Ticket at Fishers WalMart!

[Sfrandolph]

The Fishers officer was probably sitting in his patrol car finishing off the dozen donuts he had bought at WallyWorld and figured you were his reason for being there.

 

[public servant]

It was like a sign from God.

 

[churchmouse]

This thread went no where.

 

[wally05]

Where is that "abandon thread" gif I love so much?

Anyways, fight it if you want. It's definitely your right to do so. But, IMO, just own up to it. You were "standing" there and got a ticket. You knew it was a fire lane regardless of the colors. I think that is the crap that Uncle is talking about. When you spend a career listening to excuses, you appreciate the people that actually take responsibility for their actions.

I don't know how the officer was an asshat for writing a legit ticket. My experience with some Fishers officers left me with some sour opinions of some of those guys. But, the guy was doing his job.

 

[MikeDVB]

I looked at every Walmart within driving distance of me and looked up the ordinances and IC... None of them are properly marked.

The argument that "but you knew it was a fire lane right?" Is just the same as if I take a yellow hexagon and put "cease movement" on it and put it at an intersection. Just because its a sign and you know what it's telling you to do doesn't mean you have legal obligation to do so.

Fight it, it's not like you have anything but a little bit of your time to lose.

 

[Titanium Man]

My guess is the officer didn't get his allocation of speeding tickets his supervisors required to justify his salary, and he figured an easy one would be a fire lane infraction. He was probably scoping out the handicapped spots for some low lifes who figure they can park wherever they want, and spotted your car in the fire lane instead. The handicapped spots are a crap shoot since the patron may not have their placard hanging, and once they present it to the court, charges dropped. So, it's easy pickins in the fire lane.

I will note, when I'm waiting for my wife to come out of the door, I park well behind the stripes, far enough out of the annoyment distance for cars wanting to leave and for people trying to exit the building. I am talking Waaaaay back, so even she has to take a second look where I'm at, before I roll up to pick her up at the door.

It really is annoying went people congest things up by parking for extended periods of time, especially close to the building where people are exiting and entering.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Where is that "abandon thread" gif I love so much?

Anyways, fight it if you want. It's definitely your right to do so. But, IMO, just own up to it. You were "standing" there and got a ticket. You knew it was a fire lane regardless of the colors. I think that is the crap that Uncle is talking about. When you spend a career listening to excuses, you appreciate the people that actually take responsibility for their actions.

I don't know how the officer was an asshat for writing a legit ticket. My experience with some Fishers officers left me with some sour opinions of some of those guys. But, the guy was doing his job.

So we are to follow the law even when it is being enforced improperly?

 

[Titanium_Frost]

So we are to follow the law even when it is being enforced improperly?

Apparently we are supposed to guess a private property's interpretation of the law and follow that or get a ticket...

 

[Denny347]

Apparently we are supposed to guess a private property's interpretation of the law and follow that or get a ticket...

Stop/park in marked parking spots and all will be fine. When in doubt, don't park there.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Funny, I read 'Fire Lane Parking" as "Freeman Parking". Is this wrong?

Abandon thread!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2VhB7vaZI0

 

[Knife Lady]

A cop could have had a field day today at the Walmart in Greenfield. I didn't count how many were parked in the fire lane but they were lined up all the way from one end of the building to the other. Too many to count.

 

[MikeDVB]

A cop could have had a field day today at the Walmart in Greenfield. I didn't count how many were parked in the fire lane but they were lined up all the way from one end of the building to the other. Too many to count.

So you count using your fingers but not your toes?

 

[wally05]

So we are to follow the law even when it is being enforced improperly?

What? It was enforced just fine. He got a ticket... that's an enforcement action. Also, yes, you should follow the law... I don't quite know what you're asking, but anyway... If you're talking about the spaces of the lines and color. I'm sure you can take that to court. Depending on the judge, you'll either be 1. Laughed at, fined, and told next time to stay in a parking spot or 2. He'll be sympathetic and place a judgement accordingly. Problem is, the OP knew the thing was a fire lane. It wasn't until he later found out about spacing and coloring that he decided to fight it. I'll just be open and honest and say it's a BS excuse, but I believe in every man/woman's right to fight their citation in court. If the officer is subpoenaed, he'll show I'm sure. I was trying to give you insight into Uncle's comments, which I think are spot on.

Officers are not zoning experts. If the space between the lines is wrong or whatever, that typically is not something they look at. If it is marked FIRE LANE several times with paint and signs, they enforce it as such.

As for the idiotic comment about writing enough citations to cover their salary... yeah, just a stupid comment.

 

[bigus_D]

He wasn't in a fire lane. Fire lanes are clearly defined in the code, and he wasn't in one.

You'd probably chear if somebody got arrested for carrying a gun on a college campus. You know it is illegal to carry at a school afterall. Never mind what the legal definition of school is... We all know what a school is.

Or maybe the state should start arresting people for carrying where business owners put up "no guns" signs. We all know that the owners don't want guns there, so just consider it trespassing. Never mind the code. Sure, other states have laws the clearly define what the signs must look like, but any old sign will do.

