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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (181337)	1/22/2004 2:03:03 AM
From: d[-_-]b	Respond to of 1575252

tejek, Only in Tacoma would they criminalize being a victim, reminds me of a dress code to avoid rape "what do expect when you dress like that". tribnet.com Idling car ban gains support on council JASON HAGEY; The News Tribune 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.