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Deputies To Start Arresting Drivers For Passing On Garcon Point Bridge
March 11, 2021
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office will start arresting drivers for passing vehicles on the Garcon Point Bridge.
Sheriff Bob Johnson made the announcement Thursday morning in the wake of two fatalities and many more crashes on the bridge. He said two deputies will patrol the bridge and a third deputy will patrol the area south of the bridge 24 hours a day in an effort funded by the Florida Department of Transportation.
“One of those almost killed one of my deputies,” Johnson said. “That was one of the fatal crashes where the guy was passing in a no passing zone — which by the way the entire bridge is a no passing zone — he almost hit my deputy head-on, missed him barely and then hit another car and he ended up dying.”
“We are targeting people passing on the bridge,” Johnson said. “We are going to stop some of this crazy driving.”
The entire link of the Garcon Point Bridge is a no-passing zone.
“If you think you’re special, we’re going to make you special. If you pass on that bridge in a reckless fashion, we’re going to arrest you. We’re going to put you in the Milton Hilton for free and we’re going to tow your car because we’re going to make it a point that we’re not going to have any more fatal collisions on that bridge if we can help it,” Johnson said. “We can’t fix stupid, but we can give it a court date.”
The Garcon Point Bridge is the major detour route since the Pensacola Bay Bridge was closed in September. The daily traffic count has increased from about 7,000 vehicles a day to around 35,000.
Reckless driving in Florida is a second degree misdemeanor in Florida that is punishable by up to 90 days in the jail and a $500 fine for the first offense.
Comments
30 Responses to “Deputies To Start Arresting Drivers For Passing On Garcon Point Bridge”
I understand the no passing law but when you have some one who is clearly going slow causing a traffic not to flow it’s very frustrating. It’s bad enough we have to spend more getting some where then add some one who won’t do the speed limit when possible. Seriously….come on!
I support this.
Seems to be a lot of attorneys on this thread.
“PaSSING iSnT ILlEgAL!!!”
Actually, it is and it’s considered reckless driving and reckless driving is an arrestable offense.
Perhaps also ticket those who tailgate in the left lane,, if the driver they are telling is in the act of passing another vehicle. “This subsection does not apply to drivers operating a vehicle that is overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or is preparing for a left turn at an intersection.” Just because your vehicle is stocked up behind someone in the left-hand lane, while they are passing somebody else, and you want to go faster does not make tailgating safe, or legal. The person may actually be in the left hand lane passing, which is allowed under the law just as much as it does allowed to be in the left hand line before making a left hand turn.
“The BIGGEST problem in Escambia County is people who drive too slowly in the left lane of 2-lane roads.” – Disagree. It is a much bigger problem that people tailgate and fail to recognize that on roads that are not limited access, people must use the left lane to pass and to prepare for a left turn. Even I. Areas of double yellow lines, a person make a left turn need a to get into the left most lane in advance of the turn. The more traffic the more further in advance that is necessary. Another issue we have I. The county that is worse than. Slower drivers I. The left travel lane is flashing-strobing, excessively bright lights by the road and illegal headlight taillight modifications.
The BIGGEST problem in Escambia County is people who drive too slowly in the left lane of 2-lane roads. This just as illegal as speeding btw.
The second BIGGEST problem is people using their phones while driving and at stop lights holding up traffic when the light turns green.
Put your phones down and just drive people.
If someone is tailgating you move over out of the way it’s NOT your job to enforce speed laws.
Buckle up your children! If you want a surefire way to see my blue lights in your rearview mirror, let me see your child moving around unbuckled in your vehicle.
Common sense goes a long way if applied.
double yellow is no passing,also the posted speed limit is 55mph on a detour nobody enjoys.had to go to gb last week an got on the bridge a did 25mph all the way with cars piled up as far as the eye could see.maybe peaple who cant do the speed limit need not drive or get a driver and cops should ticket slow pokes too that deals with both sides of the problem not just the one that makes more money for the county.
Better than 30 in a hearse
>>DJ on March 12th, 2021 6:45 am
The average speed while crossing the bridge will now be 8 mph !<<
Good…… Endangering everyone because of self recklessness
While they are enforcing these laws in both counties, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
THEY SHOULD LOOK AT SCHOOL ZONES. I had one pass me on longleaf and kept on going about 40MPH.
Start?…Double yellow line? Don’t know, don’t use the bridge. Shaking head if after six months, LEO decide to enforce the law.
Interesting comments – particularly those about minimum speed. I don’t believe there is a minimum speed on anything other than interstates in FL; and even then, on an Interstate with a posted speed limit of 65, the minimum speed is 40! (For 70 speed limit, minimum speed is 55). The posted speed limit on the Garcon Bridge is 55, and no, it’s not an interstate.
