Some Freeways Have Taken a Turn Toward Confusion

When absolutely necessary, Street Smart leaves the green pastures of Ventura County and ventures into that twisted mass of asphalt that is Greater Los Angeles.

Time after time, he has become confused--not because he doesn’t read the road signs, but precisely because he does.

As the sad tale below attests, Rod Bittencurt of Ventura grapples with the same problem: On the freeways of the San Fernando Valley, north, south, east and west are not always what they seem.

While Valley denizens barely notice this directional discrepancy, it can get downright surreal for the rest of us. After all, on the Valley’s surface streets, 101 North is sometimes called 101 West. Likewise, 101 South is 101 East.

That creates a problem if you’re a nervous backwoods hick from Ventura County looking for a way out of mega-suburbia.

Meanwhile, readers, please be street smart and courteous over the long Thanksgiving weekend.

And remember: From Chula Vista to Crescent City, every available California Highway Patrol officer will be on the roads from 6 p.m. Wednesday to midnight Sunday. It’s called the maximum enforcement period, and what it means is a whole lot of CHP.

So be safe. Don’t drive if you are drinking. And have a great holiday weekend.

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Dear Street Smart:

I have noticed that along the Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks corridor of Ventura Boulevard, Caltrans has changed the direction signs to the Ventura Freeway (U. S. 101).

The signs that once read “101 North” have been changed to “101 West,” and signs on “101 South” have been changed to “101 East.”

However, when you get to the 101 ramp, the signs read the old way. Why are they changing the direction?

The Ventura Freeway runs north-south. It is very confusing with the west-east designations.

It would be doubly confusing to visitors when all the signs have not been changed.

Rod Bittencurt

Ventura

Dear Reader:

The problem here is that two government agencies are responsible for the signs.

The state Department of Transportation puts them on the freeways and offramps, and the city of Los Angeles on the surface streets.

The two agencies see things differently--and the best you and I can do is get used to it.

According to officials at both Caltrans and the city of Los Angeles, Caltrans sees the 101 as running north and south, because, over the vast stretch of said freeway, that’s what it does.

But the freeway actually runs in an east-west direction through the San Fernando Valley.

Because the freeway parallels east-west Valley surface streets, city transportation engineers don’t want to confuse the people who live there.

We lowly visitors are left to fend for ourselves, and there are no plans to change any of this.

So when in the Valley, do what Street Smart does. Remember that west is north, and south is east, and you’ll make it home just fine.

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Dear Street Smart:

We live in Port Hueneme, but our driving is equal in Oxnard.

We often see the police from each city and note their driving habits.

Any time they make a left turn, they NEVER use their signals. Are we missing something?

Charles and Leota Hogle

Port Hueneme

Dear Reader:

Turns out, under California Vehicle Code Section 22107, all drivers are required to use a right- or left-turn signal only when the turn affects the safety of other traffic.

So, unless you were behind or approaching the police cars you saw, it was legal for them to turn without using their directional signals.

Oxnard Police Sgt. Bryan MacDonald says he uses his directional signals all the time as a courtesy to other drivers.

Legally required or not, the rest of us--police officers included--should do the same.

Still, if you see a police car without its lights flashing violate any traffic law, MacDonald suggests you get the unit number off the side of the police car, note the date, time and place, and alert the traffic division or watch officer of the corresponding police agency.

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Peeved? Baffled? Miffed? Or merely perplexed? Street Smart answers your most probing questions about the joys and horrors of driving around Ventura County. Write to: Street Smart, c/o Richard Warchol, Los Angeles Times, 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001, or call the Sound Off line at 653-7546. Include a simple sketch, if needed, to help explain. In every case, include your full name, address and both day and evening phone numbers. Street Smart cannot answer anonymous queries, and might edit your letter or phone message due to space constraints.