Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Traffic commissioner Peter Kohl doesn't like anonymous critics

Encinitas Advocate Q&A with Peter Kohl:
What is it that you most dislike?

Rude people; people that hide behind anonymity when criticizing others.
We presume Kohl is referring to this incident, where a resident, shocked at Kohl's imperious silencing of the public and his fellow commissioners at a public meeting of the Traffic Commission, wrote anonymously to Encinitas Undercover. Other attendees have confirmed to EU the accuracy (and even understatement) of the writer's description.

Members of the public have a variety of valid reasons for remaining anonymous when criticizing the actions of public officials. Some fear retribution in their dealings with the city; others simply want to stay out of the limelight while making their small contributions to improving local government.

Public officials choose to subject themselves to a higher standard. If you don't want criticism of your public actions, don't seek public office.

As for "rude people?" Well, rude is in the eye of the beholder.

20 comments:

  1. These arrogant jerk "civil servants" think that they are above reproach. A true democracy requires input by the electorate on the performance of their "officials". If he doesn't like the reviews, resign.

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  2. Just another ignorant public servant trying to show they actually do something that is worth their pay. Get lost. Who needs you?

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  3. He is not a civil servant. He is a volunteer, as are all Commissioners.

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    1. Planning commissioners do get a small stipend.

      Plus bribes. (Kidding! Just kidding!)

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    2. Put the blame where it lies, on Kohl if he was rude. I'm hoping that the other commissioners don't act that way, not that I'm naive enough to believe it's not possible. I just don't want to paint with a broadbrush. If you're going to be on a commission, you need to have a skin thick enough to deal with it...

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  4. Y'know what? I would rather know what a person thinks than his damned name. Traffic Commission? Oh, I guess that must be very important. Prithee, how do we best approach you, my liege?

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  5. I wonder who that was?

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  6. Judging by the traffic jam, intersection grid-lock caused by bad traffic light syncing during early AM, mid-day and later PM on Encinitas Blvd. (from the Coast Hwy to the freeway), someone relating to traffic isn't paying attention.

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  7. Working for a large company that has dissatisfied clients from time to time, I've learned that criticism tends to be much more combative the less personal the communication is.

    People will write inflammatory things anonymously that they wouldn't with their name on it. It's easier to write things than it is to say them on a phone call. By the time you get to a face to face in person meeting, the story has changed completely.

    We have learned that step one in dealing with an irate client is to jump to the executive face to face meeting. Usually the conversation is productive, and problems get solved quickly.

    Bottom line, I take anonymous written commentary with a huge grain of salt.

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    1. 10:21 I take your comments "with a huge grain of salt" since you didn't put your name with your comments.

      I am sure you know what "hypocrite" means.

      By the way, large companies have a lot of dissatisfied employees because the leader of the pack is usually not a nice person and doesn't treat employees on an equal basis. Too much favoritism.

      Then, they get called to a room and get sweet talked to get them in line.

      Again, hypocrite.

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  8. Hey Pete...Traffic sucks. What are you and the other wack jobs at the traffic commission doing about it?? Do you guys violate the Brown Act?? Did you know Norby doesn't get a pension??

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    1. Hey 10:48, gridlock is due to the increase of cars and the proliferation of lovely stop lights. The city does the best they can using computer models to best manage the traffic, but you can't fix stupid drivers from stopping within an intersection when the light's red. That goes for roundabouts too when stop lights inhibit the flow of those.

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    2. Sometimes it is difficult to determine if the intersection is jamming and will leave you stranded in the middle when the other light direction changes. B St. (green light) can come to a standstill going east when Encinitas Blvd at Vulcan is red. The street intersection lights are not coordinated to move traffic along. If this is a computer efficiency model, then HAL needs to be reeducated.

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  9. Assault at Moonlight beach last night in the news, more vibrancy to deal with.

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    1. What's the link?

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    2. Not last night. Mid-afternoon.

      http://www.cbs8.com/story/29726063/a-man-faces-a-judge-after-being-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-a-woman-in-encinitas

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    3. 11:13, Yeah, fights never happened in Encinitas before the Downtown Streetscape. Well, except for that ear that was bit off at the Saloon and the fight John Wayne broke up at Captain Keno's in the 50's.

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    4. The ear-biting was a Secret Service guy. Those guys are angry drunks.

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  10. A 49 year old woman invites some 32 year old guy she just met on the beach to hang with her in her tent? Sound like a couple of street crazies - there are a ton of them around Moonlight.

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    1. Yep.

      But I'm sure they sheriffs will try to use this to push for their Baywatch Patrol again.

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