Leaving church southbound yesterday, Tonja and I encountered a traffic crash in the cleanup stages at 70th and NebraskaHighway 2. Due to a curve and hill, we didn't see the crash site until it was too late, and we were briefly caught in the jam. It was an opportunity for me, though, to do something I always enjoy: watch professionals at work. Officer Dave Hensel was investigating the crash, while Officer Mario Herrera handled traffic control.
This is a big, busy intersection with 20 total traffic lanes, and this was the peak time. It was raining, chilly, and visibility was poor. Mario, in his rain gear, had his hands full but was in complete control of the intersection. Dave went about his work in short sleeves and a traffic vest, no doubt soaked to the skin. Mario's cruiser number 218, a 2011 Charger, stood out well, too, equipped with an LED light bar and grill lights. By comparison, thin halogen rotators in the light bar on cruiser 107, Dave's 2007 Crown Victoria, were much less eye-catching.
The switch to LED lights is a very nice technological advance in emergency services, one that will no doubt help protect emergency services workers. They are brighter, last longer, have fewer moving parts, and draw considerably less energy. I run LED lights front-and-back on my bikes for my pre-dawn rides, and the output from these small rechargeable units simply amazes me. Who would have thought, just a few years ago, that you would be able to pump that kind of power from a 165 gram lighting system? Despite the lights, though, it was the high visibility outerwear--Mario's rain jacket and Dave's vest--that mattered most to me. It wasn't exactly easy to get this habit ingrained in our officers, but these days they do a great job.
I want all police officers and firefighter/paramedics nationwide to be as diligent as LPD officers have become in making sure they put on their high visibility outerwear when working around traffic. This simple step will save lives from the most significant threat to personal safety police officers and firefighters face in their work, which is neither bad guys nor burning buildings, rather, traffic crashes.
Monday, September 19, 2011
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15 comments:
ANYTHING to keep our officers safer while they keep us safe!
Having met him "on the job" through a daughter's accident, as well as a son's poor choices, I have often thought highly of Officer Hensel.
If he is a representation of LPD's "average", then that department is in pretty dang good condition.
On that note.
Nothing to do with safety, but I have to remind everyone what day it is.
What about the traffic unit motorcycle officers? Shouldn't they have reflective uniforms rather than black leather?? They are out in traffic more than anyone else riding smaller harder to see vehicles and yet they have no color or reflectivity.
I'm sure there are some alternatives to black leather for motorcycle riders, but they should not be required to wear the thin synthetic reflective vests most others wear when working in traffic areas. At least not in place of leathers, but perhaps over them. I don't know of anything that protects a rider more in case of a fall to the pavement than leather.
Oooops! I forrrrrrrgot to say arrrrrgh!
ever get behind someone with those LED lights on their vehicle at night, at a certain distance they are very hard to be behind as every bump in the road they hit blinds your mirrors, even more dangerous on the highway I wish they would ban them!
As a motorcyclist I jumped on the hi-vis bandwagon 4 years ago when I updated my safety gear. I opted for hi-vis with 3M reflectives for my latest armored waterproof jacket. In the 4 years the "oooh factor" has worn off as it has faded. When new I could see that I was being noticed by more cages. I think that in the 4 years there are more people wearing hi-vis and so drivers have become more accustomed to it on the streets. Consequently it tends not to have the visual impact it did when it first appeared on the market. As a side note, hi-vis is harder to keep clean than a baby’s diaper.
I'm afraid not seeing motorcycle riders is often not from a true lack of visibility, but rather from inattention of drivers. Just this afternoon, in broad daylight, with a bright orange shirt and my headlight on, I was nearly forced to lay my bike down near A Street and Evergreen drive. I was eastbound in the right-hand lane when a car came out from a stop sign at A and Evergreen to turn left onto eastbound A. It wouldn't have mattered if the lady saw me or not, had she turned into the left lane as she should have. But, no, she went across the left lane and directly into my path. Fortunately, I have grown accustomed to such behavior and was somewhat prepared for it. Still, I was barely able to slow down enough to keep from hitting her. She seemed a bit agitated with me when I pulled up beside her and questioned her driving ability! :)
I prrrrrobably said something like, "Arrrrrrrgh you crrrrrrazy?"
ARRRRG, That is SO funny!
couldn't resist....
ARRRRG, HAHAHAHA!!!!
Need to get a video on here of one of those '11 cruisers all lit up like they are. It's not like 1991 anymore!
Those day-glo yellow vests really pop out, and I have taken to wearing one when motorcycling, it really does help one to be seen more easily.
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