Pulled over in Central Park

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40 replies [Last post]
Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

"I was riding around Central Park early this morning. During my second lap in the downhill stretch following Harlem Hill, I came upon a red light. I slowed down, saw no pedestrians and kept going (but did not stop). A Parks Dept. person pulled me over to say that I was riding in a ""reckless mannner"" and proceeded to write me up.

I now have a summons for which I need to appear in court in Nov. The Parks Dept. person said that the fine would be ""$25-$30"" but I would have to appear in person and plead guilty. He also mentioned that I could call the phone number listed on the summons paper he gave me (to see if I could pay the fine without appearing in court), but on looking at the paper closely I can't find any number.

Has this happened to anyone else? I have not been riding in the park for a while and had no idea that riders were getting pulled over. Since I did ride through the light, I'm guessing my options are limited and I would have to plead guilty. What are the consequences?

Any help / advice would be much appreciated. Thanks."

Anonymous's picture
Popeye Doyle (not verified)

"Why stop? ""Pretend"" not to hear or see him. Keep riding to the nearest exit and leave the park."

Anonymous's picture
Bob Ross (not verified)
"""Why stop?"" indeed"

I gotta admit, that's my general reaction every time I hear one of these stories too.

I usually tend to be a safety-conscious, law-abiding cyclist (really, I swear!) but I'll be damned if anything short of a .38 slug into my backside is gonna force me to voluntarily get off my bike and *accept* a fine!

I know, I'm setting a bad example for the NYCC kids...

Anonymous's picture
<a href="http://www.OhReallyOreilly.com">Peter O'Reilly</a> (not verified)
Re: Any help / advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Ethics discussion aside, I've read on this board that using the name of Eddy Merckx works well.

Anonymous's picture
Russ (not verified)
Which light is this?

I'm confused. The only West Side traffic lights I've seen monitored are the two at the base of the descent opposite the Museum of Natural History near the Delacorte theater (as recently as this morning). I have the impression that DR was stopped at the light just after the transverse around 100th Street. Would you confirm the location, please?

Anonymous's picture
DR (not verified)

To be clear the light I was stopped at the base of the dscent near the Museum of Natural History.

Does anyone know what happens at court? Do I just need to pay a fine and be done with it? Does it go in my permanent record? Can anything happen other than a fine? Should I plead guilty or contest? Thanks a lot.

Anonymous's picture
Ritchie Yu (not verified)
Septemeber 25, 2006

"I got ticket about a month ago, and my court date is September 25, 2006.

The citation reads ""Failure to yield to pedestrian crosswalk.""

Without getting into the details online, I will be contesting the ticket.

I will let you know what happens. Can I count on you to post bail? Kidding...."

Anonymous's picture
DR (not verified)

Would be interested to hear what happens in your situation. Please let us know...

Anonymous's picture
Dan (not verified)
Ticket

"The same thing happened to me back in July. I was given a summons and told to appear in court on 9/8. I plead not guilty by mail, but was still asked to show up.

I showed up in court, and the charges were dropped. The judge and assigned counsel basic looked at the ticket quizically and said ""reckless cycling? what does that mean? That doesn't really mean anything.""

Having to miss part of work and go downtown was a pain, but worth it in the end."

Anonymous's picture
Ron Torok (not verified)
What time was this?

What time was this?

Anonymous's picture
DR (not verified)

This was at 7:25am. During my second lap. There was no enforcement of the light the first time I went past it.

Anonymous's picture
Ron Torok (not verified)
enforcement

Seems like they start enforcement when they open up for cars.

Anonymous's picture
Sienna (not verified)

"DR, this is no help to you but rather an observation. I was in the park this morning for the first time in a couple of weeks and was surprised that they're still enforcing that one light.

As I approached the red light, another rider came around on my right and didn't appear to be slowing. I swear, you could see the Parks Dept guy licking his chops in gleeful anticipation. Then - the light turned green JUST as the rider was directly under it, going through. The Parks Dept guy literally snapped his fingers and shook his head in a ""Darn, we almost had him"" kind of way. It just seemed like he was enjoying it too much. Of course there were no pedestrians in the area. They're enforcing this light because it's fun for them. Otherwise, they'd enforce in an area where pedestrians actually cross the street."

Anonymous's picture
Nick Trippel (not verified)
As of Today, the Police have moved North

FYI & FWIW. As of today at 8:30 AM (Thursday, 9/28) the police seem to have moved north on West Drive, up near 101st and 102nd street. (There was one officer at each of the two lights just south of the 102nd Street cutoff.) It was unclear to me if they were ticketing anyone.

The police did seem to be acting as a bit of deterrent to pedestrians crossing against the light.

Anonymous's picture
Claudette (not verified)
pedestrians

Just yesterday I was riding after seven pm in the Park. Was in the lower loop and coming up the East Side near 79th street. I had a clear green light.

