WRL Stop Sign Ticket

[tfro]

So, the GF and I each got a ticket for running a stop sign the other day at WRL. We ran it, so we really can't be upset about getting a ticket. But, guess how much the ticket cost...

[jsharr]

quite bit, if I recall correctly.

[tfro]

215 bucks each. Seems a bit over the top compared to other ticket costs.

[jsharr]

I would go before a judge on this one, or get a lawyer. Esp. at White Rock Lake, where the cyclists and runners and bladers should be given a bit of discretion. Not long ago, watched the cops set up to bust cyclists. Spent the rest of the ride warning every bike we passed. Sorry to hear about this. Let us know how it turns out.

[tfro]

Well, I might have missed my chance to do that. My GF, who is super organized with stuff like this, has been calling and going online once a week or so and the ticket hasn't been in the system yet. She finally skips the automated system and talks to a person, and the ticket is now late. I'd guess a lawyer would cost as much or more than the ticket is. Not sure what I'm going to do.

[MMACH 5]

Well, I might have missed my chance to do that. My GF, who is super organized with stuff like this, has been calling and going online once a week or so and the ticket hasn't been in the system yet. She finally skips the automated system and talks to a person, and the ticket is now late. I'd guess a lawyer would cost as much or more than the ticket is. Not sure what I'm going to do.

If there is a lawyer out there, they may correct me on this...

In Dallas, traffic tickets can only be paid either by mail or in person. The only ones you can pay online are parking tickets and tickets that were issued through "photo enforcement" (i.e.-traffic light camera).

If the ticket is late, you will have to post a bond, in order to get a court date.

You can go before the judge and plead "no-contest" and explain the situation. He might reduce the fine but I doubt he will drop the ticket altogether.

[tfro]

Yeah, it's not overly clear on the back of the ticket about the online/phone deal, but I think that's just to find out how much to pay. Odds are I'm going to just pay the ticket and the late fee and be done with it. I think there's now a warrant since it's late, so I guess I'm a fugative!

The cop was so nice when he was writing the tickets, too bad our little chat cost us 550 dollars.

[mrbubl]

They have been authorized more PD to the lake provided they show "activity". There are a pair of bike cops daily on the lake starting ~ 1730 hours and don't just ticket cyclist, they cited a dog owner for dog not on a leash.

If they choose to, the PD could sit at the lake and write tickets all day long, every day for failure to stop, or even yield, for that matter. I came up to a pair of PD on bikes and did the same type of stop they did, really slow roll but could have stopped. They said hello as they passed and have seen them several times since then.

Area residents have long complained about cyclist not obeying traffic laws and it seems they can now exact some revenge....

[koine2002]

Sorry to hear about the ticket. Although, I am glad that DPD is treating cyclists like drivers of vehicles. I'm the co-director of our new neighborhood watch (Ross to Live Oak, Bennett to Carroll) and our police rep told me that traffic is making a point of making sure cyclists obey the rules of the road since there are more and more bicycles on the road.

Speaking of neighborhood watch, we caught a guy red-handed last night stealing hubcaps, and a group of us kept him "at bay" (it was more like pinned to the ground) until DPD showed up!

[Paniolo]

Speaking of neighborhood watch, we caught a guy red-handed last night stealing hubcaps, and a group of us kept him "at bay" (it was more like pinned to the ground) until DPD showed up!

GOOD JOB!! I hate thieves ... they've gotten my car 2x overnight while parked in my driveway in N. Dallas.

Cops in Sacshe and McKinney are also coming down on bikes running stop signs, though I haven't heard of any tickets actually issued.

[tfro]

Sorry to hear about the ticket. Although, I am glad that DPD is treating cyclists like drivers of vehicles. I'm the co-director of our new neighborhood watch (Ross to Live Oak, Bennett to Carroll) and our police rep told me that traffic is making a point of making sure cyclists obey the rules of the road since there are more and more bicycles on the road.

Speaking of neighborhood watch, we caught a guy red-handed last night stealing hubcaps, and a group of us kept him "at bay" (it was more like pinned to the ground) until DPD showed up!

I actually tend to agree with you, my only issue is that the punishment doesn't fit the crime compared to other offenses. Running a stop light is around 1/3 the cost of running a stop sign? Doesn't make sense to me, but oh well.

[Stray Cat]

When was this? Sorry to hear about that. I always keep my eyes peeled and slow, but I will admit at one T stop sign down hill I won't slow if there isn't any traffic. Neither does anyone else. (thinking about it now, I have 6-7 signs on my route)

Which sign was this at?

[StephenH]

I regularly ride the loop around Duck Creek in Garland. It has two different bicycle stop signs on it, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone else stop at either one. Of course, I seldom see police out there, either, normally just when someone's been riding motorized vehicles on the paths.

[David Cheakas]

I remember back when Miji Reoch was killed at the lake. For a few months after that there was a higher "police presence", where not only did they cite riders, but drivers as well. For a short time it was almost a safe place to ride. Drivers who passed too close to riders or tailgated were pulled over and either warned or ticketed. Of course, it soon went back the way it was before. I now only rarely ride at the lake, but when I do I make sure to stop at all the stop signs, even when I don't see the police around. For a while they were hiding behind some bushes waiting for riders to blow past one of the stop signs. I just wish they would enforce the rules of the road more fairly and equally.

[simonite]

Which stops signs?

I can only think of 2 places where there are stop signs. I forget the street names (think I would know those by now), the right turn behind the spillway to get to the "dolly parton" hills and the stop sign just past the Dolly's. I've seen bicycle police at both of those.

ah, and the right turn past the bridge at the north end.

[cuda2k]

It was on the north end that I have seen officers stopping cyclists.

[tfro]

My ticket was at the corner of Lawther and Lakewood, going North on Lawther. It's downhill, I saw the cop at the last minute and probably could have stopped but my GF was right behind me so I didn't feel like taking her out.

On monday I saw a cyclist being given a ticket for running the stop sign at Tiffany Way and San Rafael, going down the hill on Tiffany Way. This time it was the same cop who got me plus another officer, both on bikes.

And a while back I saw what I'm guessing was leading to a ticket for someone running the sign onto Lawther from one of the side roads. Once again cops on bikes.

I now have eagle eyes for cops around WRL and have changed my route to exclude as many stop signs as possible.