t follow the rules of the road.”
I’m glad they are also checking bicycle riders. They don’t like to slow down so I ALWAYS see them running stop signs and red lights. Plus bicylists are so schizophrenic.. they assume they are motor vehicles on the road but at traffic lights they act like pedestrians never stopping and riding through crosswalks. They need to be held accountable as well! And they don’t wear a helmet so if they are injured the liability costs skyrocket. p.s. I also ride a bike and I wear a helmet and I follow the rules.
Go Irvine PD make Irvine the safest city in America. F yeah!
Read the article. Irvine PD is not doing bike checks. San Juan Capistrano is.
I am a frequent visitor to South Orange County, and I constantly see people breaking the law!
It’s so frustrating because I am from Pound Town and there is such a vast difference between the people here and there.
Everyone there is courteous and follows the rules of the road, and I feel like people here could look to the people of the town of Pound to mimic what a good citizen looks like.
If more people went to Pound Town, the world would be a better place.
http://www.city-data.com/city/Pound-Virginia.html
The (unofficial) motto of the city of Irvine: “Expect delays”. The city where bicyclists (legally motorists) ride on sidewalks and pedestrians (runners) use the bike lanes (both illegal). The city where bicyclists push the crosswalk button even when a long line of cars are waiting and are sure to trip the signal. Where motorists wait 30 seconds for “pedestrians” on two wheels to cross a street in the pedestrian crosswalk.