Another vehicle crashed into the water retention basin at the Orchards shopping center on Ygnacio Valley Rd. at Oak Grove Rd. in Walnut Creek.
The basins, which have been constructed in many new shopping centers, including the neighboring Encina Grande shopping center, are about 20″ deep, and have been disastrous for both vehicles and pedestrians.
If you’re driving or walking in shopping centers with these basins, be careful.
Thanks to Gover for the photo.
70 comments
I can’t help but wonder just how long it will take the city to fill those holes up and pave them over?
It’s the city that made Orchards put the basins in in the first place, to treat the stormwater runoff and filter out all the dripped oil, asphalt residue, etc. These curb cuts are always bad news on tight curves – a wheel goes through the gap and the car falls in at one corner and gets stuck.
Seems like the gaps would be better and more safely located near the center sides of the basin, rather than where it is, near the driving lane. That might cut down on a few of these. Still, people tripping over the curb and falling into the basin is an even worse scenario. The basins may be functional, but they are a very strange solution to the problem.
Why on earth can’t they have a strong metal grating over them??
I was there last year when the first car landed in the basin. People were laughing & taking pictures, not knowing that the driver’s husband was standing there. Boy, was he mad! I heard the woman/driver tell her husband “I thought I could make it.” Two different tow trucks came & left because they could not get the vehicle with damaging it further.
I live nearby so I shop here a lot.
I cannot believe how often I see this happen. I actually park upstairs because I’m afraid of getting hit.
Dunno why people forget how to drive in here. I’m at a loss!
You’ve made the mistake of assuming people know how to drive in the first place.
That shopping center is an ugly disaster. I refuse to shop there
I’m right there with you Aunt Barbara!!
I’m so glad that no fire hydrants were harmed in the making of this crash.
And thank God that there are no hydrants in that lot.
How difficult is it to not drive over curbs?
They drive better in high school parking lots.
They drive better in Rossmoor.
You really have to drive through there to experience the form over function that is that shopping center. Now look up, see that giant crane? They are building $1M senior housing units. Ultimately it will not be cars falling into those rain ditches, it will be people. And the injuries will be substantive.
This happened yesterday.
It’s not hard to not drive into those. A proper driver can handle it just fine.
People are dumb.
Stupid is as stupid does! LOL!
@HooHaa That’s what I’m thinking, but I don’t want to jinx myself – I could be next! Pride often cometh before a fall… into a water retention basin. Another theory could be that these are people who habitually are hopping curbs and straightening out curves by driving on sidewalks, a behavior for which there is little repercussion, until they encounter one of these lots. This theory could be tested by building the next new parking lot with no retention basins, but road spikes on all the curbs. It might ensnare the same drivers.
Put something at eye level they can see
Better to install some Guard rail poles. Don’t those engineers on their fancy auto cads consider that aspect of a parking lot ???
If only drivers were practiced with vehicle safety. Maybe automobile manufacturers could put in a big window or something to see through the front of the car…..
Wow,
In a rush? Can’t judge distance? I frankly don’t see how this could happen.
Perhaps place a grate over the open area or bollards, bollards would be ugly though.
not sure why people want to drive cars on that…walk, maybe, but drive?
Before I knew about retention basins, I tripped into one of them last year while I was trying to make a short cut through Veranda’s parking lot. It was not a pleasant experience, thankfully I did not break anything….
It’s so many first time drivers at an older age in Calif because a lot of new arrivals never drove in their home country,and so many people want to live here and live the driving lifestyle .Parking lot driving is not for beginners,but barriers or a big sign with caution on it might be a good idea.Oops,that would cost more…..
Seriously? This is because of old people from other countries? SMDH!!!! I’m embarrassed for you.
@jon, I don’t know if this is true about our area, but in my hometown in Southern California this is absolutely a real dynamic: a lot of people who have never driven before, moving into a car-centric culture in middle age.
Though I have to say, plenty of people who learned to drive at an early age are quite capable of running over a curb! So I don’t know that we need to go to more exotic explanations here.
My unscientific sense of Walnut Creek driving is that there are a ton of people driving sporty SUVs more aggressively and less attentively than is ideal…
Thousands of people pass through that shopping center daily without issue. Once every few months, one inattentive driver ends up in the basin. It’s their error not the center’s.
