Published Wednesday, May 7, 2008, by the Peninsula Examiner

El Camino Real no longer used-car lot

By Mike Rosenberg
mrosenberg@...

MILLBRAE -- Local businesses, police and lawmakers have apparently
thwarted a slew of illegal used-car sales activity that authorities
said had plagued El Camino Real.

Prior to this year, Millbrae had been flooded with calls from angry
businesses and motorists furious that the used-car sales activity was
taking precious parking spots, potential buyers were walking into the
road and sellers were slowing down traffic, said police Sgt. John
Aronis. The sellers used El Camino Real as a "craigslist" of the used
car sales world because its heavy traffic provided free and easy
advertising, he said.

But after Jan. 1 of this year, when a state law went into effect that
allows local law enforcement to tow cars parked with "for sale" signs
on state highways such as El Camino Real, Millbrae has not had to tow
a single used car parked for sale on El Camino Real, police said.

"I have gotten zero complaints since it went into effect," said
Millbrae Chamber of Commerce President and CEO John Ford.

The city had solicited the aid of state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Mateo-
San Francisco, to pass the bill illegalizing used car sales activity
on state highways. In addition to Millbrae, all of California's local
law enforcement can enforce the law on state highways within city
borders. Previously, only the CHP and Caltrans could police the
infractions on state highways.

Art Schwass, general manager of Best Western El Rancho Inn & Suites
on El Camino, said the used-car sellers would fill open spaces with
new vehicles as soon as one sold. If his employees tried parking in
the open spots, they would find their car windows broken or
vandalized, he said.

"We had basically car after car from bumper to bumper with `for sale'
signs on it," Schwass said. "Since the first [of the year] it looks
like the old hotel again."

Palo Alto, another big backer of the law, has towed 49 cars during
the first four months of the year.

In Palo Alto, the prevalence of used car sales along El Camino Real
in front of Stanford University was also causing safety concerns
because potential buyers were walking around the cars to scope them
out along the busy street, said Palo Alto traffic Sgt. Steve Herrera.


State highway used-car sales law

0: Millbrae tows of used cars for sale on El Camino Real since start
of year

49: Palo Alto tows of used cars for sale on El Camino Real through
April

Applicable roads: El Camino Real, 19th Avenue in San Francisco

Jan. 1: Date law went into effect

Sources: Millbrae police, Palo Alto police, Leland Yee's office