Woman Seeks to Remove Hamilton Traffic Sign by Photographing Frequent Violations

Cars exiting are not allowed to turn left onto Main Gate Road during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Parent Christine Atkinson wants to change that, and she’s arming herself with a camera and a petition to help make her case.

“The posted 'no left turn' sign is pointless because people ignore it,” she said. “I count between 30 and 60 cars a day that turn left when you’re not supposed to. I’ve seen city of Novato vehicles do it as well as Hamilton school volunteers and staff.”

She not only counts the cars but also takes long-distance pictures of them from her driver’s seat to prove that it’s happening.

“The first day I counted, I saw 53 cars make that illegal left turn," she said. "I couldn’t snap pictures fast enough, there were so many."

Atkinson, who has two kids at the school, emphasizes that she is not interested in tattling on individual violators or drawing a larger police presence. Rather, she says she wants to draw attention to the sign being “unfair” and ineffective.

Last month, Atkinson started an online petition in hopes of generating community support for removing the sign. She says the challenge is that she is new to the area and doesn’t know many people. So far, she has only two signatures besides her own.

Her interest in the issue started back in February when she says received a $255 traffic ticket for violating the rules posted on the sign, which state that you cannot turn left from  7-9 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. on school days.

“I normally make a right turn out of the parking to go back home, but on that one morning I had to run to the store, so I turned left,” she said. Atkinson explains that she misunderstood the times on the sign and thinks the wording is confusing.

“Plus, when you’re there and everybody’s turning that way, you just assume it’s OK,” she said.

Atkinson also argues that requiring drivers to turn right only creates more traffic hazards down the road, such as drivers making U-turns at the corner of Main Gate Road and C Street and heavier traffic in front of .

Novato police department spokesman Lt. John McCarthy said there haven’t been any recent complaints about drivers disobeying the sign or about increased traffic on C Street as a result of forcing a right turn out of the school. He said he doesn't know the history behind the sign installation there but that extra precautions are common in front of any school.

“They just want to get you in and out of there safely, and if drivers have to go a bit out of their way to keep the area safe, then it’s usually seen as worth the inconvenience,” McCarthy said. “Turning left and crossing east and westbound lanes is probably the most unsafe maneuver, and it doesn’t surprise me that there are traffic controls in place.”

Novato public works department director Jason Nutt said he has the authority to decide the fate of regulatory signs like this one. But until our phone call, Nutt was not aware of Atkinson’s efforts. He says he received one complaint last summer about the sign’s visibility after someone got a ticket, but he looked into it and determined the sign is placed correctly.

 Nutt said he is open to hearing from Atkinson.

“We’ll have to look at why the sign was installed, who requested it and whether those restrictions make sense today,” he said.

Nutt says some complaints from residents are validated, but it happens less often when it involves regulatory signs, and a petition doesn’t necessarily carry weight.

“There’s generally a strict reason as to why a sign exists,” Nutt said. “Regulatory signs can be required by state or federal law.”

That said, Nutt suggests Atkinson shouldn’t give up before she finds out more.

“It’s not a lost cause,” he said. 

Results of the Board Election

Hamilton's property owners association just released the results of its latest board election. The Hamilton Field of Marin Association board is now made up of the following directors, or neighborhood representatives, who will serve a three-year term:

Southgate: Marie Hoch (President)

Bayside: Darren Davis (Secretary)

Traditions: Patrick Layne (Treasurer)

Newport/Sunny Cove: Alan Berson

Hideaway: William Hambrecht

The Landing (developer-appointed): James Albrecht

Hamilton Park (by separate HOA vote): Jerry Kay

Inspiration: Vacant seat

Commercial: Tory Glossip, Hamilton Marketplace

                            Jonathan Matsoukis, Barker Pacific

                            Richard Johnson, Barker Pacific