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

LedLincoln


not bad for mile 25

    I think we're not connecting on the meaning of mens rea -- it's the mental state of the actor in regard to his conduct.  Example: Perp ran parallel and approximately 10 feet adjacent to railroad tracks.  Did Perp mean to run parallel and approximately 10 feet adjacent to railroad tracks?  Mens rea does not reach the distant question of whether Perp knew -- or should reasonably have known -- of the illegality of running parallel and approximately 10 feet adjacent to railroad tracks.

     

     

    Either way, based on ymmv's images, your best bet is to take these photos with you to court; show them to the judge; say you're sorry, you had no idea what you were doing wasn't allowed, and you wouldn't have run there if you had known; and see what happens.

     

    And hey, maybe it's like traffic court and your ticket gets ripped up if the rent-a-cop doesn't show!

     

    Coincidentally, mens rea was my word.a.day the other day.

      All I know is that it didn't end up on my driving record and my auto insurance didn't go up.  I had to take defensive driving too.

       

      Speeding tickets are not the same criminal misdemeanor charges.  Traffic court is not the same as criminal court.   Your situation is not the same a Red Bird's.  

       

      I've pointed this out many times already in this thread.  (To prevent myself from being (further) trolled, this will be the last.)

      How To Run a Marathon: Step 1 - start running. There is no Step 2.

      keeponrunning


        Pleading nolo contendre does in fact result in a conviction.  So this would be a spectacularly bad idea.

         

        I wonder if this is how doctor's feel when amateurs try to diagnose illnesses over the internet?

         

        Oh probably.  You have my pity right now.  And that is not sarcasm!  (to be clear)

        Sulphur Springs 50km-- Ancaster, ON-- May 28, 2022

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          Um... My point was that no lawyer would ever say that, not that you would/should. I wasn't even taking a shot at him/lawyers, it's good business to make your services seem needed, whether they're really needed or not.

          I'm an attorney.  I routinely counseled clients to consider the return on investment they were facing in the matter.  More than just once or twice, I've advised them against proceeding -- I.e., discouraged them from giving me the work.

           

          But hey, I must be the anomaly.

          "I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

          -- Dick LeBeau

            Pleading nolo contendre does in fact result in a conviction.  So this would be a spectacularly bad idea.

             

            I wonder if this is how doctor's feel when amateurs try to diagnose illnesses over the internet?

             

            RA would be a mich quieter place if it weren't for all of the threads devoted to asking for/dispensing half-assed medical advice. Traffic ticket anecdotes must be the legal equivalent of homeopathy.

            GC100k


               

              I wonder if thi's is how doctor's feel when amateur's try to diagno'se illness'es over the internet?

               

              FIFY

                 

                RA would be a mich quieter place if it weren't for all of the threads devoted to asking for/dispensing half-assed medical advice. Traffic ticket anecdotes must be the legal equivalent of homeopathy.

                 

                As long as medical or for that matter legal costs stay the way they are, I can't blame people for asking questions on a site like this first.  Starting this thread has given me some insight + a chance to converse with actual lawyers too.  I'm still a wreck about trial date, but feel a little better having a hired gun with me. Approve

                harrylee773


                Mr. Forumite of the Year

                  I'm an attorney.  I routinely counseled clients to consider the return on investment they were facing in the matter.  More than just once or twice, I've advised them against proceeding -- I.e., discouraged them from giving me the work.

                   

                  But hey, I must be the anomaly.

                   

                  I would say, "exceptio probat regulam in casibus non exceptis", but I don't speak Latin and I don't want to be the first guy on the Internet to ever misuse that old dictum. Instead I'll just say the word 'dictum' out loud and laugh.

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

                  zonykel


                       

                      That might have been sarcasm since he then launched into his own boring personal story. 

                       

                      You probably missed the part where I said it was like I was a Roman gladiator and walked away as a free man!!

                       

                      I laugh each time Berner labels someone's advice as horrible or spectacularly bad so please keep the comments coming.  Please.  Since Red Bird's situation is exactly like traffic court I do hope that my experience will somehow prove beneficial.

                       

                      This is still happening a week from tomorrow, right?  My mom always told me to never wish days away but I'm sure she'd agree this could be an exception.

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

                        I laugh each time Berner labels someone's advice as horrible or spectacularly bad so please keep the comments coming.  Please.  Since Red Bird's situation is exactly like traffic court I do hope that my experience will somehow prove beneficial.

                        Speeding tickets are the same criminal misdemeanor charges.  Traffic court is the same as criminal court.   Your situation is the same a Red Bird's.

                         

                        Non-lawyers have pointed this out many times already in this thread.  (To prevent them from being (properly) informed, this will not be the last.)

                        "I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

                        -- Dick LeBeau

                          Today I passed by the trail I was ticketed on, only to notice 2 commuters using it.

                          zonykel


                            Today I passed by the trail I was ticketed on, only to notice 2 commuters using it.

                            "Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest!" :-)

                             

                            reminded me of this black and white video:

                             

                            http://youtu.be/rwEvysDpNm0

                              ---- The thread is back!   Cool!  And We need to wait till the end of the month (not far away) to find out the result.

                               

                              The only thing that I think sucks is that Redbird got a lawyer, because again, this case is not at all serious.  Paying many hundreds of dollars to a lawyer just isn't necessary in such a case!  Now if Redbird gets it dismissed, or the fine is "Guilty, pay 100 bucks or 200 bucks", he may think the lawyer got it reduced, but in reality, I think WITHOUT a lawyer, most the fine will be is a couple hundred.  And again, NO, you do not have to report such a dang minor infraction on a dang job application.   

                               

                                 And to berners comment: 

                               

                               

                              Speeding tickets are not the same criminal misdemeanor charges.  Traffic court is not the same as criminal court.   Your situation is not the same a Red Bird's.  

                               

                              I've pointed this out many times already in this thread.  (To prevent myself from being (further) trolled, this will be the last.)

                               

                              --- I don't think that some people such as myself 'disagreeing' with berner is anywhere close to 'trolling' berner.  We just merely disagree.  There are 2 opposing opinions of the beneficialness (not a word, I know) of a lawyer in such a minor infraction as this.

                               

                              Again, my prediction:

                              Redbird gets a Lawyer:  Guilty, but only a $200.00(ish) fine.

                              Redbird with no Lawyer:  Guilty, but only a $200.00(ish) fine.

                               

                              --If I am wrong and redbird is not guilty of charges, then I will be glad I was wrong because noone deserves a damn ticket for running on a path such as shown in pictures above!  This is a case where laws were put in place to get them 'bums" from loitering drunk near the tracks and getting killed, or from sneaking onto rail grounds + stealing metal and $h1t for scrap, but the officer in question overapplied the law and caught redbird who was running nearby, but no threat of loitering on the tracks and had no ill will.  (Do Transit Cops have a ticket Quota?  Did this cop issue the ticket because he was on a power trip?)  Such a scenario seems likely.

                              .

                              The Plan '15 →   ///    "Run Hard, Live Easy."   ∞

                              jamezilla


                              flashlight and sidewalk

                                Red Bird v. Chicago...4 more days!

                                 

                                Red Bird...if you lose you need to do a Tiananman square style protest in front of the train.  Have you considered seeking a presidential pardon?

                                 

                                **Ask me about streaking**