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BICYCLES

Drivers may believe that bicycles riding single file are unlawfully impeding traffic – they are not. That law only applies to motor vehicles (ref 316.183(5)). In PGA National, bicycles must share the street or ride on the sidewalk so excerpts have been taken from the Florida Statues.

316.2065 can be viewed in its entirety at www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes.

The following information was taken from this site:

If there is no lane marked for bicycles, any cyclist traveling on the road at less than the normal speed of traffic should ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except when passing another bicycle; when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or drive; when necessary to avoid a conflict such as an object or situation that makes it unsafe to continue along the right hand curb or edge.

Bicyclists may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast may not impede traffic when traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic.

Every bicycle being used between sunset and sunrise must have a lamp on the front with a white light visible from at least 500 feet to the front and a lamp and reflector on the rear each with a red light visible from a distance of 600 feet to the rear. A bicycle or its rider may have additional lights or reflectors in addition to those required.

In PGA there are no bicycle lanes. 316.2065(9) states, “A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.” and Section 10 states that a person riding on a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.

Please be courteous. Please be patient. Please abide by the above laws.

As summer begins, the Police Foundation wants to remind you of the dangers of leaving children and pets in parked cars.… even if just for a few minutes. Despite leaving a window cracked open, the temperature inside the car can soar to above 100°F in just eight to ten minutes. The longer you stand in line at the bank or walk through the aisles of the store or wait for your takeout order, the vehicle’s interior will grow hotter and more lethal.

Children and pets can die in a hot car in just a couple of minutes. so never leave them or anyone unattended in a parked vehicle on a hot day, even with the windows rolled down. 

The Police Foundation asks everyone to be on the lookout for children or animals left in parked cars – and to contact the Police right away. Officers are usually able to locate vehicle owners or open a locked car door, but they are occasionally required to force entry into a vehicle to rescue a child or a pet. Precious moments can make a big difference for the life inside the vehicle.

The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department now has another tool to help in the fight against child neglect and cruelty to animals. The Palm Beach Gardens Police Foundation announced that they have funded the purchase of infrared thermometers for patrol officers.

The Infrared Thermometers will allow responding units to measure the temperature inside parked vehicles and better decide what course of action to take. 

Officers will also be using the Infrared Thermometers to educate the general public on just how quickly the temperature can rise in a closed vehicle. “If more people knew the danger of leaving their children and pets in the car, they probably wouldn’t do it,” said Tom Murphy, Foundation President. “The solution is simple, take your child with you when you park the car.”

The official dedication ceremony for PGA’s new Veterans Garden in Masters Park took place on Sunday, November 10^th – a bright, sunny, wonderful day!

With an estimated 400 PGA residents and their friends as well as Federal, State, County and City officials in attendance, the Board of Governors of the PGA Property Owners Association (PGA-POA) formally dedicated the newly created garden.The purpose of the garden is to provide an area to honor, remember and reflect on the sacrifices provided by those PGA residents who have proudly served our great nation.

PGA-POA President Bob Hodgson was there and introduced the various officials in attendance and spoke briefly about the Board’s decision to create this garden, recognizing those who have served.

Ms. Cristy McKillop, Associate Director of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in West Palm Beach addressed the audience and thanked those in attendance for their past military service and gave special thanks to those courageous men and women who are currently serving our nation both at home and abroad. She spoke of the facilities available to Veterans at the West Palm Beach Medical Center and of other benefits available to those who have served.

At the end of the ceremony, PGA Veterans committee chairman, Paul Slepakoff thanked the PGA POA Board of Governors for their foresight and patriotism and in particular, Board President, Bob Hodgson for his overall guidance and support.

More information about the PGA Veterans organization can be found on their website at PGA Veterans.org

As you may have noticed, our Recognition Garden is coming together nicely!

The markers for the 5 branches of the Military have been put in place … and most recently, the flagpole and lighting were installed.

Once installed we went ahead and put up both the United States flag and the POW/MIA flag. Our thinking was that we’d put them up now, as a “soft opening” and then start planning for a more important “grand opening” once the landscaping and other design items were completed.

Right now we are looking at Flag Day-2013 as our date for a “Grand Opening”.  There is a lot of work and planning to be done between now and then and soon we will be calling for volunteers to help make this a memorable day.

In the meantime, why not stop by and have a look at the “work in progress”.

Phase I of construction of the new Veterans Recognition Garden in PGA National’s Masters Park has been completed.

The area has been cleared and the 5 large stones, each one with a disc representing a branch of the US Military, have been delivered and placed.

There is still a lot of work to be done…. but the hope is to have the area completed and ready for a dedication ceremony on Flag Day 2013 (June 14^th.)

Keep watching this space for further updates.

Veterans interested in helping to plan activities for the Recognition Garden should contact Paul Slepakoff at organizer@pga-vets.org

Many thefts are crimes of opportunity. By keeping your car doors locked and removing valuables, you are doing your part in helping to avoid becoming a victim of theft.

Many times car burglars are after your stereo, GPS system or other loose belongings you’ve left in your car – like a cell phone, iPod or even your wallet, purse, laptop or garage door opener that you’ve left in plain sight.

Car burglaries can be expensive, from the cost of repairs to replacing your belongings. And they can leave you feeling victimized, too. You can minimize the likelihood you’ll fall prey to a costly car burglary by simply locking your car and not leaving valuables in them when parked. Leaving your key on the dash or in the ignition is an invitation to a car burglar. And keep in mind that if you have a great hiding place for a spare key, a thief has thought of it, too.

Your POA, Wackenhut and the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department encourage you to reduce the number of thefts from vehicles by following these simple rules – and by being Car Smart..

You can see the most recent Wackenhut Safety brochure by clicking here.

The Citizens Mobile Patrol, or CMP as it is known, is a special group of adult Volunteers, currently numbering 60, who, after being screened, background checked, and trained by the Police Department will patrol business and residential communities acting as additional “Eyes and Ears” for law enforcement. The goal of the organization is to prevent and deter crime, to reduce motor vehicle violations and to assist sworn officer by identifying hazards and reporting suspicious persons or incidents. Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Stepp, in announcing the formation of the CMP back in August of 2004, was clear in emphasizing that the new CMP would not in any way impact the existing Police patrols done by sworn officers nor would the CMP have any law enforcement authority.

In other parts of the County, State and Country, CMP Volunteers patrol on a regular basis, usually in 4-8 hour shifts, and become more familiar with the community and thus are better able to recognize “suspicious” activity and notify the police. Due to their focused patrol activity, it is not uncommon for CMP’s to observe crimes already in progress. CMP’s do not take enforcement action, they only observe and report. Members will not be authorized to carry weapons and are encouraged to avoid physical contact. Very often the CMP’s greatest weapon is their established bond with local law enforcement and their ability to communicate directly with the Police Communications Center.

Citizen Patrols have proven highly successful in other local areas and some communities have used the CMP units to assist sworn officers in citing violators who park in either Handicapped or Fire Zones. Some communities use the CMP units to provide welfare checks on elderly and homebound individuals. CMP Volunteers may also be called upon to assist in locating missing adults and children. Palm Beach Gardens has phased in mny of these functions and will continue to do so as the program matures and grows in size.

Residents of Palm Beach Gardens wanting to learn more about the program are encouraged to contact Sgt. Geoff Soule of the Police Community Involvement Unit at 799-4565.