how long to get through to CHP?

[nine_inch_rear]

Was caging the other day on 680. Usually iam not one to call in to report road hazards. Since I started riding, I view them as more of a priority. So I called in about a tire in the right lane. This wasnt a "gator", this was a complete tire WITH wheel. Even if a car hit it, it would be ugly.. but a rider? I dont want to think of the outcome. I was on hold forever.. so i called back 5 min later, and still on hold. The call never got answered. I really hope chp heard about it from some other call. :rolleyes

[drizz]

Depends what line you called. CHP generally makes road hazards like that a priority and chances are, 5 other people called as well.

:thumbup

[puti]

Originally posted by nine_inch_rear
Was caging the other day on 680. Usually iam not one to call in to report road hazards. Since I started riding, I view them as more of a priority. So I called in about a tire in the right lane. This wasnt a "gator", this was a complete tire WITH wheel. Even if a car hit it, it would be ugly.. but a rider? I dont want to think of the outcome. I was on hold forever.. so i called back 5 min later, and still on hold. The call never got answered. I really hope chp heard about it from some other call. :rolleyes

so youre insinuating that it would be CHP's fault if someone got banged up because their 911 teleportation device wasnt working?:hand

if youre so concerned about the welfare of riders, why didnt YOU spend a couple of minutes moving the wheel instead of spending the time bitching about it here?

its not hard ya know. especially if it was in the right lane. slow down, put on your hazard lights, wave the cars behind you to pass and stop 50 feet away from the object. always carry at least a couple of flares. set em behind your car at an angle to merge traffic out of your lane.

move the object off to the shoulder, then the flares, get back in your car and go about your business.

[drizz]

Originally posted by puti
so youre insinuating that it would be CHP's fault if someone got banged up because their 911 teleportation device wasnt working?:hand

if youre so concerned about the welfare of riders, why didnt YOU spend a couple of minutes moving the wheel instead of spending the time bitching about it here?

its not hard ya know. especially if it was in the right lane. slow down, put on your hazard lights, wave the cars behind you to pass and stop 50 feet away from the object. always carry at least a couple of flares. set em behind your car at an angle to merge traffic out of your lane.

move the object off to the shoulder, then the flares, get back in your car and go about your business.

I think an LEO would disagree here... a civilian running around the highway cleaning stuff up is more for them to deal with than the item in traffic.

It's not a 911 item, but I might try the 1-800 number if i had trouble getting through whatever number you called.

[nine_inch_rear]

Originally posted by puti
so youre insinuating that it would be CHP's fault if someone got banged up because their 911 teleportation device wasnt working?:hand

if youre so concerned about the welfare of riders, why didnt YOU spend a couple of minutes moving the wheel instead of spending the time bitching about it here?

its not hard ya know. especially if it was in the right lane. slow down, put on your hazard lights, wave the cars behind you to pass and stop 50 feet away from the object. always carry at least a couple of flares. set em behind your car at an angle to merge traffic out of your lane.

move the object off to the shoulder, then the flares, get back in your car and go about your business.

Dude, chill out.. iam NOT bitching about anything. I was simply wondering how long one waits for a call to go through. By the way, if you see a wheel in the middle of the right lane while driving 70mph, Id like to see you stop and move it to the side- and thats after you slow down the entire 680 freeway :rip

[Rel]

Okay, first and foremost:

911 calls that come in via cell phone go to our Golden Gate Communication center and then get routed to the correct area. This is one of the issues that we hear the most about....

Second: Do not run out into the freeway to remove the item. I can't tell you how many people get smeared, and I mean smeared, across the highway for that very reason.

Lastly, due to large areas it takes a minute or 20 to get from point to point. A road hazard is still a hazard, but sometimes it takes time to get there...

[Defiant]

For some unknown reason, the CHP hasn't told the world that they are the Public Safety Answering Point for cellular 911. Only in the last couple of years have some cities begun to undertake the task; the Stockton Center has two people to answer for three counties and the four CHP offices we dispatch for. A fire in the center divider essentially closes access- the "system" is simply overwhelmed.
We used to have separate dispatch centers in the Bay Area, but now they're all consolidated into Golden Gate Communications in Vallejo (although it's closer to Benicia- it's where Columbus Parkway meets 780). Everything from the nine Bay Area counties is now handled there. I don't know how many they have answering the phones there. Sacramento had a big to-do about the time it takes for a cellular 911 call to be answered brought on by a reporter who at the time was with channel 10, trying to report a fight he was witnessing. He gave up after the wait went over five minutes (he is now working for CHP in public affairs [Tom Marshall]).
A day listening to what some people think is worthy of reporting through 911 would curl your hair- wrong change at the gas station, wrong burger at the drive-through, a machine out of stamps at the post office and worse.

