Bit of patience makes travel better, safer

Happy February. Can you believe we’re almost through the second month of the new year? I can remember my grandmother telling me how fast life becomes as you get older and I didn’t believe it, but I guess I do now.

As I came into town earlier this week, I was reminded of just how much I didn’t like traffic at the end of a holiday weekend. Creeping into town from Railroad Pass had me daydreaming about bypass roads and helicopter travel … Oh yeah, back to writing.

Those of you who have had the good fortune of experiencing this patience-building exercise will totally be able to relate. I often wonder if people would behave the same way if they weren’t safely encased in their steel bubbles? Things that would never be acceptable to them become common practice.

Switching lanes abruptly, driving in the breakdown lane, turning around in the center median, various hand gestures, combined with all-around bad behavior can test a person’s sense of tranquility. I like to consider myself a student of human behavior and it’s often times not all that wonderful. I’m convinced that if I left 15 minutes sooner (or later) that I would still get behind the guy who drives 25 car lengths back from the car in front of him and a 100 other cars funnel by and dart in. Sometimes I have to check the outside terrain to make sure that I’m not actually going in reverse.

My ever-calculating mind has to readjust to the knowledge that I’ve left in plenty of time to make a peaceful drive and that allowing the mania to set in will simply make me another part of the problem. So, I’ll just turn up the Garth Brooks CD and enjoy the fantastic spring weather we are having while others are trying to dig through the snow down to their cars.

Yes, life is good.

(P.S. Thank you traffic officers for manning the traffic light at Buchanan Boulevard to keep the lanes moving.)

Let’s check the files …

Feb. 5. Suspicious: A caller states a subject came to the door wearing a face mask and dressed all in black. Officers were unable to locate anyone in the area at 5:43 a.m. in the 1300 block of Georgia Avenue.

Animal: Officers received a report of a vehicle parked for more than five hours with two cats inside. Emergency Aid of Boulder City is responding to assist the subject at 5:14 p.m. in the 700 block of Adams Boulevard.

Threats: A subject reports that a handyman left an item at her location more than three months ago and just returned to get it. She has disposed of it and he is not happy at 5:34 p.m. in the 500 block of Hopi Place.

Thought for the day: All licensed business owners should display appropriate material including phone numbers to reach them should they need to return for any reason; if they don’t, it might be an indication they are not reliable or trustworthy.

Feb. 6. Suspicious: A caller spots a male dressed in a long dark coat and hat and believes it is too hot for such an outfit. The officer advised the caller that nothing was suspicious at 12:34 p.m. in the area of Adams Boulevard and Darlene Way.

Theft: Several items were reported taken from the locker room area at one of the schools. The items were located at another school and returned to the owner at 1:16 p.m. in the 1100 block of Fifth Street.

Suspicious vehicle: The caller states he was followed home by a pickup as he returned from the desert area in his off-road vehicle. Officer contact reveals that both subjects were simply traveling down the same road and the other party is waiting for his girlfriend to get off work at 6:02 p.m. in the 500 block of Don Vincente Court.

Thought for the day: In the infamous words of “The Duke” (John Wayne), a man is not properly dressed without his cowboy hat and duster.

Feb. 7. Suspicious: A caller believes there are surveillance bugs in her residence placed there by the neighbors. Neighbors state they aren’t that interested and believe she may have some emotional issues at 7:58 a.m. in the 500 block of Date Street.

Family disturbance: One party reports being kicked and wanting to leave the residence. There is no evidence of physical violence and both parties agree to separate for the day at 10:37 a.m. in the 600 block of California Avenue.

Suspicious: A male and female are arguing in the alley in the presence of a small child. The parties were contacted and warned on their warrants at 8:36 p.m. in the 600 block of Avenue A.

Thought for the day: It’s sometimes difficult to remain objective when the disabilities of others cause disruption in our everyday lives. Thank you for remembering that we must investigate each complaint and attempt to remain compassionate to our fellow humans in the process.

Feb. 8. Suspicious: The caller reports hearing loud arguing and then a crashing sound. The subjects living in communal-type living often have to share in each other’s disagreements vicariously at 12:14 a.m. in the 1500 block of Nevada Highway.

Suspicious: Lots of foot traffic continue after dark in the desert area behind the residences. Officers note a familiar flow of people indicating nocturnal “feeding habits” at 12:14 a.m. in the 1700 block of Red Mountain Drive.

Burglary: Items are taken after storage area is burglarized. Thank goodness for all the cameras and technology of today; we are much more likely to be able to identify the miscreants responsible.

Thought for the day: Just because you don’t see immediate repercussions happen, don’t be surprised when you are awakened by the sound of flash-bangs some morning.

Feb. 9. Suspicious: A caller states that the vacant house across the street has the front door ajar. Officers clear and secure the residence at 10:39 a.m. in the 600 block of Avenue H.

Accident: There are several reports of a vehicle versus a block wall in a local parking lot. The jaws of life and Mercy Air are used to give the patients the largest chance of recovery at 12:35 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Suspicious: A man is observed trying to enter the window of local building. The subject is cited for trespassing and advised to rethink his methods of entering to visit relatives for future reference at 7:06 p.m. in the 1400 block of Medical Park Drive.

Thought for the day: Thank you to all bystanders for helping in many ways at serious accident scenes. We appreciate you.

Feb. 10. Drunk: There is a report of a subject emerging from a bush. The subject realized he took a wrong turn and is safely delivered to his comfortable hotel room for the night at 3:16 a.m. in the 2000 block of Buchanan Boulevard.

Assist: There is a request for an officer to sign a plea agreement. The officer states this is not from our jurisdiction and the subject is directed to the appropriate command for approval at 11:42 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.

Accident: There are reports of a multiple-vehicle crash on the truck route. Once again Mercy Air is used in helping us save a life at 12:22 p.m. in the area of U.S. Highway 93 near Lakeview Drive.

Thought for the day: Sometimes the best help you can be is to provide us with the most accurate details you can about an incident.

Feb. 11. See person for information: An elderly subject in the lobby to say her nephew took off with her trunk. The trunk was used to store old photos and she would like it returned at 11:33 a.m. in the 1000 block of Arizona Street.

Code violation: A subject states there is an illegal stand selling food and he was told to call each time he saw it. The information passed on to code enforcement at 4:36 p.m. in the 700 block of Nevada Way.

Drug paraphernalia: A subject was stopped and cited for drug paraphernalia at 10:20 p.m. in the 800 block of Buchanan Boulevard.

Thought for the day: Please have patience and care for our elders as they attempt to live in this fast-paced world. Sometimes their treasures can appear as just one more piece of outdated technology and some time in the future that will be us.

Call of the week: There is a report of a vehicle fire next to the roadway. Officers and firefighters arrive to find a pile of personal belongings have been incinerated. Sometimes love ends badly at 7:40 p.m. in the area of Nelson Road and U.S. Highway 95.

Have a great week!

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.