The law is very specific for good reason. If you want to just ignore it and interpret however you think is best, don't be surprised when they want to interpret the law in a way that runs you wrong

 

[Hogwylde]

"Officers are not zoning experts. If the space between the lines is wrong or whatever, that typically is not something they look at. If it is marked FIRE LANE several times with paint and signs, they enforce it as such."

But, THAT is the point! No matter what the sighs SAY, if the lines are yellow instead of WHITE like the IC states they must be, THEN IT'S NOT A FIRE LANE and cannot be enforced as such. Therefore, NO FIRE LANE, no infraction and he SHOULD contest the fine.

 

[Bunnykid68]

"Officers are not zoning experts. If the space between the lines is wrong or whatever, that typically is not something they look at. If it is marked FIRE LANE several times with paint and signs, they enforce it as such."

But, THAT is the point! No matter what the sighs SAY, if the lines are yellow instead of WHITE like the IC states they must be, THEN IT'S NOT A FIRE LANE and cannot be enforced as such. Therefore, NO FIRE LANE, no infraction and he SHOULD contest the fine.

This goes back to some officers enforcing gun laws that do not exist, like OC is illegal, if you are going to enforce any law, you should make sure you are enforcing a law.

We are always told ignorance of the law is no excuse, that should go both ways.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

What? It was enforced just fine. He got a ticket... that's an enforcement action. Also, yes, you should follow the law... I don't quite know what you're asking, but anyway... If you're talking about the spaces of the lines and color. I'm sure you can take that to court. Depending on the judge, you'll either be 1. Laughed at, fined, and told next time to stay in a parking spot or 2. He'll be sympathetic and place a judgement accordingly. Problem is, the OP knew the thing was a fire lane. It wasn't until he later found out about spacing and coloring that he decided to fight it. I'll just be open and honest and say it's a BS excuse, but I believe in every man/woman's right to fight their citation in court. If the officer is subpoenaed, he'll show I'm sure. I was trying to give you insight into Uncle's comments, which I think are spot on.

Officers are not zoning experts. If the space between the lines is wrong or whatever, that typically is not something they look at. If it is marked FIRE LANE several times with paint and signs, they enforce it as such.

As for the idiotic comment about writing enough citations to cover their salary... yeah, just a stupid comment.

They don't need to zoning experts but if they write a ticket for it they better know the code they are tryingto enforce.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Instead of giving him an infraction, arrest him for trespass on private property.

 

[IndyDave1776]

What? It was enforced just fine. He got a ticket... that's an enforcement action. Also, yes, you should follow the law... I don't quite know what you're asking, but anyway... If you're talking about the spaces of the lines and color. I'm sure you can take that to court. Depending on the judge, you'll either be 1. Laughed at, fined, and told next time to stay in a parking spot or 2. He'll be sympathetic and place a judgement accordingly. Problem is, the OP knew the thing was a fire lane. It wasn't until he later found out about spacing and coloring that he decided to fight it. I'll just be open and honest and say it's a BS excuse, but I believe in every man/woman's right to fight their citation in court. If the officer is subpoenaed, he'll show I'm sure. I was trying to give you insight into Uncle's comments, which I think are spot on.

Officers are not zoning experts. If the space between the lines is wrong or whatever, that typically is not something they look at. If it is marked FIRE LANE several times with paint and signs, they enforce it as such.

As for the idiotic comment about writing enough citations to cover their salary... yeah, just a stupid comment.

Interesting. We are told with nauseating frequency that 'ignorance of the law is no excuse' no matter how minor or technical a law may be, but when the shoe is on the other foot, a broad, sweeping, and perhaps incorrect understanding is just fine. One wonders why some of us take umbrage with the things we are expected to tolerate.

 

[wally05]

Interesting. We are told with nauseating frequency that 'ignorance of the law is no excuse' no matter how minor or technical a law may be, but when the shoe is on the other foot, a broad, sweeping, and perhaps incorrect understanding is just fine. One wonders why some of us take umbrage with the things we are expected to tolerate.

Dave, get off of it. I've never said that and I don't think any officer on here has ever said that. Don't put words in my mouth. It's always the same 4 or 5 users on here stoking the fire about this crap. Like I said to the OP, it's your right to fight it using any technicality you like, but depending on the judge, you'll face one of two very different outcomes.

There is a lane there that is supposed to stay open for a reason and as others have pointed out that have been in emergency situations, cars don't just get out of the way, people look at you like you're insane and then panic. They do nothing to help you in the process. Hence why sometimes they are proactive in trying to keep it clear.

I used to work in retail as a manager, I remember having to go out front and ask 10 cars to move to keep the lane open. It's a danger if something happened.

How many of you have actually stood in a courtroom and defended yourself against something like this? By all means, if you have fought a citation on a technicality, which is what you're suggesting, bring your experience forward. If not, I wouldn't be dealing out legal advice like you're an expert. OP, talk to a lawyer if you want to fight it. He/she will be realistic with you about your chances. I watched someone try to do it at a Magistrate in Pennsylvania and the judge asked him some basic questions that lead to the judge knowing that the person understood what he was doing at the time. The judge made the penalty stick. It could have gone either way, but it went that direction.