New Haven Independent

Posted by: give me a break | July 23, 2009 5:28 PM

My wife just got a ticket for the same thing yesterday by the same cop. My wife was pulled over waiting for a parking spot when she called me to come down and get picked up. She then pulled into the parking spot when the cop standing right next to her gave her a $100 ticket. She was parked/parking not driving down a street. She than began to belittle my wife when she tried to defend herself by saying "I wasn't driving" or "it was only 2 seconds". The cop just simply repeated "were you moving" at her like she was a 4 year old. Once I arrived came downstairs she told me to back away from the vehicle like I was a criminal. All the while her beast of a cop car was standing in the middle of High street blocking traffic for a few min.
This cop should have taken some discretion on when and where to give out these tickets. $100 for talking on a cell phone while parking a car [mostly just standing waiting for a spot] is insane! There are much more dangerous things happening in new haven that hurt the quality of life than this. I would understand a warning in this situation, but not a ticket. I just feel like she handled the whole situation in a "power trip because I ride a horse in downtown" type of way. Does she have to give out these types of tickets to justify the massive expense that it is probably costing the city to maintain a horse? Or is it to pay people to pick up the piles of horse crap she leaves on the street near the park and around Yale.
It's just absolutely backwards and absurd!

Posted by: anon | July 23, 2009 6:50 PM

"There are much more dangerous things happening in new haven that hurt the quality of life than this."

I disagree.

Federal studies, surpressed by the Bush administration but recently released after a FOIA request, show that people operating a vehicle while talking on their cell phones (even if using a hands-free set) have less awareness and ability than drunk drivers.

Even a vehicle waiting for a parking space can easily kill or seriously injure someone.

That ticket should have been $1,000, not $100.

Posted by: David Backeberg | July 23, 2009 7:51 PM

My wife got a parking ticket this week, after being illegally parked at a meter for five minutes. It was a $40 ticket. You know what she did? She acted like an adult and paid the parking ticket. She also paid the $100 ticket she got for driving while talking to me in New Haven. Now she doesn't drive while phoning anymore. We had conversations about this, and both realized we had done stupid things while talking on cell phones and driving. It's a bad idea. We've vowed to each other that we wish to live another day and we won't talk on the phone while driving.

So here are a few tips for you:
* standing in a no standing zone isn't legal either.
* If you spent any time reading your wife's ticket, you would know you can go buy a hands-free device and get the ticket thrown out.
* if your wife belittles an officer, pretending they didn't just break the law in front of an officer, don't be surprised when the officer isn't happy about it.
* if you are a strange man who approaches a female officer who is getting argued at for something as petty and inconsequential as a $100 cell phone ticket, don't be surprised when they don't take kindly to you walking up on the situation.
* $100 is slightly more than my monthly cell phone bill. $100 is less than my car insurance for one month, or about three tanks of gas, or two and a half parking tickets. In other words, way less than the operating costs of the car that was being driven by a driver with a hand-held cell phone.

Posted by: Common Sense | July 23, 2009 8:29 PM

Here's an easy way to prevent a $100 ticket. GET OFF THE PHONE! And last I checked, "Mostly just standing around waiting for a spot" is still driving.

Posted by: new haven resident | July 23, 2009 10:01 PM

To Give me a break, unless your wife was in a legal parking spot, her being on the cell phone is illegal, why wasnt your wife on a hands free device. It sounds like she does it all the time, you are just upset that she got caught, and secondly once a officer is conducting a stop. no one is suppose to approach for her safety. Just pay the fine and move on.

Posted by: Ellis Copeland | July 23, 2009 10:23 PM

What about the many cops who have caused or nearly caused actual accidents while yammering away?

Posted by: David | July 24, 2009 6:20 AM

waaaaaa waaaaaa waaaaaa.... first I see Officer Roche cleaning up after her horse all the time. It's part of the job so, so the horse crap you're seeing is more likely from some of the homeless psychos walking roaming around dowtown.

The downtown cops are doing a GREAT job, and use their discretion often, unless the person has a poor attitude. Also, welcome to Lt Sweeney.

Buy a handsfree device, or better yet turn off the cellphone and relax.

Posted by: STYLENE | July 24, 2009 7:14 AM

TO: GIVE ME A BREAK. I HEAR YA LOUD AND CLEAR. A WARNING IN YOUR WIFE'S SITUATION WOULD HAVE MADE MORE SENSE. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS CITY GOING AFTER PETTY TICKETS TO GET MONEY. DON'T GET ME WRONG....I LOVE NEW HAVEN....IT DOES HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, HOWEVER SOMETIMES I AM EXTREMELY EMBARASSED BY WHAT IT DOES TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE/VISIT HERE.

Posted by: lance | July 24, 2009 7:17 AM

why is it always a white horse? did you notice there is no black horses? i think we should get rid of the white horses and use the stimulus money to get black horses. and why are marshmellows white and not black?

Posted by: Margaret | July 24, 2009 9:50 AM

Is Marshmallow sticking her (his?) tongue out at this driver?

