First time I've ever been ticketed while running in Chicago (Read 1483 times)

    Last summer I was hiking a 115 mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail.  I got lost and ended up walking around in circles for about 1.5 hours then decided to climb up to the highway nearby and see If I could find my position.  When I got up there some Highway Patrol officer on a motorcycle pulled over to me and asked for my ID....    I told him I was lost and hiking the PCT and he didn't care.  I had only come up to the freeway to see if I was nearby the trailhead. I showed him the map and everything and he started writing stuff down and stopped listening to me.  I just started laughing and said "You aren't writing me directions to the trail are you??"   He kinda felt bad maybe and said he wouldn't write me a ticket and to get off nd stay off the freeway asap...     About 40 seconds later I was on the correct trail again.  All that stress for nothing, and this was the first 2 hours of my 6 day hike WOOHOOO!!

    I wish ya luck on the ticket, I think a judge would see your side of the story.  Fight it!!

      5k  = 19.48 10/1/13

    10k  = 45.28 4/16/13

    Half Marathon = 1:38.53  Summer Sizzle 7/13/14

    Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/12  4:39.11

    Solo O Marathon 06/02/13  3:52:10

    Operation Jack Marathon 12/26/13 3:40.34

    harrylee773


    Mr. Forumite of the Year

      Regardless to what happens here (and I hope you have to pay the fine), why in the name of Allah Almighty would you run there? Ever? I regularly run from the Morton Grove station to the Mayfair station, starting at the Morton Grove station itself, and have never run along the track, nor had a reason to. From where you started, you could've taken Lincoln Ave to Lehigh and hit the forest preserve easily from there, all without running alongside the tracks.

       

      Also, that path is used by Metra police and maintenance crews, and to any reasonable person clearly railroad property.

       

      Finally, I enjoyed it when it was pointed out that the fine you will hopefully be forced to pay isn't going to city coffers, since, you know, most of your initial trolling was done on the grounds of this being a giant ($200!) cash grab on the part of the city. Just wanted to re-live that moment.

      harrylee, harrylee, harrylee, harrylee- life is but a dream.

        .... why in the name of Allah Almighty ........

         

        looks like the terrorist have won

        "Famous last words"  ~Bhearn

        LedLincoln


        not bad for mile 25

          Screeech....and the thread veers again.

            For someone that doesn't train much, I think 14 minutes is a really good time for a 5K.  I don't get the debate.

            "Good-looking people have no spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we're smarter." - Lester Bangs

              Regardless to what happens here (and I hope you have to pay the fine), why in the name of Allah Almighty would you run there? Ever? I regularly run from the Morton Grove station to the Mayfair station, starting at the Morton Grove station itself, and have never run along the track, nor had a reason to. 

               

              Well if you trace my path, http://www.runningahead.com/logs/838ad724d2044a5a87f9ac2f80143fb3/workouts/f2af62c988174573b9b627faddd58b12/map you can see that it wasn't even 1/10th of a mile that I was running near the track.  I was just running south down Kinzua, and managed to keep going straight, then right when I get past Devon, that little trail near the tracks is right in front of me.  Never did I believe I'd get ticketed for using this small trail that commuters also use many times per day.  I was planning on hitting the Edgebrook Woods after I got off that trail.  I know of some really nice deer-paths on it.

              JimR


                For someone that doesn't train much, I think 14 minutes is a really good time for a 5K.  I don't get the debate.

                 

                When you're running down a mountain,  you can run really, really fast!

                harrylee773


                Mr. Forumite of the Year

                   

                  Well if you trace my path, http://www.runningahead.com/logs/838ad724d2044a5a87f9ac2f80143fb3/workouts/f2af62c988174573b9b627faddd58b12/map you can see that it wasn't even 1/10th of a mile that I was running near the track.  I was just running south down Kinzua, and managed to keep going straight, then right when I get past Devon, that little trail near the tracks is right in front of me.  Never did I believe I'd get ticketed for using this small trail that commuters also use many times per day.  I was planning on hitting the Edgebrook Woods after I got off that trail.  I know of some really nice deer-paths on it.

                   

                  Yeah, I traced your path and understood where you were coming from/going to before posting (hence my amazement that you would choose that route of the many available- including the one I mentioned). If your main defenses are 'I wasn't doing the illegal thing that I was doing that long' and/or 'I never believed I would get ticketing for doing the illegal thing that I was ticketed for' and/or 'other people have done the same illegal thing that I did and not gotten ticketed for it', well, then, I wish you luck.

                  harrylee, harrylee, harrylee, harrylee- life is but a dream.

                    Watch it, Red Bird. Mr. Handsome wants your ass in a sling.

