Hollister
– Look out, Ridgemark residents. The California Vehicle Code is
being taken a little more seriously behind those gates.
Hollister – Look out, Ridgemark residents. The California Vehicle Code is being taken a little more seriously behind those gates.
The Ridgemark Homes Association recently asked local law enforcement agencies for more traffic patrol on the gated community’s private roads. The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol obliged, stepping up patrol and enforcement efforts Thursday.
Deputies and CHP officers are looking to crack down on speeding, drivers who run stop signs and those who ignore seat belt laws in the community, Ridgemark Golf and Country Club general manager Eric Dietz said.
Doug Boyce, a Ridgemark Homes Association director, said deputies and CHP officers have always had the right to patrol the community’s roads. But after receiving numerous complaints from residents, the association asked CHP Capt. Brent Newman and San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill to make their law enforcement agencies more of a presence at Ridgemark.
“We’re hoping this will slow everyone down and save someone’s life,” Boyce said.
The 25 mph speed limit has been posted at Ridgemark’s entrance for years, Boyce said. However, the signs, which also state that the California Vehicle Code is enforced, were not up to Caltrans standards and were replaced within the last two weeks, he said.
Boyce said the alternative to increased enforcement is speed bumps.
Some Ridgemark residents welcome the presence of additional law enforcement. Bill Roberts, an 18-year Ridgemark resident, said speeding and the running of stop signs have become problems at Ridgemark.
“It’s just a general disregard for public safety,” Roberts said. “I see it more and more in Hollister too.”
Roberts said it is too soon to tell if the agencies’ efforts have made a difference.
Sheriff’s Lt. Roy Iler said deputies began patrolling Ridgemark on Thursday, and have since issued about 10 tickets for various traffic violations. The CHP did not have statistics on how many tickets it had issued since Thursday.
The sheriff’s office has received complaints about overenforcement, Iler said. However, the positives have outweighed the negatives, he said.
“I’ve probably had five or six people calling the station and thanking us,” Iler said. “We’re mostly trying to get the message out.”
The agencies sent Ridgemark homeowners a 30-day notice to announce the stepped-up enforcement, Iler said.
Newman said the CHP is not playing favorites, but is focusing on blatant traffic violations.
“We’re not in there trying to enforce every equipment violation,” Newman said.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected].
