Tips on Playing It Safe When Pulled Over Late at Night

Dear Street Smart:

Recently when I was driving on the Ventura Freeway late at night, I was pulled over by a police officer.

I couldn’t see him that well, and I suddenly realized that there was no way for me to know whether or not this was a real police officer.

I’ve heard stories of women who have been attacked after they were pulled over by what they thought was the police.

How do you know if someone is really a police officer?

If I keep the windows rolled up and the doors locked as a safety measure, could this cause problems if it does turn out to be a real police officer?

Ruth Ryberg, Camarillo

Dear Reader:

Attacks on lone female drivers by ne’er-do-wells disguised as law enforcement officers are few and far between, California Highway Patrol spokesman Paul Thompson says.

However, there are several steps Thompson advises you take when pulled over to ensure your safety, especially at night.

The first clue-in that you’re dealing with a real officer is the red flashing light that will be used to pull you over.

Once you are stopped on the side of the road, do not get out of the car.

Getting out increases your vulnerability if the person who pulls you over turns out not to be a cop, and it also puts you in danger of getting hit by a car.

It’s fine to keep the windows rolled up and the doors locked until you can identify the officer as bona fide.

Look for a badge, uniform and that nifty little ticket book they’ll be using to write you up for going 20 miles over the speed limit.

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Dear Street Smart:

Ever since a fast-food restaurant moved into our neighborhood in Simi Valley, traffic problems for residents have increased.

The worst problem occurs whenever I try to turn onto Stearns Street from Alta Street.

As I try to get onto the busy street, I constantly see patrons of the new In-N-Out Burger either zooming by or making U-turns to get back on the Simi Valley Freeway.

This leaves people like me stuck on the side street trying to get onto the main road in a safe manner.

Could a light be put in at this intersection?

Lisa Carver, Simi Valley

Dear Reader:

It may seem like a lot of traffic to you, but as far as the city is concerned, that intersection doesn’t even deserve a stop sign.

When the In-N-Out Burger was proposed last year, the city did a study to figure out how it would affect the traffic flow, city Traffic Engineer Bill Golubics says.

The study concluded that traffic would not increase enough to merit any additional signals or stop signs along Stearns, Golubics says.

“Based on our current experience there, the accident history and traffic volume, I don’t believe that that intersection would meet the requirements for a traffic signal or four-way stop,” Golubics said.

However, a housing tract is under construction on the east side of Alta at Stearns, and Golubics says the city will be monitoring increases in traffic as those homes are occupied.

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Dear Street Smart:

Can something be done about a confusing freeway exit?

When I exit the Ventura Freeway going north on Westlake Boulevard, the two lanes of traffic curve to the right.

But the lanes aren’t well-marked and, when I’m in one lane, traffic from the other seems to drift into me.

This doesn’t seem very safe. Can the city do something to fix this problem?

Irene Sollman, Westlake Village

Dear Reader:

Freeway exit ramps actually fall under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Transportation, which promises to scope the site for problems, Traffic Engineer Bob Houle says.

If the ramp is marked correctly, there should be several tip-offs to drivers to let them know where their car is supposed to be, Houle says.

As motorists approach the ramp, there should be a pair of signs showing the lane designations. For example, the signs may stipulate that one lane is solely for the use of through traffic and the other for cars turning left.

For motorists who miss the first set of signs, there should be another, identical pair near the end of the ramp.

In addition to the signs, the roadway itself should be marked with lane dividers and large arrows bearing the same message as the signs.

Sometimes the arrows are made of a super-durable, high-heat plastic that lasts up to seven years. But often the arrows and lines are simply painted on and can wear off in a matter of months.

If this is the case at the Westlake Boulevard exit, a fresh coat of paint may solve the problem.

SPEED HUMP UPDATE

Simi Valley residents who petitioned for two speed humps on Brower Street, but received permission from the City Council in September for just one, will be getting a second hump after all.

Council members authorized only one hump after deciding that a dip in the roadway caused by a drainage ditch would serve the same purpose as a second hump.

But a traffic flow study conducted by the city found that one hump did not adequately slow traffic, so the second hump will be installed, Golubics said.

The residential street qualified for the humps because it carries more than 2,000 vehicles a day and more than 85% of the drivers exceed the 25-m.p.h. speed limit. Citywide, 15 streets have speed humps.

The second hump on Brower is scheduled for installation by Dec. 13, Golubics said.