Some pedestrians in tuxedoes were almost finished crossing and there was a police officer there with some people about to start crossing. The crosswalk was clear except for the posted officer. I slowed down, saw the officer and then continued through my green light.

She yelled out that I needed to stop. I pointed at my green light. I made the silly assumption that she, being a police officer, could advise pedestrians, tuxedoed or not, to obey the crossing signals.

You bet I would have argued my case had she ticketed me.
~CML

Anonymous's picture
Ted (not verified)
You were wrong

"http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/dmanual/chapter04-manual.htm

""Directions given by traffic officers take precedence over signs, signals or pavement markings. If a traffic officer signals you to stop at a green light, for example, you must stop. If an officer signals you to drive through a red light or stop sign, you must do so.""

"

Anonymous's picture
Claudette (not verified)
No I was not

The officer was not directing traffic. She was simply standing at the side of the road with the other pedestrians. She did not signal nor did she say anything until I was already in the crosswalk. Had she been directing traffic and crossing the pedestrians, I would have stopped. Being that there were none in the crosswalk, that I had the green, and that she did not signal until I was already there, I received NO instruction from her until after the fact.

Anonymous's picture
Sienna (not verified)

"""If an officer signals you to drive through a red light or stop sign, you must do so.""

Hey - didn't someone post something a short while ago about being waved through the light in Central Park, just to be pulled over and ticketed? Here's your defense!"

Anonymous's picture
ja (not verified)
me, too

There seemed to be an additional light set up there, with three or four cops standing on the inside of the loop, waiting for cyclists. I slowed, but ran the red on my first lap and was verbally reprimanded by a female cop as I passed, but not asked to stop or get off my bike. I, too, timed my subesequent laps to get to the light as it turned green, much to the same cop's all too apparent dismay.

Anonymous's picture
Richard Rosenthal (not verified)
Sincere questions.

Are non-police officers capable of issuing legally enforceable tickets? Can they issue tickets for littering, noise violations, drivers running red lights? Do they? Can they make (non-citizens/super-citizens) arrests for robbery/assault/murder? What is the authority vested in them? By statute or legislation? Is this authority vested in Park Rangers? Do they take an oath of office? Does that oath speak of thier duty to enforce law? Are they not obliged to appear in court to testify as a complainant? Do they have identifying badges and numbers or nameplates they are obliged to wear and show if asked?

Anonymous's picture
mike p (not verified)

there are all different types of law enforcement in NYC with all different degrees of police powers.
i believe it get pretty specific with each department . correction officers i think have police powers to act when a felony is committed.
Roosevelt island has a private police force that has special powers given to them by the police commissioner to arrest and detain. sanitation enforcement has certain powers. there are sworn officers ,peace officers, special officers etc.
the main difference is your not allowed to lie to the feds

Anonymous's picture
frusrated!!! (not verified)

"I don't know if this has anything to do with this situation , but I once spoke to a pedi-cab owner who expressed his desire for his cab to be a registered & liscensed vehicle in NYC . Obeying traffic regulations in the city seems a small price to pay in exchange for respectability, proper consideration & protection under the traffic laws.You know the old saying ""money talks & B.S. walks""....bicycle registration may be a step in the right direction ,maybe then we could argue about the auto driving through the park during no cars allowed period @ 45mph ,running all the red lights using his flashers as the prerequisite that allows him to do so ----paleeze ---let's take more responsibilty & push for representation ,remember.... ""no taxation without representation""...in this case it should read (no representation without taxation).....we have to establish what we are motor vehicle, pedestrian or other -------for instance if your stradling your bike in a crosswalk ..what is your classification , cyclist or pedestrian or why should we be governed by motor vehicle laws if no one knows what our classification is ?Paying a fee for registration can help in the fight for acceptance."

Anonymous's picture
Morene (not verified)
I got ticketed too...

My court date is Oct. 2. In my case, I STOPPED at the light, and the rent-a-cop waved me and two others through, as there wasn't a pedestrian in sight at that time of the a.m. THEN we were subsequently pulled over 20 yards up...failing to yield... It's such a setup, entrapment, it's ridiculous. I'm a freelancer, and taking a day off is usually saved for riding, NOT going to court.
Morene

Anonymous's picture
DR (not verified)

That's ridiculous! How can they pull you over when you STOPPED at the light? On what grounds can they give you a summons?

All this makes me not want to ride in Central Park anymore...

Anonymous's picture
Joe (not verified)

Recently had a cop tell me to stop at the light just after the road merge near the southeast corner of the loop. There were lots of peds around but no one was crossing at the time, and I was moving at a moderate speed. The light was red, but I was about to blow through it when he stepped out and put his arm out. I stopped, so no ticket. This guy was NYPD, but as others have said, Parks Dept. personnel are doing most of the ticketing - anyone know what their uniforms look like (that way if I see them, I'll slow or stop at the reds)?