I don't let myself think what the next earthquake will do to the system.

[Traq]

Originally posted by puti
if youre so concerned about the welfare of riders, why didnt YOU spend a couple of minutes moving the wheel instead of spending the time bitching about it here?

its not hard ya know. especially if it was in the right lane. slow down, put on your hazard lights, wave the cars behind you to pass and stop 50 feet away from the object. always carry at least a couple of flares. set em behind your car at an angle to merge traffic out of your lane.

move the object off to the shoulder, then the flares, get back in your car and go about your business.
No, dude...just, no.

Call it in and let CHP handle it. Clearing some debris from the freeway is not worth your life.

[Junkie]

Does Gilroy count as bay area? I've called from pretty much Gilroy and got through instantly (ie it rang maybe twice, picked up, was a live person, I said I'd like to report a drunk driver and was on the phone with her for a few more minutes giving details).

[NorCalBusa]

Gilroy, Santa Cruz and south go to the Monterey call center.

[Sidewalk]

I normally call 411 and get a local number. If I can't get CHP, a local PD should be able to help you out. I am sure the local PD has a list of phone numbers next to the call desk for other agencies. It was like that in the office at one of my units in the USCG; we had a listing for every single agency within about 100 miles, and that was Coast Guard, not police.

[edmo]

I just call 911. Wait on hold. They'll get to you when they can.

[}Dragon{]

Originally posted by puti
if youre so concerned about the welfare of riders, why didnt YOU spend a couple of minutes moving the wheel instead of spending the time bitching about it here?


Playing on the freeway is more than hazardous to your health.

I don't suggest it... (even with a fancy car or truck with pretty flashy lights to block the lane- it's friggin' scary).

[Lorry]

Originally posted by Rel
Okay, first and foremost:

Quick question: Should a wheel in the road be called in to 911?

Some time ago on here I was told that 911 should be kept clear for emergencies, and that a road hazard wasn't an emergency unless someone hit it.

[motorman4life]

Originally posted by Lorry
Quick question: Should a wheel in the road be called in to 911?

Some time ago on here I was told that 911 should be kept clear for emergencies, and that a road hazard wasn't an emergency unless someone hit it.
Yes, a wheel in traffic lanes on the freeway is a 9-1-1 call. If you have a direct non-emergency line, then use it. If not, use 9-1-1. That has a huge potential for a fatality, more than some punk breaking into a car or a husband and wife hitting each other with water bottles while cruising down the freeway (that happened to be a call I caught the other day). 9-1-1 is for emergencies, life and limb. While DV and a theft are crimes, they are not really emergencies.

If I were off-duty and saw a wheel in the road, I would NOT try to get out and remove it. I would call it in and I may loop back around and toss some flares to try to notice that lane of the hazard, but I would not go out into traffic or try to use my car to block the hazard or protect me while I go play CHP.



And no, CHP cannot teleport out to the scene. That will have to prioritize the call and dispatch 2 available units to cooridinate removal.

It is too bad things like camper shells, bed liners and spare tires don't have VIN numbers inscribed on them. It would be nice to know where to send the bill! That said, if you see debris, components or other objects being thrown or fall from any vehicle, please get the plate and call it in .. even by 9-1-1, if you must. It is great to get a witness that can help assign liabilty, particularly if it causes damage or injury.

Be safe and use your head. Moving debris is not worth your life. If a CHP Officer or Deputy or Police Officer get hurt or killed, they (or their family) are covered. They also have procedures they use to make it as safe as possible and will likely use a traffic break and move it in a safe manner. You have neither.

Call it in and keep your cape in the glovebox. :thumbup

[m0moma]

Originally posted by motorman4life
Yes, a wheel in traffic lanes on the freeway is a 9-1-1 call. If you have a direct non-emergency line, then use it. If not, use 9-1-1. That has a huge potential for a fatality, more than some punk breaking into a car or a husband and wife hitting each other with water bottles while cruising down the freeway (that happened to be a call I caught the other day). 9-1-1 is for emergencies, life and limb. While DV and a theft are crimes, they are not really emergencies.



really didnt know that was a more important situation but i see now.. if someone's life is endanger that would be the number 1 priority. especially if that whole tire was in the middle of a freeway at night where visibility was low could cause someone to swerve and possibly hit another driver