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stupid cops...got my first CA ticket

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Photo of Ian C.

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05/16/2008 Ian C. says:

Been here less than 1 week. Haven't received a ticket in over 5 years...and then tonight I get one for "not yielding to a pedestrian at a crosswalk", by a UC Berkeley cop. True, the girl had only cross 1/4 of the crosswalk, but I used my best judgment to determine that there was enough space and that it was safe for me to turn...lame..
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05/16/2008 Marcella N. says:

there have been so many pedestrian fatalities in recent years-- they're cracking down on that all over the place.  
You're not supposed to enter the crosswalk until everyone has stepped on to the sidewalk...

Just so ya know : )
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05/16/2008 Cliff B. says:

do you need a hug? or do you want to make Berkeley jokes? or talk mess about the fuzz?

I need more guidance.
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05/16/2008 jamila u. says:

Tell your judgement not to talk you into breaking Laws))))
Photo of Ian C.

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05/16/2008 Ian C. says:

trash about cali cops :)
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05/16/2008 Marcella N. says:

SFPD has been nothing but ultra cool to me..   CHP, I'm a little afraid of them.  I've been here for 8 years and never gotten a ticket.
Photo of Ian C.

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05/16/2008 Ian C. says:

believe it or not, I already did my research :) The law doesn't state that they have to have fully crossed the crosswalk:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/...
Photo of Ian C.

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05/16/2008 Ian C. says:

Don't get me wrong though - I'm all about safety for pedestrians when I'm driving...I'm not the guy who turns at a crosswalk when there is a tiny gap in the foot traffic, I'll wait till everyone has crossed...but this girl was clearly out of my way.
Photo of Jing F.

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05/16/2008 Jing "x2" F. says:

well...i got my first ticket last month...first ever and i have been driving for 20 years.  i didnt make a complete stop (accdg to cop) which I know i  paused for 2 seconds.  Anyway, i will take the so called dreaded class online...and help the city of mountain view to boost their revenue (pay the fine)
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05/16/2008 SC .. says:

Berkeley actually sets up stings on weekends at popular crosswalks to nail drivers.  I always yield to pedestrians and cycles, and I got nailed in Berk for it.  I was pissed because 3 blocks down I was in Oakland and i stopped for an old man with a cane that like 10 cars almost ran over.  Then a few blocks up I'm in Berkeley and some young guy jumps in front of me with 2 cops hiding around the corner and they nail me because I stopped 1 foot into the crosswalk.  

I just try to stay out of Berk as much as possible.
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05/17/2008 Tammy "Dynamo Going to Waste" A. says:

be ultra careful in Redwood City. RCPD cruisers are plentiful and sneaky, and traffic court is not sympathetic.
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05/17/2008 Jason "formerly known as Bob S." T. says:

Meanwhile, a gang banger steals a stereo from a house across the street and a teen mugs an old lady 40 feet away.
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05/17/2008 Bud "Always missing the point" E. says:

Yeah, getting a ticket is a drag.  There's nothing fun about that.  It's disappointing and frustrating.
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05/17/2008 Scotty "SAUCE" D. says:

your soo screwed now! many yelpers are cops!
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05/17/2008 Sebastian "I want this bling on my blog" S. says:

Check out www.ticketassassin.com (has been reviewed on Yelp).  My ex just used it to fight a speeding ticket, with good results.
user photo
05/17/2008

This post was removed because the yelper who wrote it has closed their Yelp account and is no longer a registered yelper.

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05/17/2008 Bud "Always missing the point" E. says:

I support the crosswalk as sacred ground for pedestrian's.  It's good to see civilized people reminded, now and then, to slow down and be considerate of others.
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05/17/2008 Cynthia "What it do baby boo?" B. says:

Welcome to California.  Berkeley and SF are notorious for tickets.  Watch out for the CHP too.  lol  On top of all of that....Wait until you see how much our parking tickets cost.
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05/17/2008 Mark G. says:

My favorite is the idiots in downtown SF that stand IN the street waiting at the corner.  Darwin will come for them eventually.