                      Yeah, I traced your path and understood where you were coming from/going to before posting (hence my amazement that you would choose that route of the many available- including the one I mentioned). If your main defenses are 'I wasn't doing the illegal thing that I was doing that long' and/or 'I never believed I would get ticketing for doing the illegal thing that I was ticketed for' and/or 'other people have done the same illegal thing that I did and not gotten ticketed for it', well, then, I wish you luck.

                       

                      Unrelated to the OP, but somewhat related to the post above: it always annoys me when people complain about getting a ticket for going 70 in a 55 and say they shouldn’t get a ticket because everyone does it (including me). Don’t complain about getting a ticket for speeding; pay your fine (because you broke the law) and complain that the speed limit should be increased to 70 (because of advances in automotive technology etc).

                       

                      Rant over. Sorry for the interjection.

                         

                        Yeah, I traced your path and understood where you were coming from/going to before posting (hence my amazement that you would choose that route of the many available- including the one I mentioned). If your main defenses are 'I wasn't doing the illegal thing that I was doing that long' and/or 'I never believed I would get ticketing for doing the illegal thing that I was ticketed for' and/or 'other people have done the same illegal thing that I did and not gotten ticketed for it', well, then, I wish you luck.

                         

                        Thank you,  I have spoken to 2 lawyers already and they both believe in my case, that ignorance of the law is a valid defense.  They believe the most likely outcomes are the prosecution throws away my case or 2) they put me on supervision. And of course there's always 3) which is the unexpected or something that I don't want to see.  I still plan to run through parts of Edgebrook in the future, I've just had it with running near the railroad, which I use to think was completely harmless.

                        harrylee773


                        Mr. Forumite of the Year

                           

                          Thank you,  I have spoken to 2 lawyers already and they both believe in my case, that ignorance of the law is a valid defense.  They believe the most likely outcomes are the prosecution throws away my case or 2) they put me on supervision. And of course there's always 3) which is the unexpected or something that I don't want to see.  I still plan to run through parts of Edgebrook in the future, I've just had it with running near the railroad, which I use to think was completely harmless.

                           

                          Well, it's not like it would be in a lawyer's best interests to make it appear as though you have a chance, so... It sounds like you've learned a lesson though, which is, next time, take Devon through to Lehigh (yeah, it can suck waiting for the signals there but not as much as a fine) and hit the forest from there, so good luck getting it dismissed. I leave with this token gesture of goodwill. Run on, friend.

                          harrylee, harrylee, harrylee, harrylee- life is but a dream.

                             

                            Unrelated to the OP, but somewhat related to the post above: it always annoys me when people complain about getting a ticket for going 70 in a 55 and say they shouldn’t get a ticket because everyone does it (including me). Don’t complain about getting a ticket for speeding; pay your fine (because you broke the law) and complain that the speed limit should be increased to 70 (because of advances in automotive technology etc).

                             

                            Rant over. Sorry for the interjection.

                             

                             

                            I thought the same thing and agreed with you completely until I saw the pictures of the intersection where he got the ticket.  There doesn't appear to be any indication of "keep off" anywhere.  If I was in town and out for a run I would have run through there too.  Granted, I am from an area where we have cows and not trains so I am not part of the city culture that might know you are supposed to keep off.  But that is kind of the point......if the only reason you are supposed to know something is private property that you are "just supposed to know" someone else other than me is responsible.  If you make a rule and don't tell anyone then I don't believe a reasonable person would know to obey it.  Using your analogy, this is more akin to a section of road having the speed limit change from 55 to 15 but having no indication (sign or otherwise) that the speed limit had changed.  When presented with a ticket for 40mph over the limit any person would say "what the hell" as Red Bird has.

                            Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

                            FSocks


                            KillJoyFuckStick

                              Epic thread is Epic!

                              You people have issues 

                                 I thought the same thing and agreed with you completely until I saw the pictures of the intersection where he got the ticket.  There doesn't appear to be any indication of "keep off" anywhere.  If I was in town and out for a run I would have run through there too.  Granted, I am from an area where we have cows and not trains so I am not part of the city culture that might know you are supposed to keep off.  But that is kind of the point......if the only reason you are supposed to know something is private property that you are "just supposed to know" someone else other than me is responsible.  If you make a rule and don't tell anyone then I don't believe a reasonable person would know to obey it.  Using your analogy, this is more akin to a section of road having the speed limit change from 55 to 15 but having no indication (sign or otherwise) that the speed limit had changed.  When presented with a ticket for 40mph over the limit any person would say "what the hell" as Red Bird has.

                                 

                                Agreed, that's why I said not really related to the OP...just sharing a rant.