MIAMI MIRROR TRUE REFLECTIONS

MIAMI BEACH CITY MANAGER FAILS TO PROVIDE FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY

17 October 2015
By David Arthur Walters
MIAMI MIRROR
City Manager Jimmy Morales, Esq. has obviously failed to provide adequate safety measures
during the rush to development in the city perpetuated by de facto strong Mayor Philip Levine
and his bevy of contractors and developers.

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Many people have complained about traffic delays and the risks presented to pedestrians,
bicyclists and drivers at improperly barricaded and marked intersections where police officers
were not present or were present chatting with one another including their supervisor.

Most of the barricades are provided by Bobs Barricades, which advertises itself as the largest
provider of barricades in the country. In 2005 the $164 million judgment against it for forcing a
teen into onto an improperly marked lane of travel was recognized by the National Law Journal
as the eleventh of the Top One Hundred Verdicts judgments for negligence that year (McKinney
v. Bobs Barricades). Arthur W. Tifford, the plaintiffs attorney, was criticized for persuading his
client to accept a $5 million settlement before the jury returned with that verdict. He said
collection of the large award was doubtful and the process was long, whereas cash was
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immediately needed. Tifford, recently deceased, had several encounters with disciplinary arm
of the Florida Bar, and was disbarred by his own petition before he died.
Miami Beach is infamous for the desultory enforcement of traffic laws, the rush to
development and construction; the consequently increased traffic throughout the city has
made the lack even more evident. The Miami Beach Police Department lays the blame on a
persistent shortage of about 30 officers, but that explanation does not wash when officers are
seen congregated in back parking lots and on the streets chatting while drivers regularly violate
the laws. Motor Unit officers are few and far between, and they tend to lay the blame on a lack
of training and traffic experience of the other officers rather than outright negligence.

Drivers turning left are always a great hazard. Vehicles turning left off 5th Street have been seen
going up on two wheels as pedestrians run for their lives. Walk signals are inconsistent from
intersection to intersection and are sometimes not working at all, confusing pedestrians.
Evidently intoxicated young drivers are sometimes seen rapidly accelerating on Washington
Avenue to show off how powerful they think they are behind the wheel. That is not to mention
slower moving traffic. A left turning taxi recently knocked a Crunch fitness member flat when
he left the gym, seriously injuring him. The company turned out to be uninsured. A moped
driver was killed down the street at the Five Guys intersection by a cab. And that is not all.

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The city provides bicycle lanes where cars and delivery trucks are often parked. And the trucks
park on the curbs outside of the times allowed. City officials excuse this as, Oh, well, you know
stuff has to be delivered, and we dont have enough parking, et cetera.

UPS trucks have been seen parking across the street where the man was run over at the
intersection of 13th Street and Washington Avenue. The drivers were having burritos and
snacks; apparently there was no room for their trucks across the street at the Post Office.
Pedestrians had to walk out into traffic to get around the truck blocking the pedestrian lane.
Patrol cars passed by, the officers inside unconcerned.

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The neglect of traffic safety is just one of several indications that the city is being badly
managed under the mayors current administration. If we are to have a strong mayor, weak
manager city, then both must go.

XYX

Images below are from Las Olas Caf, where violations are protected officials despite multiple
complaints to city manager and other officials:

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Regular illegally parked truck as yellow no parking curb repainted

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