Hurry up! Cross the Road! Don't be Old and Slow!

Category: Miscellaneous Musings

I know that everyone in LA loves their cars, but it seems that being old and slow while walking is now a tickable offense for "obstructing traffic".

As you read this headline story from Yahoo News today, think that someday you too may need a little extra time getting from Point A to Point B, and wouldn't it be nice if you didn't get fined just for slowing down.

Woman, 82, Gets Ticket for Slow Crossing - Yahoo! News: "An 82-year-old woman received a $114 ticket for taking too long to cross a street. Mayvis Coyle said she began shuffling with her cane across Foothill Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley when the light was green, but was unable to make it to the other side before it turned red.

She said the motorcycle officer who ticketed her on Feb. 15 told her she was obstructing traffic.

"I think it's completely outrageous," said Coyle, who described herself as a Cherokee medicine woman. "He treated me like a 6-year-old, like I don't know what I'm doing."

"I'd rather not have angry pedestrians," [Los Angeles police Sgt. Mike]Zaboski said. "But I'd rather have them be alive."

Others, however, supported Coyle's contention that the light in question doesn't give people enough time to cross the busy, five-lane boulevard.

"I can go halfway, then the light changes," said Edith Krause, 78, who uses an electric cart because she has difficulty walking.

On Friday, the light changed too quickly even for high school students to make it across without running. It went from green to red in 20 seconds.

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel said she has asked transportation officials to figure out how to accommodate elderly people.

"We should look at those areas with predominantly seniors and accommodate their needs in intersections" she said."