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New West police asked people about terrible traffic. They got an earful

The other day, the New Westminster Police Department issued a Twitter question. It was a simple one: “We have a traffic question #NewWest . What would you like enforced? Where? What kind of enforcement? We want to hear from you.
new westminster police
A New Westminster Police Department traffic officer holding a radar gun. New West police photo

The other day, the New Westminster Police Department issued a Twitter question.

It was a simple one: “We have a traffic question #NewWest. What would you like enforced? Where? What kind of enforcement? We want to hear from you.”

Oh, they heard from people, with 53 responses coming in.

Some of the responses were about specific areas or streets, with McBride on several people’s minds.

From @Cameravixen: “McBride and Columbia, don’t turn right in red. I was stopped at the red, pedestrian in the crosswalk and someone came from behind me and turned right from the through lane. Almost clipped the person walking! So scary! Happens too often.”

That one got an immediate response from the NWPD.

 

“We heard you! You said McBride could use more speeding enforcement, so we were there this afternoon before heading over to 20th street to enforce the bus only lane. #newwest,” the police tweeted back.

Other bad speeding areas mentioned included Columbia, Stewardson and 8th Street at Moody Park, Royal Avenue, and Braid.

From @604kev: “Stewardson Way. At all hours. This road is a scary mess, entirely due to reckless, ignorant, and dangerous drivers.”

Some of the responses were more general about drivers’ bad behaviour.

@Sprodnuk tweeted: “I think there needs to be a huge campaign to curb aggressive driving and impatient people, not stopping or following basic driving etiquette. I almost never see people stop at stop lines or signal to merge or use a roundabout correctly.”

Amen to that.

And from @Ijustkat: “I’m not sure how you catch this, but I’d like to see ticketing of aggressive drivers. Those who lay on the horn when you stop at a stop sign and then dangerously race around you the first chance they get. Speeding, not stopping, dangerous right hand turns, and aggressive tailing.”

And from @Obrassor: “Drivers blocking crosswalks at intersections, especially during rush hour. Makes it terribly unsafe for pedestrians and typically impedes other drivers when the traffic lights change.”

@rperegoodoff tweeted: “People merging in at the bottom of 20th street onto the QB bridge!! We could pay for the new pool within 5 years!”

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44