Sorry about your ticket though.  Can you do the traffic school thing?
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05/17/2008 euge "fanfuckingtastic" l. says:

like red lights tickets and hov tickets, if you got a crosswalk violation, just be a man about it and pay it. theres no use fighting these tickets.
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05/17/2008 Rich Cha K. says:

They also have Crosswalk sting operations here.  I have seen them going to work when they send someone across the street and then have cops sitting down the street on either end of the street and hand out tickets by the boat load.
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05/17/2008 Gerald "Ford" C. says:

policeman in CA are mostly ticked and meter maids.  because making money is so much more important than preventing real crime.
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05/17/2008 Tony "the Tigarrrr!!" .. says:

well, whatever you do, don't go to Alameda then. They flip out moving citatinos there, like they flip out pancakes.  The cops there, just wait for you.  Eagerly anticipationg writing you up. I'm not kidding.
Photo of m e l i s s a A.

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05/17/2008 m e l i s s a "LADI DA" A. says:

Right-of-Way at Crosswalks
21950.  (a) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

Um, yeah.  The link you gave us says that you need to STOP for anyone crossing the street.

I love it when people call other people stupid for their own stupidity.

Welcome to Cali! You'll fit in nicely.

PS
You can always camp in a tree to protest your ticket.
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05/17/2008 GIR .. says:

This part is interesting:

"(b) This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk."

Just last week I had a guy jump out from behind a parked car at an unmarked intersection leaning far out into the street and as I already was rightthere couldn't stop - I mean seriously, I'm a pedestrian half the time and try to be very careful of walkers when driving, but use some common sense people.  Also notice the code refers to intersections and crosswalks, this does not include jay walking.
Photo of Ian C.

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05/17/2008 Ian C. says:

Man, I feel like I'm in court already ;) But that's not very nice Melissa. You don't have the full story. I was actually stopped at a red light. It turned green, I waited for the girl to cross, and then I made my turn.

I love it when stupid people call other people stupid for their own stupidity, too.
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05/17/2008 Gil "chickencat" S. says:

Wait, she had already crossed and you made the turn behind her?
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05/17/2008 Alan S. says:

The cops in Berkeley are something else. Sorry you got a ticket, Ian.
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05/17/2008 Tyrone B. says:

Ha ha! Too bad for you.

Welcome to California!
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05/17/2008 Crystal "there is no Dana, only Zuu" L. says:

Ian is pretty
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05/17/2008 Thomas "^ EVIL ^" F. says:

I have an idea... If you feel you weren't in the wrong, fight the ticket. Obviously the officer felt that you were in the wrong.

Welcome to California. I'm sure your next thread will be about all of the parking tickets or all of the obnoxiously-PC smug ass-clowns in Berkeley.
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05/17/2008 m e l i s s a "LADI DA" A. says:

Awe, I love it when stupid people call people smarter than them stupid to boost their self-esteem.

By the way, I'm not the one with the ticket.  =)
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05/17/2008 Jeff "resident of san francisco's redheaded stepchild" S. says:

Taraval Station has been very aggressive in setting up stings and giving out massive numbers of tickets. Especially at the deadly 30th Ave crossing into GGP at Lincoln Way.

Captain Chignell brags that the Taraval Station now tickets more drivers than any other police district.

However, where is the change in driver behavior? 10 minutes after a sting ends, drivers are back to not yielding to pedestrians. It's no longer the exception to run a stop sign; it's become the rule.

Traffic calming measures are needed to protect pedestrians. Police stings aren't working.

http://youtube.com/wat...
Photo of Gil S.

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05/17/2008 Gil "chickencat" S. says:

"Traffic calming" -- you mean, like Kenny G music?

Interesting video.  Thanks.  I think watching the video could improve driver behavior.
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05/17/2008 Jason "formerly known as Bob S." T. says:

narrow the streets and build more roundabouts.
Photo of Ian C.

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05/17/2008 Ian C. says:

Gil, yeah, she had just crossed and was walking away from me and I made the turn behind her...the stupid cop said I didn't give her enough time. Anyhow, I'm not looking for sympathy or ridicule (Melissa, bitch), but just curious if other people had similar experiences. I'm definitely going to contest the ticket and we'll see what happens.
Photo of Ian C.

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05/17/2008 Ian C. says:

Oh, and she was the ONLY girl crossing..no other folks around..
Photo of Gil S.

