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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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Much attention is being given to the brick streets, the new street sweeper and the garbage collection, but one problem that we see has gotten way out of hand is the traffic on the strip of beach in front of Central Park. We have posted and published several pictures of golf carts and taxi vans driving on one of the few beautiful beach areas on the Island, but nothing has been done to correct the problem. This weekend we were witness to some really heavy and serious traffic on the beach that you would think that the Town Council had opened the beach as a street. Within a time span of a couple of hours we counted over eight golf carts, a couple four-wheelers and over five taxi vans using the beach for recreation and business. The vehicles even went up the municipal dock that has been closed to traffic since the park was extended and the street to the dock closed. These vehicles gain access to the beach from the empty parking lot of the old Atlantic Bank building and travel up and down the beach all the way from Cholo's Sports Bar to Esmeralda Park next to Sunbreeze Hotel. "The traffic here on the beach is ridiculous," stated one beachfront business owner. "Even the children playing on the beach have to be careful and dodging these vehicles. How can that be?" The clear disregard of these motorists is destroying the natural beauty of the beach right in front of town. Why hasn't the Traffic Department or Town Council done anything about this matter? "I heard that the beach access was not blocked off because of personal favors to some businesses on the beachfront," commented another beachfront business owner. We contacted Mr. Harrison Longsworth, Chairman of Transport Department in San Pedro, and he admitted that the department has been procrastinating in putting up a blockage and signs as they were aware of the problem. Why was the Transport Department procrastinating, we wonder? But Mr. Longsworth has assured us that they are working on making the "No Entry" signs and blockage for the beach. The public will still have access to the parking lot next to the old Atlantic Bank building. For now we hope that the traffic wardens help prevent motorists from accessing the beach. Ambergris Today
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 72
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It is a problem that the town board needs to address. It is not only happening in the center of town but north as well. It is a steady stream of motorized vehicles on the beach. I left Belize on the 5th and overheard tourists talking about being on beach at a resort and vehicles passing. They were very distrubed at the speed of the motorcycles.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,294
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I'm glad someone was called out on this. When I've very rarely seen people driving their carts on the beach, everyone else seems to be screaming/yelling at them. I'm surprised it even happens... if Pedro1 was yellin at me the way he yelled at this one guy... ohhhhhhhhhhhhh man!!
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 504
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Traffic on the beach is only one part of the real problem: Traffic in general. San Pedro Town isn't the laid-back, quiet place that it once was. Now, it's noisy, busy and full of action. It's a little like dropping a tropical island in the center divider of a freeway.
"Facts are the enemy of Truth" Don Quixote
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,748
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Traffic in general, yes.
Specifically:
1. Too many motorized vehicles vans, pick up trucks, dump trucks, delivery trucks, 18 wheelers, Rangers, trash trucks, Polarises, quads, motorcycles, cars, etc.
2. The vehicles that ARE approved to be on the island are not quiet, eco-friendly, inspected. The majority of these vehicles have either been rigged to go faster than they should and/or have missing or damaged exhaust systems which make them loud and bad for the environment.
3. According to the Mayor, nothing can be done about speeding because there is no way to measure it. I am appealing to the FOP in the US for radar guns. My guess is that once the guns arrive, there will be no one to use them after 5pm, which is when the Grand Prix starts from the Island Supermarket to Playador.
4. Harry Longworth's editorial in last week's Ambergris today talks about the traffic issue and about how "foreigners" have changed the island. I say, look around Mr. Longworth, and see who the people are who are driving these smoke snorting, rumbling, falling apart pieces of crap around here. My guess is that you will discover that less than 10% of them are being bought and driven by "foreigners".
5. There is only about a seven mile stretch of road between the bridge and Victoria House. How freaking fast do you have to go to get ANYWHERE on this stretch? Are you going to be LATE? IN BELIZE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
6. This is an extremely sore subject for me if you couldn't tell.
7. Thanks for letting me vent. Each time I bring this subject up, I hear nothing but excuses why it doesn't change.
Change your Latitude
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 8,868
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Traffic in general, yes.
Specifically:
3. According to the Mayor, nothing can be done about speeding because there is no way to measure it. I am appealing to the FOP in the US for radar guns. My guess is that once the guns arrive, there will be no one to use them after 5pm, which is when the Grand Prix starts from the Island Supermarket to Playador. At one time in the past the transport dept. acquired radar guns but couldn't use them as there was no empowering law on the books.
5. There is only about a seven mile stretch of road between the bridge and Victoria House. How freaking fast do you have to go to get ANYWHERE on this stretch? Are you going to be LATE? IN BELIZE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The speed limits (unenforced) are 10MPH in the village and 15MPH everywhere else.
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 7,050
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The ministry of transportation has some radar guns. There is no legislation regarding radar guns therefore the results of testing are not admissable in court.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,748
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I thought that I remembered that there were some donated a few years ago, but the response is still that there is no way to measure speeding. Does that mean that cars and trucks on the mainland cannot be measured either?
Is this an issue regarding new legislation then? If so, I would be happy to help begin this process.
Change your Latitude
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,416
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HA,,
i have never heard of one single person, not one, who has received a ticket for a 'moving violation', ever. good luck with the radar gun thing. in the meantime, try standing on the corner and point a blow-drier at the offenders.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,208
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I support you on this one Shuffles. I find it strange to blame foreigners for changing the island and holding them responsible for the current traffic problems as I don't believe that it is foreigners who issue permits or foreigners who enforce traffic laws. Coming from a country where 'foreigners' are blamed for every social issue, whether it is poor health care, crime, unemployment - whatever, I know well enough that this is a pretty standard way for politicians and civil servants to make excuses for not doing their job properly. Foreigners are an easy target, but in this case a pretty ineffective one as you only have to use your eyes to see that majority of large and speeding vehicles are not driven by foreigners.
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