Letter: Signal is ground zero for rule-breaking

I went to a movie at the Americana on a Sunday afternoon. Leaving the parking structure via the Central Avenue exit at about 6 p.m. I was struck with an easy way to resolve any budget shortfall in the city of Glendale: Issue traffic citations to the hundreds of pedestrians who flagrantly ignore the signal on Central Avenue between the Galleria and the Americana.

I was first in line to turn right onto Central. The light turned green for all exiting lanes onto Central from the Americana and also for pedestrians. A solid stream of people began crossing from both sides of the street. There was no possible way to turn right. The pedestrian signal started to count down and the pedestrian wave continued. The solid red hand appeared along with a green arrow for my attempted right turn. The pedestrian horde continued. I inched into the crossing and the pedestrians just walked around my car, glaring at me as if I was committing some heinous crime. Finally the traffic light turned green for cars moving north and south on Central and I was able to complete my turn. I was the only car exiting the Americana able to go north on Central during that entire signal cycle.

This would be much easier than any of those pedestrian traffic stings we read about. No motorcycles, nobody dressed up as Santa Claus. Just put several officers on either side of the street and start writing. Budget problem solved.

Jim Kussman
Glendale