Friday Tips: Malfunctioning traffic signals or V-Calm signs? Report it.

Everyday, there's a commuter or traveller who is bound to find burnt out traffic lights, pedestrian crossing buttons which mysteriously activate automatically in the suburbs for no reason, and V-Calm "Your Speed" signs which tell drivers to slow down when in fact the passing car is going 10 miles under the posted speed limit.

In Temecula, The Transit Coalition noted that a newly installed V-Calm sign in a local neighborhood flashed "SLOW DOWN" when a driver exceeded 25 mph. The only problem: The roadway's posted speed limit was 35 mph. Each time a V-Calm sign flashes "SLOW DOWN" to alert speeding drivers, the speeding "violation" is tracked, and if a roadway shows a high speeding violation ratio, local police would normally dispatch traffic enforcement officers. In case you're wondering, Temecula's public works department was notified.

If you should spot such obvious fixes in your neighborhood, do the right thing and let your local public works department know by reporting it. In this day in age, even with advanced computer technology, there will always be areas where human interaction is needed to signal the need to fix broken devices which regulate transportation. Incorrectly programmed V-Calm signs which count law-abiding drivers as speeders is such an example. We need to continue to be the eyes and ears in keeping the Inland Empire moving with functioning traffic control devices.

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