I drive this bridge pretty regularly, and my experience is that most of the “slower” vehicles are going about 50, and they’re usually large RV’s or cars/trucks pulling trailers. If I have to slow down for 5 mph for the entire bridge, I can live with that. There’s usually a line of traffic backed up ahead anyway.
But I do agree, if someone has to drive across really slowly, then they should time their trip during off peak hours, and let as many cars get around them before they get on the bridge (i.e. pull over before the bridge and let the line of cars pass). On the other hand, if they go when it’s busy, the whole bridge is only moving at 30-40mph or less, so it really doesn’t matter.
All bridges should be made “no passing” zones again like they used to be. On the Lillian bridge you can pass and it has lead to several wrecks.
The average speed while crossing the bridge will now be 8 mph !
Good for the LEO’s….My grandson has to use that bridge every day and he says people drive nuts and I believe it. Glad they are going to crack down on these stupid drivers…Speeding or passing on the bridge gets you no where except to the next red light faster.
I believe the charge “reckless driving” has to meet certain guidelines. Merely passing in a no passing zone will not make the cut. Most moving traffic violations are merely civil infractions, with, other than a possible hefty fine, no serious complications, ie. incarceration, no matter the seriousness of the outcome as in a traffic crash. Just drive safe.
Oh Steve… Leave the thinking to those who can. This is a good read for most drivers. 316.1923 Florida State statute.
How many times have you been passed in a no passing zone by a reckless driver, only to catch up at the next red light and be right behind that reckless driver? People are stupid. Only time I go to Pensacola is when I’m forced to, for doctor appointments. We need to get these young, reckless drivers off the road! Suspension, exorbitant traffic tickets, Uzis. Let ‘em have it! Whatever it takes, it will save lives.
@steve
Thanks for pointing that out I was wondering about the legality of arresting people simply for passing. The only way would be to call it reckless driving and you can certainly pass in a non passing zone in a safe manner. If folks would drive the speed limit or 5 over some of us wouldn’t have to pass so often! Also if they really want to help and not hinder why not make the bridge into a four lane instead of two?
You can’t maintain the SPEED LIMIT on the transSound Bridge? Traffic stacking up behind you?
maybe YOU should go to jail, as well, eh?
“Is “passing in a no passing zone” an arrest-able offense”
No. But reckless driving is. (You can read that in the article)
More arrests need to be made for reckless driving in Escambia county. They need to start putting people in jail and sent to prison like yesterday. Don’t believe the sob stories and what ever they want to pull. Jail anyone who is reckless. Impound their car and let them pay to get it out. I am FED UP with all these accidents and people recklessly speeding by my car filled with kids. Most of the offenders are these new age thugs that dont care about themselves let alone someone else. It should be a felony for most driving offenses since THE DEATH RATE ON THE ROADWAYS ARE SO HIGH. Start putting people in prison for reckless driving, first time DUIs, hit and runs, driving with no or suspended license. No excuses. If it’s not a felony, the state of Florida is NOT serious about it. Build more jails build bigger prisons. Start filling them with these hooligans.
Is “passing in a no passing zone” an arrest-able offense? I think not..
Sheriff gonna open up a bad case of violation of civil rights.
A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation as provided in chapter 318
Good.
Light up those flashing signs to say No Passing Enforced by Drones 24/7. Then have your three deputies on the ground. Nobody would know if you really had drones in the air, but the message hits hard.
I wish the Escambia County deputies would monitor the traffic and also write more tickets for speeding drivers coming into Century from the south end and also from Alabama. They need to build a reputation to let speeders know that they will be stopped if they are speeding through a 35mph zone. I see people coming through doing at least 55mph on a regular basis. There are a lot of people, especially children who have to cross Highway 29 in Century on a daily basis. It is really unsafe.
Any reason why they were not already doing that
People think they are going to fold time and space by passing a few vehicles – boy those few seconds only to be behind another driver. You will have to hurt these no common courtesy morons behind the wheel in the wallet, that seems to be the only thing they give a crap about. It is certainly not humanity..
You will probably find that many of the violators are driving on suspended or revoked licenses and uninsured, just more examples of people doing what they want with no respect for the law or their fellow man.
For law enforcement it was inevitable anyway given the way people act these days .So sheriff Johnson slam the violators., and you couldn’t have said it better – “We can’t fix stupid, but we can give it a court date.”
Bob Johnson,
How about posting your first arrest and tow on here. Wish our sheriff would do this on hiway 97 in Escambia county
Thank you Santa Rosa for stepping up. Law enforcement needs to do more of this all over. People drive like they are in bumper cars at an amusement park. Just saying