Focus on driving, put the cell phone down, and drive at a safe speed…you’ll have no issues. I’ve shopped there many a time without ending up in the basin. It’s laughably and remarkably easy NOT to end up calling a tow truck.
That parking lot stinks. And to out a fitness gym there where parking is already right was dumb.
That happens all the time, it doesn’t surprise anyone anymore.
If you cant navigate a parking lot without hitting a curb uh…
Navigation by Braille almost never works out well.
@HooHaa That’s what I’m thinking, but I don’t want to jinx myself – I could be next! Pride often cometh before a fall… into a water retention basin. Another theory could be that these are people who habitually are hopping curbs and straightening out curves by driving on sidewalks, a behavior for which there is little repercussion, until they encounter one of these lots. This theory could be tested by building the next new parking lot with no retention basins, but road spikes on all the curbs. It might ensnare the same drivers.
The basin is sticking out into the lane beyond where the parking spaces are marked. When all the spaces are empty like the photo shows, one would reasonably think, maybe on some subconscious level, that nothing would extend beyond the white lines marking the parking spaces — and as you got closer, the curb would disappear out of the driver’s view. You would have no idea something was under the car that extended into the lane, if only by what looks like maybe a foot or two.
If something isn’t sticking up at eye level at the end of the curb, the driver will reasonably assume nothing is there — until it’s too late. They need to either cut the curb and the basin back so it isn’t extending into the lanes beyond the white lines of the parking spaces, or put a sign at the end at eye level, or a fence around it, or maybe all three. I shop there occasionally, and just walking by the basins they look like big, scary holes in the ground. Driving, they seem like some sort of impediment or obstruction in the lot that doesn’t really make sense and you wonder, “What are these weird things … other lots don’t have them?” “Are they gonna plant something is these things or not?”
Another thing, the lanes seem especially narrow in that lot.
Oh yeah perpendicular parking my favorite. How do you open the door to get in and out the vehicle? NO ROOM.
THE PARKING LOT IS ALSO ON A SLIGHT SLOPE .On a windy day car doors bang into other cars. The weeds are so overgrown that one leaves sneezing with drippy nose. Not worth the trip!
Or, “Why did they booby trap the parking lot?”
It’s also a lot of fun stepping out of your car and falling two feet intoi a trench right next to the car.. Has to be one of the worst designs ever.
I have seen at least 10 of these types of accidents at this particular shopping center over the past year. It’s a real problem!
Let us also consider the fact that the DMV has handed out and continues to hand out driver’s licenses to adult drivers that have no knowledge of how to drive. DMV needs to be held responsible for the large increase of terrible drivers now on CA roads.
Doesn’t matter if there was a basin or not. The person drive over a curb. Was going fast enough that they went all the way over the curb. If I hit a curb I stop, back up, then go around the curb.
@Matt
Most observant comment yet.
If you will notice, there are two sections of the curb cut away on each side of the basin to allow rainwater to flow from the parking lot into the basin. You can see these gaps in the photo on the side near the camera. The car has rolled through this gap into the basin thereby not rolling over the curb. The driver may have been aware of the basin, but was waiting to make contact with the curb before stopping and when that contact didn’t come, rolled through the gap in the curb into the basin.
That design is horrible.
They have a 20-foot hole and the only barrier is curbs?
Just wait until old people and kids start falling in.
Lawyers must be salivating waiting to file those injury lawsuits and with good reason.
I almost fell in one of these holes when getting out of my car, which I parked right next to it…. it was a dark rainy winter night. If it happens again I am going to sue! This is stupid!
20″. That’s inches. Not twenty feet. Still a hazard, but it’s not a tiger trap.
Just saw a pickup stuck in the basin by Safeway yesterday morning. I understand the comments about possibly better design, but how about drivers paying attention??!
When people make mistakes these days it never seems to be their fault. Those basins aren’t where you walk or drive and it’s obvious, so if you hit them… YOU hit them. Take responsibility for not paying attention.
Oh puh-leaze. Of course there is driver error here. That doesn’t mean the design makes sense.
