Ugh. So I went out tonight to Manhattan and had a few drinks and was walking around looking for a place to eat. I come up to a street with a crosswalk, and notice there's a sign (which I can't see the front of, and fail to realize is not a STOP sign, but actually is a Crosswalk sign). Naturally though, I'll still look before I cross, but a taxi cab comes blasting through, nearly hitting me and my gf, then STOPS in the crosswalk to glance back at me. In a fit of anger (and slight drunkedness) I smack the taxi because well, it almost frickin' hit me and I don't take kindly to such things.
A guy jumps out of the taxi and approaches me. After the initial "Holy f*ck I'm buzzed and can't fight" thought process, it turns out the guy's a cop. Gives me some BS about how he knows the neighborhood and knows that's not a Stop sign, I'm lucky he doesn't haul me to jail (for smacking a taxi cab?!), blah blah, and I'm lucky to just get a 'disorderly conduct' ticket.
WTF? I watch this same crosswalk after he leaves, and sure enough, nearly EVERY car that approaches it stops to let ppl. cross. One would think that even if it's not outright a Stop sign, if a cop knows the neighborhood (which is full of bars), he'd know that ppl. would try and cross that street w/o looking, since nearly every other street has a STOP sign.
/rant
Update: So I went to the court this morning to deal with this ticket. My intention was to just pay whatever fine was levied, since I just wanted to get it over with, even though I still feel it's a BS ticket. Anyways, I get called up to the judge, and apparently I have legal aid representing me. Legal aid asks me what happened, and I tell him exactly what I've written here. Legal aid then proceeds to request that my violation get dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence, and sure enough, the judge agrees! So no fine paid whatsoever. 😀
All of you on your high horses that have nothing better to do than play online police can suck it. A real judge sided with me, and all I had to do was tell the truth. About 15 other people went before me in front of the judge for various violations and mine was the only one dismissed up til that point.
A guy jumps out of the taxi and approaches me. After the initial "Holy f*ck I'm buzzed and can't fight" thought process, it turns out the guy's a cop. Gives me some BS about how he knows the neighborhood and knows that's not a Stop sign, I'm lucky he doesn't haul me to jail (for smacking a taxi cab?!), blah blah, and I'm lucky to just get a 'disorderly conduct' ticket.
WTF? I watch this same crosswalk after he leaves, and sure enough, nearly EVERY car that approaches it stops to let ppl. cross. One would think that even if it's not outright a Stop sign, if a cop knows the neighborhood (which is full of bars), he'd know that ppl. would try and cross that street w/o looking, since nearly every other street has a STOP sign.
/rant
Update: So I went to the court this morning to deal with this ticket. My intention was to just pay whatever fine was levied, since I just wanted to get it over with, even though I still feel it's a BS ticket. Anyways, I get called up to the judge, and apparently I have legal aid representing me. Legal aid asks me what happened, and I tell him exactly what I've written here. Legal aid then proceeds to request that my violation get dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence, and sure enough, the judge agrees! So no fine paid whatsoever. 😀
All of you on your high horses that have nothing better to do than play online police can suck it. A real judge sided with me, and all I had to do was tell the truth. About 15 other people went before me in front of the judge for various violations and mine was the only one dismissed up til that point.
