Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Highway 1 traffic congestion, ambulance collision


  Ambulance hit head-on, on Highway 1
between Rockaway and Crespi
Pacifica Tribune/Elaine Larsen, Editor and Publisher, 4/8/14.  "Police Beat."

"Vehicle vs. Ambulance collision on Highway 1.

An ambulance racing to the hospital with a patient aboard was forced to drive the wrong way on Highway 1 due to traffic congestion late last month. While traveling north in the southbound lane it was hit head-on by a vehicle near the crest of the hill between Rockaway Beach Avenue and Crespi Drive. 

There were no injuries, but a second ambulance had to come to take the patient to the hospital. Police said the driver was apparently taken by surprise when confronted by the wrong-way ambulance." Read more, (includes other selected items from the police beat).

Note:  photo/text from Missouri injury attorneys blog.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

40 comments:

Hutch said...

This is the kind of thing Todd Bray, Pete Loeb and the rest of the GANG OF NO keep saying never happens.

Evidently it happens quite often.

Anonymous said...

If you look over over on Riptide, Todd Bray, was saying that Hutch made this all up.

Someone owes someone an apology.

Anonymous said...

Hutch, an over zealous ambulance driver creating a public hazard reaps a terrible reward for public safety from this tragedy between Crespi and Rockaway, not Rockaway and Vallamar as you so often imagine. I'm sure the ambulance driver is not driving ambulances any more.

Kathy Meeh said...

216, so now you're blaming an ambulance driver trying to get a critically ill patient through congested traffic. And you've diverted the location, with dispersions about the driver.

A reasonable assumption may be that such comments (as your 216 comment) are hapless, evil, or just clueless.

Public safety includes fixing the known 30 year identified highway 1 bottleneck congestion problem. And after all the research and studies, the Caltrans answer is to widen the 1.3 mile affected highway by adding exit and access lanes. Let's support the logical solution, and reject the NIMBY BS.

Anonymous said...

Can we pick new teams? Wrong way at the top of the hill between Crespi and Fassler? That detail got lost in the euphoria. Fast and loose with the facts, again?

Chris Porter said...

The ambulance driver was trying to do the best job possible for the Park Pacifica resident in trying to get to a hospital. Who cares if it is between Crespi and Fassler or Fassler and Reina del Mar. The traffic is what disallowed the driver from using the quickest route which would have been Fassler Avenue and the Highway 1 traffic just compounded it. It is really getting quite disgusting that people who never travel this route have so much to say about the congestion being minimal or a driver being too zealous. If your loved one was in the ambulance, would you still be saying this and what about the rule saying if an ambulance has a siren on and flashing lights, move to the side of the road no matter what side of the road he is driving on. Come on...again, the same people who said Peebles could not build in the Quarry because we already had too much traffic now say with the increase
in the Tunnel traffic on the Highway we don't have any traffic.

Anonymous said...

Hey genius 314, the traffic was backed up from the BOTTLENECKS at Fassler and Vallemar. It backs up every morning almost to Crespi

Anonymous said...

Backed up right now.

Anonymous said...

Class, here is today's assignment:

Any proposed Caltrans plan MUST conform to the Pacifica Local Coastal Land Use Plan which states in part: highway improvements should also increase the safety of existing intersections along SR 1.

Please explain how doubling the width of the highway at Reina Del Mar will increase the safety of the dozens of elementary school children who must cross it twice each day.

Students who answer using the words "NIMBY," "Gang of No," "naysayer" or "Peter Loeb" will receive an immediate failing grade.

Anonymous said...

6:57

People who are smart enough to cut through the smoke and mirrors know how many millions of dollars of revenue these people cost the city.

Think taxes are high now. Wait till they float another 30 million for the library and another 50 million for the poop plant.

Wait it gets better wait till the city files Chapter 9.

Anonymous said...

657 Who made you teacher?

To answer your question, adding dedicated turn and onramp lanes makes both intersections safer for everyone. Alleviating traffic makes it safer. Allowing room for emergency vehicles make it safer.

Anonymous said...

719 You didn't mention traffic, ambulances, or widening even once in your response. It's not about cars for you, is it? Right to the heart of the matter. Bravo!

Anonymous said...

657 To answer your question, adding dedicated turn and onramp lanes makes both intersections safer for everyone. Alleviating traffic makes it safer. Allowing room for emergency vehicles make it safer. Hippie.

Anonymous said...

8:29

I am a stoned Sanchez Art Center hippie. I am so wasted and forgot what we were talking about.

Anonymous said...

Class, I am very dissappointed in you all. No one has demonstrated how doubling the width of the highway will result in increased safety for those children who must cross it every morning and afternoon.

I am sorry, but "It will be safer because it will be safer" is not an acceptable answer.

Grade: F

Kathy Meeh said...

657-927 playing teacher, having fun at other people's expense? Yet, your artificial scare question belongs at Caltrans. Too Complicated? Grade F, talk to your union, meantime you're fired.

BTW, you said "dozens of elementary school children.. must cross it (meaning highway 1) twice each day". Really? Isn't that the location of the city waste water treatment plant, and not much else.

If parents are dropping off and picking up children there, that's still a long way from school. With the new highway construction, there will be access and exit lanes, plus traffic lights of course. Probably no need to drop-off or pick-up children that far away from school. Even so, the elementary school would likely work with Caltrans and the city to adjust. Another inquiry for you now that you have more time.

Anonymous said...

