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Cars Driving the Wrong Way via Downtown Streets

Original post made by Tanya, Downtown North, on Dec 14, 2017

For the past year, I have seen at least five incidents of witnessing cars going the wrong way throughout our downtown streets.

Several weeks ago, my husband was driving home from work when he witnessed a car going the wrong way down a street. He quickly honked his horn and flashed his lights. The driver of the car refused to turn around so he pulled to the side to avoid a collision.

I like hear from you (Palo Altans and people working in Palo Alto) on what has been your experience and possible solutions so I can bring it City Council in January 2018. Thanks and stay safe!

Comments (6)

Posted by john_alderman
a resident of Crescent Park
on Dec 14, 2017 at 2:41 pm

john_alderman is a registered user.

Today, three cars in a row turned into oncoming one way traffic on Channing at MIddlefield. The first was doing it intentionally to shortcut into the dentist office parking lot. The next two seemed to just be oblivious..


Posted by parent
a resident of Downtown North
on Dec 14, 2017 at 3:02 pm

Self-entitled car drivers think the law and common sense safety rules don't apply to them


Posted by J. Mellow
a resident of another community
on Dec 14, 2017 at 4:02 pm

Y'all be careful now, ya hear?


Posted by CrescentParkAnon.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Dec 18, 2017 at 9:48 pm

I have seen this too, but not very much, still it is unnerving with it happens.

Some people seem to think it is clever to go the wrong way on a one-way street to avoid having to go a block or two out of their way. This goes along with people thinking it is cool to not stop at stop signs as well, or those folks who forget they are at their turnoff on the freeway and quickly swerve across 3 lanes of traffic to make their exist instead of just going to the next exist and re-arraging their trip or turning around.

I guess it is not the type of thing that matters to people any more until something bad happens.

So many people have video cameras in their cars now it ought to be legal to call the police and give someone a ticket when you see this based on video - the drivers in this town are so out of control.


Posted by Annette
a resident of College Terrace
on Dec 19, 2017 at 8:01 am

ENFORCEMENT and CUMULATIVE IMPACT are two words that come to mind. The first doesn't happen and the latter is irrelevant to City decision makers. Good luck in January - and thank you for trying.


Posted by Curmudgeon
a resident of Downtown North
on Dec 20, 2017 at 7:38 pm

These isolated one-way streets are dangerous hazards, being wrong-way collision hazards for unwary visitors and speedways for veteran commuters. Their exceptional configuration has no apparent purpose. Does anybody know why the city keeps them that way?


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