Got A Jaywalking Ticket While I was in a controled intersection (Lincoln: live, dangerous)

[yoyoma02]

I was at the corner of Olympic and Figueroa. I was crossing west.

I was in a controlled intersection. The light was green the entire time I was in the intersection.

I received a ticket because there was a red hand and not the white walk guy...

First, is this even legal? I could understand if the light were red and I was in a controled intersection, or if I was truely jaywalking from one side of the street to another, but seriously...

What are your thoughts on this law?

Any ideas on how to fight this ticket?

I really don't want to pay $106 for following the law.

[Pretzelogik]

Well...you know...the police can't be bothered with robbers, rapists, murderers, druggies etc. there are more important "criminals" to apprehend such as jaywalkers....besides they don't shoot back.

[SandyCo]

Of course, this is legal. If the "Walk" sign is red, that means you shouldn't walk. The light was probably green for traffic making a left turn across your cross walk - or for traffic making a right turn on red. You can always decide to fight the ticket and hope the cop doesn't show up in court.

[Lovehound]

You ignored the pedestrian walk/don't walk signal. Controlled intersection doesn't mean control for automobiles only, but includes pedestrians too, and you crossed against the pedestrian signal.

Jaywalking means not only crossing the street at other than a regular crossing, but also includes crossing at a regular crossing against the traffic signal. That's what the "red hand, walk guy" stuff means.

Points off for being dense. Pay the fine.

[yoyoma02]

The walk sign lasts for 15 seconds. How is someone supposed to get across the intersection in that amount of time? I've been crossing the street for 28 years and have never had a problem with this.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by yoyoma02

I received a ticket because there was a red hand and not the white walk guy...

I really don't want to pay $106 for following the law.

Well, by your own admission, you weren't following the law.

[415_s2k]

Originally Posted by yoyoma02

The walk sign lasts for 15 seconds. How is someone supposed to get across the intersection in that amount of time? I've been crossing the street for 28 years and have never had a problem with this.

This is entirely true!

The last time I lived in LA, I was crossing Venice by Lincoln; Venice is like eight lanes across! I was barely through the second lane (25%), and it started flashing the red hand. By the time I was just past the median, it was a solid red hand... and I walk fast!

After I got to the other side, a motorcycle cop rolled up and sternly told me that next time, I should hurry up. Who do they use to time these lights? People competing for the 100-meter dash?

I guess that the rationale is that if you're walking, they can't pull you over for no reason and write you a $600 ticket, so, they have to be able to bilk you somehow!

[yoyoma02]

I had no idea the red hand meant you can't cross the street. I always just thought of it as a warning signal, which meant the light will be turning red soon.

In addition, as he was writing me the citation, I pointed out multiple people who were crossing in front of us as the red hand was flashing and he did nothing about it.

This all seems pretty ridiculous to me.

[transitfan]

Originally Posted by yoyoma02

The walk sign lasts for 15 seconds. How is someone supposed to get across the intersection in that amount of time? I've been crossing the street for 28 years and have never had a problem with this.

When I lived out there, my understanding was if the walk signal was white (ok to go) when you stepped off the curb, you would be OK even if it turned to red while you were walking. If you stepped off after the red hand was up (even if the light was still green), then that is a violation. 15 seconds isn't enough time to cross the street (I'm familiar with that intersection, as I stayed at the Holiday Inn there during the two visits I made to L. A. in the mid-70s before I moved there. Hope this helps.

[drshang]

You are technically breaking the law.

However, the main reason you are getting a ticket is to subsidize the finances of a massively broke city.

Yes, there are arguments that what you are doing is dangerous from a public safety perspective, but fundamentally these kind of tickets are all about revenue generation, not anything else.