But as to walking – you never step over curbs in a parking lot? Or step onto one to get out of the way of drivers – including the incompetent drivers you are bagging on? Parking lots inherently involve pedestrians walking all over the place. Having little shin-breaker pits like this, when a grate would be perfectly compatible with its purpose, seems ridiculous to me.
The turn radii appear to be designed for smart cars and odd single driver electric cars. Everyone else, prepare for 6 point turns and bumper taps to maneuver in a full lot.
Or go to Trader Joe’s!
Just start taking licenses away from the elderly and you’ll cut this problem 90%.
You obviously aren’t familiar with accident statistics.
And Mountainside Jay will be glad to drive them to the store & doctor appointments.
Can’t fix Stupid!
Run into a basin and it is time for you to take Uber.
I wish you could post the video for each of these incidents. I just want to see how these vehicle occupants are getting themselves in these positions. Keep in mind, it’s not easy to just drive over a curb. I want to see how fast they are going and/or the rocking forward of the car a few times as they try and figure out why their car wont move forward.
I also want to see how they get out of the car – are they doing to seat-hop of shame to get out? I want to see the look on their face once they realize what they did.
These videos could provide some great entertainment.
’till it happens to you.
They may not be driving over the curb. They may be rolling thru one of the two gaps in the curb on each side of the basin visible in the photo.
first off its not just the elderly
dmv used to be cautious about who actually was allowed to drive
then they discovered hey these people have to pay fees and we want raises and bonuses just like every other civil job so they give a license to anyone who can pay …why do you think they give you so many chances to get it and post tests on line to memorize…driving now is a skill to keep away from the hacks ….navigating a parking lot is a whole nother game ….as well as you should whenever you walk up to your vehicle …be aware of whats around it or near or behind it or on the side of it …especially with the people who park like this I / I …IN A space and block your door with a prious of all things because they don’t care ….
as well as the area around those spots next to your car need to be lit up maybe from underneath
yet again watch what you are doing …you are operating a 2 ton wrecking ball ….use some common sense or at least work on it for all of our safety
cant wait for the de slacker sit down about this
DeSaulnier likely won’t be addressing this issue. It doesn’t involve attacking the President.
Don’t know exactly how these basins are deigned, but I’ve seen grates covering storm drains all over the world. Is that not possible with these? A designer has to provide safety for the LEAST capable person who might frequent a developed area, and it’s obvious the folks in WC are the least capable.
JP is right, an experienced Civil Engineer should be able to design a structure encountered by the public that is just short of “idiot proof”. A plan checker should have caught that.
How do you idiot proof it? Have you heard the saying, You can’t fix stupid?
Perhaps “you can’t fix stupid” but you can find ways to circumvent it. That’s what engineers are paid to do.
It’s a Public SAFETY issue. It means that you quit shopping there until they put up yellow posts.
Normally if you hit or drive up a curb…..it’s nothing.
This is just a boobie trap.
How about slow down and pay attention? Cars move far to fast in that parking lot. Again, blame the inanimate object instead of the human with a brain (supposedly)! Personally, I think these basins are an ugly alternative. But let’s put the blame where it belongs!
Walnut Creek as well as all other cities in the Bay Area are required by the SF Water Board to install these for new and redevelopment projects that meet certain sizing thresholds for storm water mitigation. WC and all cities are following the law that’s been imposed on them by the State. These will also start showing up on the streets and public areas in compliance with Green Infrastructure requirements by that same Board. If you don’t like them, go complain to the SF Water Board. But they won’t listen so you’ll just have to AVOID DRIVING INTO THEM.
Piss poor design. A 1/4” plate embedded in the concrete would serve as the “curb” where the openings are. You’ll see how fast it gets fixed when there is a class action lawsuit.
Piss poor design. A 1/4” plate embedded in the concrete would serve as the “curb” where the openings are. Just wait
The gaps in the concrete curb are one of the only functional parts of the basin, allowing rainwater to run from the parking lot into the basin to collect. Theoretically, the asphalt of the parking lot is graded in such a way as to direct rainwater to those gaps. Close that gap and the basin becomes useless.
Horizontal plate spanning over the curb, not a vertical plate that blocks the drain
Horizontal plate on top of the curb, not vertical plate
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