These are my thoughts and qualifications (as a father of three girls Malibu-born and raised, and an orthopedic surgeon with 52 years of daily experience on Pacific Coast Highway) on the recent tragic accident on the highway.
PCH is a uniquely lethal main street through our uniquely linear city. The Los Angeles Country Sheriff Department is doing all possible to remedy the chaos and afford safety. The linear configuration of about 26 by one mile area from Topanga to almost Ventura line cannot be made safer by adding another law enforcement agency. That would only further demean our city as elitist by having two law enforcement agencies when other areas lack adequate enforcement from a single agency and have greater need to protect their residents from violence (e.g. South Central L.A. and gangs) and require a change in state law, which does not permit state traffic control through incorporated areas. It would also require changing the radio communication system of one or both agencies so they could communicate.
Solution: Explore this concept with our city officials and the new Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Capt. Joseph Stephen. Our city already funds Dial-a-Ride, the Point Dume headlands bus and the Malibu Shuttle (as of 11/8/08). If the city allocates part of the funds from these three underused sources to a free bus for Malibu kids we get a triple header both ways and obviate the need to go begging for private funds to keep our kids (and possibly even adults) off PCH and enable them to get around our 26 miles safely, free, paid for by our tax dollars already in place.
Dan Hillman