Thread: 62 errant drivers make wrong turn in Gardena!

62 errant drivers make wrong turn in Gardena --- lose cars
With help from Torrance, checkpoint officers "educate" those cited by having their vehicles towed.
By Sandy Mazza
Staff Writer

A phalanx of bewildered men, women and children waited at the side of the road after police took their cars for violating state law Wednesday afternoon.
It was the first safety checkpoint in Gardena in about six years. But the excuses had a familiar ring.
"One woman's husband had a valid license and yet she was driving the car (without one)," said Gardena traffic investigator Carl Freeman. "Why? He said she is too scared to get a license. But, she's not too scared to drive on the road with two kids in the car?"
Gardena and Torrance police officers screened drivers for valid licenses and safety violations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Redondo Beach and Crenshaw boulevards.
During the four-hour operation, 1,839 cars went through the checkpoint and 1,489 were stopped by officers. About 3 percent of those, or 62 vehicles, were towed - 49 for unlicensed drivers and 13 for a suspended license. Two vehicles were abandoned before reaching the checkpoint.
Citations were issued to 34 drivers for not wearing seat belts, having bald tires or tinted windows, or other safety violations.
"The goal here is not to take away people's cars. The goal is to turn unlicensed drivers into licensed drivers," Freeman said.
He said unlicensed drivers are more prone to accidents and also don't carry insurance.
Some got angry when police instructed them to leave their vehicles. Officers responded with a courteous but stern lecture.
"Driving in this state is not a right; it's a privilege," an officer told a man with a suspended license driving a new Infiniti SUV.
"Your car will be impounded. Go ahead and get any items you want to take out and leave the key in the ignition."
Gardena has not held a safety checkpoint since 2001.
"We did this for the safety of the community," Freeman said. "We were only there for four hours and under 2,000 cars went through the checkpoint. That means almost 2,000 drivers got educated."
Cars, vans and SUVs lined the secondary inspection area Wednesday, where officers handed out tickets and tow companies took the vehicles. The fee for the tow and 30-day vehicle storage is $1,200 per vehicle.
Many people who pulled up to the inspection area listened as officers scrutinized their identification and told them that their cars would be towed.
Some offered excuses.
One woman waited with her two young children and teenage son while her husband talked to police by the side of the road.
"I feel sad because my daughter is sick," she said. Her husband "was waiting for a vacation to go get a license."
Some didn't seem to care.
A woman who arrived to pick up her boyfriend, whose car was impounded, said she knew he had no license. Then they drove off offering no explanation.
As traffic backed up to Van Ness Avenue, an officer walked up to a white van and said: "Hi. Driver's license?"
The driver shook his head.
"No?" the officer said. He turned toward a secondary inspection area and yelled, "Got one coming in."

And guess who's cars were taken? I don't really like the government impounding personal property, but if it keeps illegals off the streets and roads then so be it. http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/arti...?showAll=y&c=y

One small step for mankind.....

So, what's with the two cars that were abandoned before the checkpoint? Gotta be someone afraid of the law for some reason!

I like it

Good... Sounds like what D.O.T. does with the Big Trucks....

Great Idea, do it all over America please!!

Hey! This was not too far from me. I'd like to buy those guys a cold one.