School kids and others do use that bus stop across from Vallemar station on the highway.

Kathy Meeh said...

1102, thanks, not my world. Too bad the City and School District can't afford school buses for elementary age school children-- another City economic inadequacy (with an economic development solution not addressed).

Unfortunately 657-927 is only a fake teacher with penalties, otherwise a real teacher would have included the subject: bus pick-up on the highway.

This walk across the highway by elementary school age children, however (possible credit to 657), may be a real consideration. If the issue has not been adequately addressed by Caltrans, SamTrans, the City, and the School District-- parents and other concerned citizens may need to get involved. Fake teacher 657-927 might go to the head of the class terrorizing those municipal services after all.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Kathy, I was pretty sure you didn't know about the school kids and that bus stop. An adult that doesn't make it across on one light will wait on the median--we hope. A kid will go for it, chase the bus, chase their quicker friends. I don't know how many would be involved but it seems more dangerous. The school district should be all over this. Pedestrian walkway or maybe some clever rerouting of specific morning and afternoon buses in and out of Reina Del Mar. Caltrans generally responds to school concerns for student safety. It needn't be a big deal.

Anonymous said...

That is why the folks sent me to school. Learn to read and write and how to cross a city street.

Anonymous said...

Has there ever been an accident involving a school kid at that intersection? Millions of school kids cross highways everyday. Teach them safe crossing. They'll be fine, we were. If needed put a crossing guard and big flashing lights in crosswalk.

Anonymous said...

7:55

No the gang of no said it was dangerous but had zero data to back up their fib.

Anonymous said...

It's never happened and therefore it never will? Now you guys are using the same argument naysayers use to debunk the need for a safety widening. Hey, I don't judge. Shit happens.

Anonymous said...

The gang of no has had 35+ years to make their ideas and plans for the Pacifica economy work.

How many times do we need to tell them "our ecology is our economy" is not working?

Anonymous said...

1054 Who (except you) said it will never happen? Do you have kids? Then you know you cant make everything in their lives zero risk of injury. You teach them the best you can and set them loose. Caltrans will have warning signs and other measures like a crossing gaurd to make them safe. But they aren't raving loonatics. They are kids that have brains.

Anonymous said...

Caltrans doesn't do crossing guards. They build highways.

Anonymous said...

This is just the latest crap the gang of no has thrown against the wall to see if it sticks. What happened to the overpass? I don't hear much talk of it lately. That's cause you realized everyone in Vallemar was against it. Now it's school kids. A week ago it was there is no EMT problem. Two weeks ago the overpass, 3 weeks ago pedestrians crossing, before that traffic lights, school hours, car pooling, telecommuting.

At least with the tunnel there was a solution (be it bad). You have no real solution now.

These people are against this project because they think it will lead to growth. They don't care about the kids safety. They just want to stop this at any cost and that's why you see them change their position every other week.

Anonymous said...

Kids been crossing there for years. Any get hit? Nanny nimbys.

Anonymous said...

A crossing guard? I'd nominate 105 but that 'survival of the fittest' streak disqualifies him. Completely unsuitable.

Anonymous said...

158 Try and refrain from using the phrase "thrown against the wall" when discussing freeways, traffic pedestrians, and school kids. Just a suggestion.

Anonymous said...

Wait, take a piece of paper, put a kid in the middle, and fold it in half. Now unfold it and that's what you'll have with this demon freeway.

Anonymous said...

It's not about Highway 1, or kids, or Pacifica, it is about the "gang of no" holding on to the control of city council. City Council ignores them on Highway 1 and they run to the court.

These people have been whispering in City Council's ears for over 35 years. In the last 35 years Pacifica has fallen into disrepair.

Never fear the "gang of no" know everything about how to run a city.

Anonymous said...

320 is off the list for school crossing guard too

Hutch said...

You can bet they're going to try and run another enviro candidate or two this coming
November. Good luck against Mike O'Neill. He beat Campbell easily then and now he's got even more followers.

You're right 341, their only hope is to win in court.

Anonymous said...

Hutch

I keep hearing rumors of Sue, running once again?

Any names yet?

Anonymous said...

Class, have you all been sniffing the rubber cement and eating the crayons again? The assignment very specifically asked you to refrain from using the phrase "Gang of No," but you just couldn't help yourselves.

sigh

I guess critical thinking was never your strong suit which is why you're here at Wingnut High Remedial School.

As punishment for your abysmal performance, students will be required to write the following phrase 100 times: I will not try to pave over the ocean

Kathy Meeh said...

No surprise, F rated, fired teacher is "Gang of No". And who knows what he's "sniffing". Talking to himself at his self-ascribed "Wingnut High Remedial School", and thinks that's "critical thinking". Oh boy! Detox might work 618.

Anonymous said...

The only teacher I know of in the supreme NIMBY circle is an unemployed one of about 380 lbs. Is that you 618?

Anonymous said...

Okay, class... the principal has just informed me that all students from Park Pacifica will be transferred to another school. Apparently you have been bringing down the test scores and the district is in danger of losing its funding over it.

For those students who don't know where you live, well... you're probably Park Pacifica students. But to be sure, Park Pacifica students, you're the ones coming to school on the short, yellow thing called a bus. Yes, the things you claim "don't work."

Kathy Meeh said...

934, no need to fix what works, except for the highway.

You still teaching at 618 "Wingnut High Remedial School"? Congratulations, you were always in the top one-third there.