SAFETY NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH (NW) CORNER By Fay Wood, NW Chief On Monday, February 3 at 9 am, the Lake Ashton Neighborhood Watch “Meet the Police Chiefs Forum” will take place at Monday Coffee in the Clubhouse Ballroom. Special guests include the Lake Wales and Winter Haven Police Chiefs discussing what is happening in their cities. All public safety groups (Citizens Assisted Patrol, Community Emergency Response Team) and CDD and HOA leadership are encouraged to attend in showing community support for all law enforcement. We all try to adhere to traffic laws but unfortunately, for whatever reason we may deviate from them and meet a Law Enforcement Officer or Deputy. Here are some tips to consider if you are pulled over: Pull your car to the RIGHT shoulder off the roadway (unless directed otherwise over by the officer) 1. Turn your music off. Put your car in park. Put your driver or passenger window down, whichever side the officer is approaching. 2. Keep your hands on the steering wheel until the officer makes contact. 3. At night, put on your dome light so the officer can clearly see you. 4. Stay in your car unless directed otherwise by the officer and have your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance ready. Know what it looks like and where it is in your car. Print out your proof of insurance as your cell phone battery may be depleted, or you may not have cell reception. 5. Be respectful and courteous. They are doing their job keeping us all safe. Do not say "I wasn't paying attention" or "I didn't know how fast I was going." You are driving a 3,000 lb.+ vehicle that can injure others or worse and you need to pay attention. This is not a valid excuse. Do not say you are speeding because you are late as lack of prior planning on your part is not a valid excuse. Do not say you did not know what the speed limit is, ignorance of the law is not an excuse to violate it. 6. Please do not argue as you are not going to win that argument, at least not on the side of the road. Go to court if you think you have a valid argument. Our law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe! So, whenever you meet one, just say thanks for their service to our community As always, your Neighborhood Watch Team wishes you health and happiness! ROAD SAFETY REMINDER Residents are reminded that our roads are extremely narrow and require us, as residents, to exercise extreme caution when driving, walking, or riding a bike. We must also exercise common sense when parking on the street. Please do not impede the flow of traffic by parking your vehicles directly (or nearly) across the street from another vehicle. While golf carts and vehicles might be able to get through, emergency vehicles cannot. This could make the difference between a resident getting the medical attention they require or not. AVOIDABLE PET PARK HAZARDS By John Lanaken, LA Unleashed The toys we bring to the parks can be extremely hazardous to our pets. Many items can be swallowed and only extracted with surgery (soft squishy balls are the worst). These toys can block the digestive track and can be fatal to the pet or its owner's wallet. Large dogs covet the squishy, scented balls and can swallow balls over 2 inches. Tennis balls left at the parks can be run over by the mowers and the pieces ingested. Suggestions: • Bring only medium to large balls that are hard (difficult to compress). • Take home anything you bring to the park. Let the next owner bring their own toy. • Pick up and discard any balls you find that are potentially hazardous. Many of you know Baxter, the chocolate lab. We are please to say he is in recovery.
21 Publizr Home