On 8/15/2017 3:12 PM, Doug Landau wrote:

Changing the subject,
What do you think about the ticket I got in my van - from a ranger - for not coming to a complete stop at the stop sign at the exit of the state OHV park I went to on Sunday? A few moments before, I was their guest, for chrissake! Having a great time at a public park created for that very purpose. And I leave all reset and re-aligned with the cosmos, and I get one foot out the door and BOOM! Pounced upon by my host who was so warm and welcoming.


Were you on a bike or using a motor vehicle? (Not that it would affect
my answer.)

In general, I think demanding an absolutely perfect zero speed at a stop
sign is silly. In fact, I think most stop signs should at least
theoretically be yield signs. That's in an ideal world where people
actually operate their vehicles responsibly.

As it is, we've got a near universal "wink, wink" system where very few
(probably no more than 25%) of people do a total complete stop when the
way is obviously clear. Occasionally someone causes a police crackdown,
with no real benefit except a bit of ticket revenue.

Perhaps I'm bitter. I got my first ticket since 1973 recently, in
exactly that way. It was a four way stop, I was not hurrying, the roads
were totally empty, I probably moved no more than 1 mph, but I was
pulled over. The young cop apologized profusely, but said the safety
director had given a direct order that at that intersection he wanted
cops to ticket anyone whose wheels did not come to an absolute complete,
perfect stop. The cop said he'd prefer to give me a warning, but didn't
dare to.

One of my cop friends confirmed that that towns cops were really
disgusted at the order by their micromanager boss. But fighting the
ticket would be futile.

--
- Frank Krygowski