Posted on 01/13/2004 11:27:27 AM PST by microgood
Tacoma police might succeed after all in getting the City Council to expand a crackdown on drivers who leave their cars idling unattended on frosty mornings.
But not in time to help them this winter - and not without some trepidation over a public backlash against the idea.
The City Council will take up a proposed ordinance tonight that would make it a parking infraction to leave a car idling unattended on private property, similar to a rule already on the books that prohibits the practice on public streets.
Last February, police officers hit the streets during one crackdown, handing out warning tickets to drivers who left cars running on public property. Police held off ticketing motorists most of this winter, waiting for the new ordinance to take effect.
A violation could cost anywhere from $50 to $500 depending on past citations. Emergency vehicles would be exempt from the ordinance, as well as cars that are parked behind a fence or secured in some other fashion, such as with a steering wheel lock.
An amendment making the rule effective July 26 is expected to be added to the ordinance during the council meeting, officials said, meaning it won't become an issue until next fall when temperatures start to drop again.
Officials are hoping that's enough time to mount a public education campaign that would cut down on the need to hand out tickets.
"Really, we don't want to go out and ticket vehicles," said Tacoma police Lt. Anthony Abuan.
The idea first came to the City Council in early November but was pulled from the agenda at the last minute so that the council's four-member Public Safety Committee could give it a closer look.
Abuan, armed with statistics showing that 10 percent of all stolen vehicles in Tacoma had been left unattended with their engines running, helped persuade the committee members to bring the idea back before the full council.
Mayor Bill Baarsma said the idea is to give police another tool to help combat car theft, which has become a serious problem in Tacoma. He downplayed the role of tickets.
"The point of the ordinance really is an educational tool," Baarsma said. "I don't see a large number of violations or tickets being written out. I see a lot of warnings."
Councilman Mike Lonergan said that after listening to Abuan's presentation, he is prepared to vote for the ordinance.
"I have great confidence in him as a detective and the department as a whole, and I don't want to tie their hands if they believe this ordinance will help," Lonergan said. "I hope it becomes a matter of voluntary compliance."
Councilwoman Connie Ladenburg also is prepared to vote for the ordinance, but she is concerned that some will view it as an attempt to shift the blame for auto theft onto the victims.
She stressed the importance of a public education campaign to spread the word that it's not smart to leave your car idling unattended, even on private property.
If after six months she doesn't believe an effective campaign has been mounted, Ladenburg said, she might propose revisiting the ordinance and possibly making amendments.
At least one council member has yet to warm up to the idea.
"I'm a no vote," said Tom Stenger, one of three newly elected council members joining the City Council tonight. "I would call it blaming the victim. I don't see why we need to call it a crime or a civil infraction (to leave a car idling on private property ) unless maybe we have a pollution alert."
Stenger said drivers already have a strong enough disincentive for idling their cars in their driveways - the chance that it might be stolen. He doesn't see how the threat of a ticket would do more to discourage the practice.
Jason Hagey: 253-597-8542 jason.hagey@mail.tribnet.com
How to get involved
5 p.m. today: The Tacoma City Council meets in the Council Chambers on the first floor of the Municipal Building, 747 Market St. The council is expected to take public testimony on the idling car ordinance tonight and vote on the ordinance at a later date.
So that means 90% were locked and unattended? This is nothing more than the nanny-state runamuck. You can't legislate intellect.
This is the same locale (in The Peoples' Soviet of Washington) whose Board of Health banned smoking in restaurants bars and the like.
Whats next Christmas trees must be taken down be Jan 1 or face a penalty?
I would file suit. Christmas doesn't end until the evening of January 5th.
Now if they punished car thieves on the very first conviction, not waiting until the 5th or 10th, maybe they would reduce some of the 90% of the stolen cars that weren't idling when stolen.
No one but government owns property in the US.
'Owning' your home just means you have one less landlord.
The United Arab Emirates explicity forbids land ownership. I admire their honesty.
"Those who know what's best for us
Must rise and save us from ourselves"
- "Witch Hunt" from the album Moving Pictures
Shhhhh, make them figure it out for themselves!
I wonder if they left their cruisers idling while they wrote these warnings.
That's nice of them to wait for the law to take effect before issuing tickets.
This has been the law in Germany for years, and it pertains specifically to warming a car up in cold weather.
I think it was passed during the 1970's oil crisis, and then perpetuated by the envirowhackos over there.
THey have it to where you have to have a forestmeister come to your house and give you permission to cut down a tree.
1. 2-car Garage
2. Live in Alabama
OH look it is 64 out today :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.