Anonymous's picture
Ritchie Yu (not verified)
Dismissed

"Went to court today and the citation was dismissed.

All of the people in the court who showed up with bike tickets (and presumably there to enter a plea of ""Not Guilty""), had the complaint dismissed.

The judge did give me some advice. He told me to be careful on my bike. I said thank you and ran outta there."

Anonymous's picture
Tony (not verified)

Has anyone had any experience with tickets outside of CP? I see them ticket wrong way riders and red light runners up hear all the time? Are they dismissing those citations also?

Anonymous's picture
DR (not verified)

Did you get a summons from the Parks Depts that led to this, or was it an NYPD ticket? Did you plead not guilty in person at the court?

Would love to get some more color, as I have a court date in mid-November.

Anonymous's picture
Ritchie Yu (not verified)

"The summons was from a Parks Department Officer, and unlike a traffic ticket, there was no option to pay the fine by mail (like in CA.)

I had to appear in person to make my plea.

When I got to court house, I had to wait in a line, then gave a clerk my summons. The clerk told me to go to a specified court room. The clerk never asked me what I was going to plea, but I did fill out the ""Not Guilty"" form on the back.

Went to the court room. They called my name, and before I said anything, the advocate (a public defender type?) stated to the judge...""Move to dismiss"" or something like that.

The judge agreed and told me to be careful on my bike. The only thing that I said in the court room was ""Thank you."" Didn't have to take an oath and the Parks Officer wasn't present.

Hope that helps."

Anonymous's picture
Rob Marcus (not verified)
The Parks people are still there

I was nicely asked to stop at the light this am about 8:15 am, which I did.
Rules are rules, but of course I thought I was going to get a ticket for the light I ran 30 feet ahead.

Have a nice New York day.

Rob

Anonymous's picture
David (not verified)
Why not ticket pedestrians?

Cops were manning those two lights on West Drive again this morning. Here's a good one: I passed through the first light, which was fully green, and a pedestrian stepped out right in front of the cop and attempted to cross. She had a no crossing light and did not even bother to look up the road. I almost hit her and I was being cautious. I was yelled at for being reckless by the cops. I was furious. Why do they even have ligths if pedestrians can cross at will whenever they want?

Anonymous's picture
bill vojtech (not verified)

A ped in the crosswalk has right of way at all times. It sucks, but it's the law.

Anonymous's picture
Teddy (not verified)

Then what is jaywalking (NOT the Leno skit!)??? Dont they enforce jaywalking here? There are also violations for interfering with the flow of traffic. I honestly think it has just become a cops against bikers issue probably stemming from the whole critical mass ride and republican convention nonsense. I could be wrong but thats just my gut instinct.

Anonymous's picture
bill vojtech (not verified)

They have the right of way, meaning you are not allowed to hit them, even if you have the green light. They could still get a ticket for jay walking, but you are responsible if you hit them.

Anonymous's picture
mike (not verified)
i blame the republicans too

i agree its the republicans fault that bicyclist are being ticket in central park.

Anonymous's picture
David (not verified)

Right of way all of the time? Is that true? That would imply that there would be no need for walk/don't walk signs, nor any basis for issuing summons for j-walking.

Anonymous's picture
Teddy (not verified)

Has anyone ever jsu kept going like they didnt hear the cops?? Do they chase you down on foot?

Anonymous's picture
chris o (not verified)
Pedestrians don't rule

In Central Park, pedestrians always have the right of way over cyclists. But this is not true in the streets of the city. Section 1150 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law requires pedestrians to follow the traffic control device. If there is no light, then pedestrians always have the right of way in marked and unmarked crosswalks. If not in a crosswalk and no light, pedestrians must yield the right of way to vehicles (Section 1152(a)).

Anonymous's picture
Paul (not verified)

>>If there is no light, then pedestrians always have the right of way in marked and unmarked crosswalks<<

Two questions:
What is an unmarked crosswalk?
Are there any intersections in NYC that do not have a light or stop sign?

Anonymous's picture
chris y (not verified)
Do not have right of way at all times.

If there is a crosswalk at an uncontrolled intersection (i.e.: no traffic light), pedestrians have the right of way and vehicles must yield.

If there is a traffic light, pedestrian must way until the cross-traffic has a red light. i.e.: the red 'do not cross' sign does mean 'do not cross'.

So, if a pedestial get hit while crossing 5th Avenue while the avenue has a green light, the pedestrian is to blame, not the driver.

Anonymous's picture
Teddy (not verified)

Pedestials are the REAL problem not the pedestrians! No one really wants to admit that though for fear of societal reprisal. ; )

cycling trips