Beware the US Park Police on Haines Point

Our Community Forums General Discussion Beware the US Park Police on Haines Point

Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 67 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #939527
    dbb
    Participant

    Interesting new feature at Hains Point (Buckeye at the channel).

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]947[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]948[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]949[/ATTACH]

    Maybe they can use the sign later to urge motorists on the GWMP to stop for people in the crosswalk

    #939528
    OneEighth
    Participant

    I noticed this yesterday on the way in. Got me thinking about return on investment and how agencies make decisions about how to expend taxpayer dollars…especially right now. Wonder if anyone took a look at what it costs to put the sign there and maintain it there and compared that to the public safety gain versus putting it somewhere else for another purpose.
    Worrying about cyclists at Hains Point in particular would seem to be very, very low priority work.
    Almost tempted to do a FOIA to get at how they reached the decision that this was a good use of taxpayer dollars.

    #939533
    Terpfan
    Participant

    They put the sign up down there and moved enforcement up to MVT/Jefferson Memorial area. Go figure.

    It would be great if they put a sign up by the MVT crossing of GWP. And then maybe followed it with some strict enforcement right there instead of further up underneath the bridge or way down south.

    #939540
    dasgeh
    Participant

    Speaking of silly NPS signs, I noticed today while I was coming over (towards DC) on the South side of the Memorial Bridge that there are new (?) signs telling motorists to stop for the upcoming crosswalks. There are 2 or 3 that say “DC Law; STOP for [ped symbol] in crosswalk”, all on lamp posts along the bridge. Then on either side of the one lane heading down to RCP (which the first crosswalk crosses), there are signs that read “State Law; Yield to [ped symbol] in crosswalk”. Sigh.

    Unfortunately, the incorrect signs are the ones most visible to drivers. Who to contact? Can WABA help here?

    #939542
    rcannon100
    Participant

    Which are the incorrect signs? What’s incorrect (honestly, this is an immeasurably vague area of law)?

    #939543
    Terpfan
    Participant

    @rcannon100 18471 wrote:

    Which are the incorrect signs? What’s incorrect (honestly, this is an immeasurably vague area of law)?

    I’m going to guess the one that says “State Law” on it given that’s quite a fierce debate :D.

    #939544
    dbb
    Participant

    @Terpfan 18462 wrote:

    They put the sign up down there and moved enforcement up to MVT/Jefferson Memorial area. Go figure.

    Kind of like our mothers telling us to be safe when we go out to play. We listened but compliance was often lacking.

    #939545
    Jason
    Participant

    So who gives them tickets when they nearly run you over with their motorcycles while they are driving on the sidewalks?

    #939547
    DaveK
    Participant

    My friend got a warning ticket out there yesterday in front of the sign. They’re still watching…

    #939552
    dasgeh
    Participant

    @Terpfan 18472 wrote:

    I’m going to guess the one that says “State Law” on it given that’s quite a fierce debate :D.

    The fierce debate is over when a pedestrian (and a bike is, by reg, a “pedestrian” in the crosswalk) is “crossing” to initiate the responsibility of drivers to stop. The reg is pretty clear about the requirement to stop (vs. yield, which is the law in VA).

    (BTW, the laws cited below are NOT in WABA’s pocket guides. I think they should be in the next version. Can someone pass that along to the right person?)

    Relevant DC Law:
    § 50-2201.28. Right-of-way at crosswalks.
    (a) When official traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall stop and give the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

    Relevant VA law:
    § 46.2-924. Drivers to stop for pedestrians; installation of certain signs; penalty.

    A. The driver of any vehicle on a highway shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing such highway:

    1. At any clearly marked crosswalk, whether at mid-block or at the end of any block;

    2. At any regular pedestrian crossing included in the prolongation of the lateral boundary lines of the adjacent sidewalk at the end of a block;

    3. At any intersection when the driver is approaching on a highway or street where the legal maximum speed does not exceed 35 miles per hour.

    B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of this section, at intersections or crosswalks where the movement of traffic is being regulated by law-enforcement officers or traffic control devices, the driver shall yield according to the direction of the law-enforcement officer or device.

    No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic.

    The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously.

    Pedestrians crossing highways at intersections shall at all times have the right-of-way over vehicles making turns into the highways being crossed by the pedestrians.

    #939642
    Mantadiver
    Participant

    I received a warning for not stopping fully at a stop sign this morning at Haines Point. I didn’t really blow through it. The cop said it is bicycle safety month and they were told to go after cyclists. He was nice about it. I said they should be going after the buses. I had two today that crowded my lane when passing me. During the week the buses are out of control. Parking where it states no bus parking and idling their engines.

    #939651
    ontarioroader
    Participant

    You either stopped or you didn’t. I blow multiple red lights and stop signs every day to and from work during my 16+ mile commute, but I never do it if there’s a police officer or police vehicle present. It’s just disrespectful. Trying to divert the argument to violations committed by bus drivers is simply juvenile. Best lecture I got from a police officer when I was pulled over for speeding in a car and pulled the bs line of “well everyone else was speeding too”. Officer asked if I ever went fishing. I answered, “yes”. He responded with, “ever catch all the fish?”.

    #939655
    Mantadiver
    Participant

    Did I say I did it in front of a cop? I didn’t notice him so where is the disrespect. I mentioned the bus problem because something needs to be done about it. Anyone who rides Haines PT during the week knows the bus problem. Posts like yours are one of the reasons I post so infrequently on message boards.

    #939656
    creadinger
    Participant

    @ontarioroader 18595 wrote:

    Trying to divert the argument to violations committed by bus drivers is simply juvenile.

    Opinionated much?? How do you know he was diverting the argument? Do you know for a fact that the bus drivers are not at all hazardous or a nuisance downtown?? If you say yes, you are lying. It’s not quite as simple and “juvenile” as you claim. It’s an issue of overall safety. When a bus driver screws up, multiple people could be hurt or killed. How many bus accidents have there been in the region in the past couple of years where overworked, overtired drivers flip their buses at high speed and kill a few people?

    And when they park illegally and idle their engines for long periods of time it’s a MAJOR nuisance. There’s been a Legal Seafoods delivery truck idling his engine below my apartment for more than an hour the past two mornings and I’m about to go egg the s$#t out of his truck! IMO the only reason PP are going after bikers in the Hains Point area right now is to make a statement to cyclists, but also to make a statement to the driving dominated tourists that the park police are trying to control all of the unruly cyclists passing you on the sidewalks, and when you’re stuck in traffic etc…

    #939658
    MCL1981
    Participant

    Everybody violates laws every day in some fashion. When the police stop you for it, it’s simply your turn to be the one that got caught today. Car, bike, pedestrian, sitting in your living room, whatever.

    You can be a dick to the police officer, who is simply trying to do his job. Help expand and confirm the arrogant stereotype that cyclists have stuck to them. You’re not helping yourself and you’re making all the rest of us look bad. Those of us who aren’t arrogant jerks do not appreciate this behavior.

    Or you can be nice about it. Maybe you’ll get a warning instead of a ticket. And you won’t make yourself and the rest of us look like complete assholes to the rest of the world. If you know the officer is wrong, try explaining what you know nicely. If he insists that you were wrong, that is what court is for.

    When I was pulled over on my bike, I was nice about it. I explained why I did what I did, since it was for my own safety, and I didn’t try to debate the legality. We had a nice chat about the issues of the area and I didn’t even get an official warning. Wanna bet how it would have played out if I decided to act like a stereotypical arrogant cyclist?

Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 67 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.