Woman Fined for Taking Too Long To Cross Road
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
LOS ANGELES – An 82-year-old California woman has been fined for taking too long to cross a road.
Mayvis Coyle, who uses a walking stick, said she began shuffling across a busy five-lane street in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles, when the pedestrian light was green.
But before she could get to the other side it turned red and a policeman who had been watching descended on her.
He issued her with a $114 ticket and told her she was obstructing the traffic, Mrs. Coyle said.
“I think it is completely outrageous,” she said. “He treated me like a six year old.” Mrs. Coyle, who was carrying her shopping home when she was caught at the junction, is contesting the ticket and has written to her councilor to complain.
Sergeant Mike Zaboski, of Los Angeles valley traffic division, said police had been cracking down on those who disobeyed traffic signals because of the high number of pedestrian accidents.
One third of the 94 pedestrians killed in the San Fernando Valley between 2003 and 2005 were senior citizens.
Sergeant Zaboski told the Los Angeles Daily News: “We are looking out for pedestrians – people who think they have carte blanche in crossing the street.”
The timing system used by the Los Angeles Police Department gives pedestrians one second to cover four feet, but many say that this is not enough for the elderly.