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05/17/2008 Gil "chickencat" S. says:

Sounds like a ticket you could fight.  I would.  And/or just do the traffic school thing so it doesn't get on your record.

Please don't call Melissa a b**** though.   She's one of our regulars, and has some of the cutest Yelp photos.  Plus Yelp is a place of great snarkiness.  It's endearing.
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05/17/2008 B. D. says:

Respect the right-of-way of pedestrians..   Ian, do you not know what yield even means in terms of pedestrians and vehicles?

A driver must  YIELD the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within the crosswalk (marked or unmarked). This implies that the vehicle must yield so long as the pedestrian is still crossing the roadway and in the intersection. Duh!

Now granted.. the places I hate to be around when people cross are high schools.  A-hole kids... i nearly hit everytime because they cross in the middle of the f-ing street on greens....however, most pedestrian deaths are caused by people who don't yield.

again.. "The driver of a vehicle shall YIELD(Give up)  the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection"

the only way you will win this one is if the cop doesn't show up when you protest.  I hate tickets too.. but perhaps you should have looked for cops first.  If you did see the cop and did it.. well......   all I know is they don't teach common sense in schools.

fight it, thats all about you can do...  I give a 99% chance you will lose..
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05/17/2008 B. D. says:

p.s.  welcome to california.   I have had plenty of tickets I didn't agree with.. never won any yet.
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05/17/2008 B. D. says:

also.. your a cyclist too.. bikes are considered to abide by the same rules as vehicles.. just be thankful you didn't get a ticket on your bike for not letting someone curb.  lol

**leaves thread forever**
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05/17/2008 GIR .. says:

He could argue that since she walked past and was safely away he had indeed yielded right of way.

Fact is though it is tough to fight tickets as they are at the discretion of the officer. The sad part is that police cars fail to yield to peds all the time
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05/17/2008 Joseph M. says:

Ian, wre you at a traffic light or a stop sign controlled intersection.
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05/17/2008 Kara P. says:

In your original post you stated, "true, the girl had only crossed 1/4 of the crosswalk". So maybe, just maybe you were too hasty in your turning. Only you, the cop and the girl knows for sure. I think it would be safer for everyone concerned if drivers waited for pedestrians to cross at least half way before turning.
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05/17/2008 Sharon "Missy" J. says:

You can probably get the fee lowered if you call them.
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05/17/2008 Gil A. says:

Well, any Law is for our own protection & good... Ian, are you saying you've been in CA or in Berkeley for a week only? Anyways, just FYI only : http://www.dmv.ca.gov/...

Hope this helps :)
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05/17/2008 m e l i s s a "LADI DA" A. says:

wow, you think i am a bitch because you started a thread about being stupid enough to get a ticket?

well, if you think i'm a bitch...just wait 'til you meet the rest of the ladies of yelp. i'm one of the more laid back ones. lol

*warning-warning-warning*
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05/17/2008 Sara F. says:

ugh the ucb cops are the worst.
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05/17/2008 Anne-Marie "bite me like you mean it" R. says:

I've gotten 2 tickets since I've been here for speeding.  One was a pain in the ass but okay, I was speeding.  The other I was slowing down after one street turned into the other and I knew the speed limit was lower and I got caught.  So it friggin didn't even matter that I was consciously slowing down off a ramp.    The police were one block in, pulling in everyone.  Hmmmm.  what's that about?   These streets are evil.  I know it.
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05/17/2008 Mister "One Sexy Motherfucker" J. says:

Pedestrians have the right of way in California.

If the pedestrian stopped in the middle of the crosswalk to take a piss, you'd have to wait for them to finish (both peeing and crossing the street). That's how it is.

Fairly sure you'll get a reduced fine, but you're still going to have to pay some money.

As for anyone complaining about slow pedestrians...well, as the old saying goes, I'm not in your hurry. Pedestrians shouldn't have to run across the street for a driver's convenience. If you're losing that much time that you need to speed or not follow traffic laws, maybe you should start your trip earlier.
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05/17/2008 Dave "Ram-a-Gamma" M. says:

Let us Peds cross man, seriously. You are in what, 2-3k pounds of steel and fossil fuel burning anger? We're in like... keds, and doc martens. Give us a chance to get where we are going too? Whole? Unharmed?

Tickets suck, but so do hospital stays for hit and runs.

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