Motorists Can Get Tips on How to Be Smooth Operators

Dear Street Smart:

Several years ago, I proposed to various authorities, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, the California Highway Patrol and KTLA television, a series of 30-second TV spots intended to educate the general public on safe-driving techniques in a variety of conditions.

I did this because I saw a dire need to change the driving habits of Californians. When I first came to California in the 1950s, this state was a delight. Drivers were courteous and very much law abiding.

I received not one reply, not even an acknowledgment, to my proposal. The principal reason I believed the 30-second spots would work was the success enjoyed by an offhand remark a TV commentator made one day that was something like, “Look folks, this accident could have been avoided if drivers would simply either slow down or switch lanes to allow vehicles on on-ramps to get on the freeway.” Within a few days, I noticed many drivers doing exactly that.

C.G. Lauderdale, Villa Park

You have a good idea, and one that has already been implemented. The state’s Office of Traffic Safety already has public service announcements and other devices that give safe-driving tips. The problem is that they have no way of forcing TV stations to play the material.

That’s where you and other readers come in. Those who would like to see the announcements should let local TV stations know.

“We need grass-roots advocacy to help the state get the word out,” said Alicia Ritter, a spokeswoman for the safety office’s Smooth Operator program.

Smooth Operator is a yearly campaign designed to help motorists drive better, in hopes of seeing a reduction in traffic congestion and accidents.

Tailgating, rubbernecking, inattention, improper merging, improper emergency stops and unnecessary lane changes--these six driving behaviors or actions are blamed for 92% of all accidents on the road, Ritter said.

For that reason, the Smooth Operator campaign has television and radio announcements and public service newspaper ads targeted at the behaviors. The Office of Traffic Safety also tries to generate media coverage to increase awareness.

“There is a ‘human’ solution to the traffic congestion problem,” Ritter said. “We need to learn to maximize the existing road capacity by being better drivers, or smooth operators.”

Ritter also said that the office would like to hear from members of the public interested in building up local support for its better-driving campaign. The office hopes to promote better driving by working with existing commuter and governmental organizations and also by helping to form new ones.

“If any other reader has an interest in these sort of things, we’d be happy to have them write,” Ritter said.

The address and phone number is:

Smooth Operator

c/o Alicia Ritter

Deen & Black Public Relations

717 20th St.

Sacramento, Calif. 95814

(916) 444-8014

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Dear Street Smart:

As South County commuters, my husband and I eagerly awaited the opening of Portola Parkway between Bake Parkway and El Toro Road. In fact, your column suggested this route as a means for morning commuters to avoid the El Toro Y.

Only one left-turn pocket exists on westbound Portola to serve cars turning south onto Bake. This is creating a backlog of cars in Portola’s left-most lane, which now often backs up to Lake Forest Drive. Knowing this was going to be a commuter route, why wasn’t a second left-turn pocket placed at this intersection?

July Bixby, Mission Viejo

Orange County Traffic Engineer Ignacio Ochoa said it was known that there would be a great demand to turn left, as you note, but it was felt that a single left-turn lane could do the job if given plenty of green time.

Now Ochoa has asked his staff to increase the amount of time even more, to see if that will do the trick.

“We’ll continue to look at it. If it looks like the problem persists, then we’ll go ahead and do the dual left turn,” Ochoa said.

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Dear Street Smart:

There is a somewhat confusing sign and street marking on northbound Jamboree Road at the Corona del Mar Freeway.

An overhead sign shows that the curb lane is for right turns only, for access to the freeway on-ramp. The lane next to it is shown for through traffic only. However, arrows on the pavement indicate that the through lane may also be used to turn right.

Drivers who are unfamiliar with the situation, and there are many, imagine that they have to jockey into the curb lane at the last minute to enter the freeway, presenting some interesting situations that needn’t take place at all.

All that needs to be done is to change the overhead sign to indicate that the lane can be used for either purpose. Could someone have a look at it?

Chauncey Benedict, Santa Ana

Caltrans looked at that sign and agrees that it should be changed. The agency will be contacting the city of Irvine to make the change and also some minor striping alterations that should improve things for commuters out there.