Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles responds to your ‘Ask The Mayor’ questions: Police Enforcement

The following is an ‘Ask The Mayor’ question submitted to TLS, and the Mayor’s response. Email your questions for the Mayor to [email protected].

Question:

Thank you for taking questions.

I’m an auto parts delivery driver headquartered on Oberlin Ave North…I’ve noticed sooo many drivers on there cellphones, driving vehicles in horrendous condition, many of which have expired or no inspection stickers at all…in addition it seems that red lights, stop signs and yield signs are taken for granted as mere suggestions by the local populace…I’m sure that you’re aware of the over abundance of traffic accidents in Lakewood….Why do the police NOT enforce the traffic laws?…

Thanks in advance for your response.

Ed

Response from Mayor Coles:

Hi Ed

Thanks for writing. I disagree with your premise about the police not enforcing traffic laws. I speak to the chief regularly about this & he tells me that they are continuously doing enhanced traffic enforcement throughout town.

It’s not just Lakewood as well. My job takes me throughout the tristate area and into Maryland and Delaware regularly. You cannot let your guard down anywhere.

That being said I urge all our drivers to eliminate any distractions while they are driving. We all know how dangerous it can be to take your eyes off the road just for a second. Think about your safety and the safety of your passengers and fellow drivers.

Thanks

Ray

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22 COMMENTS

    • Mayor of a town like Lakewood isn’t like a major city, most have regular jobs and Mayor Coles has had his company in Industrial Park for many yrs doing great work.

    • Mayor of Lakewood is a part time job. And, anyway, it doesn’t require him to imprison himself in the borders of Lakewood. I assume that Mayor Coles’ job/business requires him to leave Lakewood once in while!!

  1. Just wondering. Do you go over to peoples cars to check their inspection stickers to see if they are expired? Something tells me that not. Regarding wild driving there are thousands of cars driving on Lakewood roads daily. Even if 100 of them drive wildly it’s only a tiny percent.

    • You can clearly see the color of the sticker which indicates the year it expires. No need to “go over to peoples cars to check.”

  2. As a daily driver around town, I have to side with the writer….
    As a side note, inspection stickers are the least of problems, as the state only cares about emissions & a car can be totally unsafe to drive, but still pass inspection as long as it passes the emissions.

  3. I drive all over Lakewood every day and I’ve rarely noticed a lakewood police car stationed, ready to pull over drivers talking, texting, speeding etc…

  4. Mr Mayor , Just curious , Have you ever noticed how some cars park in certain areas of Lakewood on a dialy basis ?! Be it at corners, on no side parking sides of streets .
    If i list areas, i doubt TLS will post my comment although i dont know why not, what am i saying so wrong?Is it fair that so many have to have extra stress at corners ,or squeeze by cars cause laws are clearly not enforced?
    ill be shocked if even this is posted. im not here to get people tickets . im here to have saftey and let people drive in peace is all . thank you!

  5. There are bad people in this world who just look to make hard for people, there are plenty of police in Lakewood, there are distracted people everywhere, you don’t need to flood Lakewood with police like the sick Brooklyn, I wish I would know who this person is to make sure not to do business with his company…

  6. The writer here didn’t express everything; however, it is 100 percent accurate. The dismissal of basic safty is apparent to all. No signals being used consistently, blowing stop signs, crossing over the yellow turn lane 200 plus feet early, cell phone to the ears (you can see visibly), and so much more. It has become socially accepted and LE is nowhere to be seen! Multiple videos of proof.

    Patheitc of an excuse of politicians who pay more attention to the crime emebedded inside Lakewood than perform law enforced regulations!

  7. The delivery drivers for the auto parts warehouse on Oberlin don’t drive any better. I’ve seen them drive the ways you’ve mentioned in your question. Maybe focus on your own coworkers driving habits before you start focusing on everyone else’s.

  8. Numbers my friend numbers?! You’re not doing enough enforcement if the law is not getting enforced. Effective enforcement would bring down the accident statistics!

    We all see serious violations as we drive the streets, how much enforcement do we see?

  9. People writing in: no cops are waiting to pull people over!/ No signals, cell phones up to ears./ There’s not enough enforcement!

    Same people in a few weeks/ months: Why are the state police here? We don’t need them stepping in and handing out tickets!

  10. Just sit on the corner of Railroad ave and RT88 at 8:00 AM and watch all the cars blow the stop sign turning right on to rt88. They come up to the corner look left and go. And then you have to kid on the scooter flying down the side walk heading east past the AAmco place against traffic with no regard to people, side streets or driveways. I willing to start a pool how long it takes before he gets hit or runs into a car pulling out.

    • There actually usually is a cop waiting just down the road by Monmouth and first, presumably waiting for someone to blow the stop sign coming from railroad (pretty pointless, unless you’re turning left in which case you should yield anyway). Maybe he should move over to the 88 side

  11. I don’t know about Lakewood, but I commute to Philly regularly, and I would like to say that over 75% of drivers are using their phones, even going over 70 MPH. It definitely doesn’t seem to be a Lakewood thing, but hey, why not bash Lakewood when you can?

  12. Actually most and almost all drive pretty safe, we don’t need police to harass us, and the fact that he’s talking about inspection stickers show that he’s here to just complain. What does bother me is headlights on some cars not working and tinted windows that many Lakewood and non Lakewood cars have.

  13. Ed
    I see you driving on oberlin to the auto parts company. (My office is next door)
    In fact , just saw you tday and your driving ain’t perfect.
    I sense a bitterness at all the cars around.
    If I were you, I would thank the Good Lord for all the cars , even the old ones, for they provide you with the ability to feed your family with your job.
    So I suggest, stop complaining .

Comments are closed.