this is not my attempt to bash our law enforcement....however...

with the sentence above that reads, "salute law-enforcement officers who make nabbing red-light runners their top road patrol priority", is one i must comment on. i have been at intersections where police officers have been the lead car and watched as 4, sometimes up to 6 cars run the red light crossing pine ridge on logan, without doing a single thing but observe. now, perhaps these officers were off duty and on their way home. it could be that while their light was green, the officers did not realize that even with a green light, they could not attempt to cross as 6 other cars were making their way through a light that was red at least 5 seconds. i understand that logan is an incredibly busy street, however, with 3, THREE!! turn lanes onto pine ridge is certainly enough AND the light is long enough to allow for MANY cars. there isn't any reason to run the red light there other than being a selfish, impatient arse.
i don't know the rules on officers off duty in patrol cars on their way home, whether they can stop law breakers or not, if witnessed, so again this is not my attempt at bashing. it is merely a comment on what i have witnessed on many occasions.

i would love to see HEAVY priority given to these law breakers as in doing so, will save lives.

Yada-yada-yada. Still more talk, still no action. The Collier County sheriff could not care less about traffic law enforcement and motorists continue to ignore traffic laws when there's no perceived penalty for doing so.

After four years as a seasonal resident I've seen only one traffic law enforcement trap and that was set up at the RaceTrac on Pine Ridge Road, two years ago, to catch no right turn on red offenders coming off of I-75. That's it for my view of serious Collier County traffic law enforcement.

Where are the Harley's that arrived with fanfare a few years ago? They were supposed to enable deputies to move through traffic and nab offenders. Anybody seen them?

What about the little white lights on the back of traffic lights that are supposed to tell a deputy that the light has turned red so he can nab the runners "downstream"? Anybody seen any offenders stopped lately?

Right turn on red after STOPPING? A joke! STOPPING at STOP signs? Yeah, right. Yuk, yuk. Changing lanes over solid lane markers to gain one postion for the green light? Done all the time! Darting from a through lane to a left turn lane because the light turned red? Done all the time.

When is the last time you saw a hard-nosed TV or newspaper investigative reporter grill the sheriff about getting tough on law enforcement? The sheriff won't lose any sleep over that.

It's all BS folks, because the sheriff doesn't give a blasted and has no fear of oversight. And, despite the ineffectual, howl-of-protest editorial (little more than an obligatory social necessity after a traffic death), the county manager, the commissioners and the residents don't give a blasted either.

So let the carnage and law scoffing continue. After all, it does get you to your destination 60 seconds sooner and that's what's really important.

One of my biggest surprises in moving to Naples was the amount of red light running. I come from the Washington, D.C./Baltimore metropolitan area, and never saw such blatant disregard for red lights. I have quickly learned in my 3 years here that a red light means three more vehicles will cross my path before it is safe to proceed. I had several close callls before I learned the red light pattern of Naples. I can't help but wonder why we put up with it, and even more so, why don't the police crack down on what is a very serious safety feature for all of us? Many cities are installing red light cameras and this seems to be a deterent . . . think of the money Naples and Collier County could make!

cheylin,
To answer your question about a deputy, in a patrol car off duty. The deputy has the authority (for lack of a better term) to pull a car over and enforce any law whether he/she is off or on duty. They have take home cars and can and do enforce traffic laws on the way home. I cannot speak for the deputy you describe above as I wasn't there. But I can tell you that there is a alot of enforcement being done by deputies to and from work everday. There are so many intersections in Collier that they can't possibly be everywhere. You may and may not see it on a daily basis.

upon moving here almost 2 years ago, the first thing my sister told me was to pause at green lights due to the large amount of red light runners. i came here from san antonio...a HUGE city with a HUGE amount of traffic, yet NEVER saw such erratic and unsafe driving as i do here. just as irishmist says above, "it does get you to your destination 60 seconds sooner..."

also, posting the places where law enforcement will be sitting isn't helpful. NDN doesn't want the carnage to stop because they need a story on page 3. i cannot believe that with all the stories going on over this issue, the life that was taken due to a red light runner wasn't first page news. how was this tragedy not as important? let's get a first page issue out..with LARGE letters to grab attention. maybe then i'll read the newspaper rather than using it to line the birdcage.

ts,

thank you...as i mentioned, i wasn't sure of the rules on this and do know that some officers take their vehicles home. i am glad that our officers are allowed to enforce rules while off duty in their patrol cars.
i do understand the amount of intersections here in collier county and that while i might not see the officer in front of me pull over the red light runners there may be one on the other end of town who just pulled over 5.

i hope that stopping these rlr's becomes and remains priority.

~c

I see, in an 0810 NDN update, that today's traffic enforcement sites, in Lee and Collier counties, have been disclosed to the literate public. Well now, how stupid is that? Perhaps the level of intelligence of our Neopolitian newspaper and law enforcement is simply not at the higher level of the rest of the country.

Would it not be more helpful, and more of a deterrant, to keep one's mouth shut as to the locations of stepped-up traffic law enforcement but publish, on the front page, the number of speeders and runners ticketed as a result of the effort? Photos, too, would be effective.

Come on, people! This isn't rocket science, for goodness sakes.

Trust me...it drives everyone crazy. It has been going on in Naples for years and years. I always tell people to pause a few seconds after your light turns green at any intersection. People are in a hurry to get nowhere

irishmist20,

& cherilyn, just on the six car comment

?????????????????????? Where do I start? I guess I'll make it short and sweet. I won't be critical of your lack of understanding, so I guess I will educate you.

First, go to Collier court one day to see for yourself, exactly how many tickets have been issued.

Second, see how many tickets are thrown out by our Magistrates, simply because the officer didn't see the actual red light, but was having to sit there while 6 cars turned in front of him. Yes, it's true, that's why they have to have a spotter standing in the bushes, watching the light and informing deputies of the violators.

Third, why don't you use your negative energy in a positive way! Attend one of Sheriff Hunter's Civilian Academy's. This would increase your knowledge of local law enforcement and show you how much local law enforcement cares about local issues. Who knows, you might even become a proactive leader within our community.

If you haven't noticed, I believe in giving everyone a second chance!

Contacting your state legislators imploring them to enact the bill to allow cameras to take pictures of the red light runners will give CCSO another tool to help deter this very dangerous practice. I posted something about this when a Hospice social worker was killled by a red light runner earlier this spring. I also wrote a letter to the editor emploring them to help spotlight the problem and support this legislation.
While this session is over, it is never too early to contact your state representative and state senator and push for this very important legislation.

I am glad to see others who feel as I do...that this area seems to be especially rife with red light runners! I grew up in a big city with very aggressive drivers but never have experienced such "mean streets" as in this part of the state. Even Tampa during rush hour is better.

Act...call the local offices of the legislators tomorrow AM!