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Tue 11 Apr, 2006 09:59 am
Woman, 82, ticketed for crossing the street too slowly
(4/11/06 - LOS ANGELES, CA) - An 82-year-old woman received a $114 ticket for taking too long to cross a street. Mayvis Coyle said she began shuffling with her cane across Foothill Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley when the light was green, but was unable to make it to the other side before it turned red.
She said the motorcycle officer who ticketed her on Feb. 15 told her she was obstructing traffic.
"I think it's completely outrageous," said Coyle, who described herself as a Cherokee medicine woman. "He treated me like a 6-year-old, like I don't know what I'm doing."
Los Angeles police Sgt. Mike Zaboski of the Valley Traffic Division said police are cracking down on people who improperly cross streets because pedestrian accidents are above normal. He said he could not comment on Coyle's ticket other than to say that it is her word against that of the citing officer, identified only as Officer Kelly.
"I'd rather not have angry pedestrians," Zaboski said. "But I'd rather have them be alive."
Others, however, supported Coyle's contention that the light in question doesn't give people enough time to cross the busy, five-lane boulevard.
"I can go halfway, then the light changes," said Edith Krause, 78, who uses an electric cart because she has difficulty walking.
On Friday, the light changed too quickly even for high school students to make it across without running. It went from green to red in 20 seconds.
Councilwoman Wendy Greuel said she has asked transportation officials to figure out how to accommodate elderly people.
"We should look at those areas with predominantly seniors and accommodate their needs in intersections" she said.
Quite remarkable news - even dys started
an earlier thread about this news :wink:
You must have provided a wrong link, Walter.
Man.... that is ridiculous!
Clearly the police out here have conquered crime and are out looking for new ways to better spend their time. Still, with LAPD, a desperado such as this should be glad she wasn't tasered or beaten into submission.
I like this here "At least one of the seniors reportedly calls a cab just to cross the street."
[I've read that indeed just myself some time, edgar - got mixed up - might get a ticket for that as well.]
Hey, if I got a nickle for every poor judgment I've made on A2K, I would be very rich, Walter.
That old lady would have been made flat by a Texas driver.
Up here, in this area, pedestrians have the right of way and they get it, mostly. I imagine they have the rght of way elsewhere as well. But, here it's enforced. The problems are that we have many out-of-town drivers who don't realize this and that some pedestrians push the limits of their right to cross.
When I lived in California, the pedestrians had right of way there. If that has changed, I didn't get the news.
until a few years ago I live in Mesa Arizona (land of WIDE streets and narrow minds). The street in front of my home was 8 lanes and I had to drive across it to get to the little market directly across the street.
Ya beat me to it, blacksmithn.
littlek wrote:... that some pedestrians push the limits of their right to cross.
I would never try to hurry a little old lady who obviously has difficulty walking but try making a right turn with a 26' straight truck in downtown Chicago during lunch hour. At times it has taken me three lights to do just that. I know all about pedestrians pushing the limits. I wish I was able to hand out tickets.
Oh, I was talking about high schoolers and loose groups of trailing pedis, not little old ladies.
The roads (and crosswalks) down here are positively Darwinian.
I'm with the cop, though. She shouldn't endanger herself or others, no matter how short the light is.
I wasn't implying you target little old ladies, I was making it clear that I didn't. My motivations may be more suspect than yours.
Well, it's hardly a conundrum. Pedestrians have the right of way and if the light's too short, what's she supposed to do? Get some passing Boy Scout to give her a piggyback?
Ha!
I have ahigh school on the other sie of my block. Due to one-way streets, I have to go well out of my way sometimes to avoid that light during lunchtime.
So, if i read you people correctly, you're suggesting there might be something wrong with running down old ladies in a crosswalk? What about old men? What about little kids?