Posted by: Give Me a Break | July 24, 2009 9:55 AM

First of all my wife does have an ear piece [hands free microphone for her iphone], but she was literally driving down the street [from crown to high] to pick me up. the conversation was "hey, I'm downstairs" and she hung up. She then pulled into the spot. The car was not moving when she was talking. She normally does have her ear piece in, so to accuse her of doing this regularly isn't true or fair. Also to say someone isn't acting like an adult because she was trying to explain herself to the cop is also an unfair thing to say. If you felt like you were being wronged you wouldn't just bend over and take it yourself. Especially since every time we have actually needed a cop in this city they have given us attitude or acted like the issue wasn't big enough for them, so we have little to no faith in our cops anymore.
Anon- to say that the ticket should be a $1000 is ridiculous. I have watched you write on here for many years ranting and raving with claims about cars, pedestrians, and street safety. Although your ideology I might agree with, your way of getting there is counterproductive. Saying someone should get a $1000 for a 2 second conversation is cruel and unusual punishment and actually decreases quality of life not improve it. Please try to not over exaggerate every detail you write on here. You are starting to embarrass yourself and losing any credibility that you might have had with the rest of the readers.
Daivd- thanks for the advice about getting the ticket thrown out. Why go through all this trouble if my wife already had one? Instead of talking down to my wife she could have explained this to her. It just seems like a waste of our resources. Like I said earlier, a warning would have been better in this situation.

Posted by: JackNH | July 24, 2009 10:10 AM

Your wife got off easy. Next time I hope the ticket is $1,000.

Posted by: EarlyBird | July 24, 2009 10:34 AM

I heart Marshmallow.

Posted by: Ellis Copeland | July 24, 2009 10:38 AM

David-- there are not enough "homeless psychos" in New Haven County to create the piles of horse manure regularly on the Green. If this officer cleans up after her horse she is the ONLY one.

Posted by: anon | July 24, 2009 11:46 AM

Give me a break, a distracted driver can easily kill, even if just waiting to park. You think a $100 fine is appropriate, many others think it should be much higher. $1,000 is a compromise. Get off your high horse and imagine how you might feel if your daughter were run over by someone talking on the phone while trying to park. It's happened before.

Posted by: anon | July 24, 2009 12:02 PM

Stylene wrote: "JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS CITY GOING AFTER PETTY TICKETS TO GET MONEY."

Actually, motor vehicle ticket revenue goes to the state, not the city.

The city has no financial incentive to be giving out these tickets other than the financial incentive of saving people's lives and making this town an attractive place to live and work.

Given the number of people I watch running red lights almost every time I look out the window (I overlook an intersection), I wish they would give out many more tickets.

Posted by: TrueBlueCT | July 24, 2009 1:07 PM

Marshmallow is absolutely, 100%, sticking her tongue out at the Volvo driver.

Great catch Margaret!

Posted by: stylene | July 24, 2009 2:33 PM

TO ANON. GIVE -GIVE ME A BREAK, A BREAK. CITY TICKETS GO TO THE CITY. I KNOW IT FOR A FACT, BECAUSE MY BROTHER IS A COP. CHECK THE ACCURACY OF YOUR FACTS BEFORE YOU POST YOUR COMMENTS. ADD T WHICH, I WORK FOR THE CITY!!!!

Posted by: jeffreykerekes | July 24, 2009 4:03 PM

Stylene:

As I understand it, only parking ticket money goes to the City and moving violations go to the State. I am not sure if there is a special provision for cell phones. Since the cop is asserting the driver in this case is moving, it is a moving violation and I suspect it is going to the State.

I seem to remember that the City is counting on $500,000 MORE in parking ticket money this year over last. So watch out for more aggressive parking ticketing efforts.

Posted by: kamb | July 25, 2009 9:07 AM

to GIVE ME A BREAK,

Your statement solidifies why our society is going down the tubes. We're turing into a bunch of whining, blabering, babies!

Your wife was on the phone!!!! She broke the law!!! TOO BAD!!!!!

Take responsibility INSTEAD of trying to excuse her behavior . . . . . .baby!

Posted by: Streever | July 25, 2009 10:32 AM

Give Me a Break:
why did the officer treat your wife like she was 4? Because she didn't have the ability to understand her own behavior--she was driving the car. I've been nearly hit by too many people on phones parking.

We're all blissfully unaware of the problems we cause others--but the reality is that an officer was there & gave her a ticket.

stylene:
Screaming at people on the comments isn't going to win you Miss Charm awards. Grow up. I'm glad you know a cop, and I'm sorry that your cop friend is as unaware of the law as you are. Call someone who can explain it to you instead of screaming on the internet.

Posted by: driver's ed | July 25, 2009 11:38 AM

Legally, car standing / idling with the engine running is "driving." For instance, if a drunk driver is discovered in an idling car, the person will be charged for drunk driving. This makes sense. Officer Roche was right even if her horse was rude.

Posted by: Blarney | July 25, 2009 10:46 PM

Yeah, these guys never break a rule...even Steeter, stops at every stop sign with his bike. The New Haven cops are just as bad as the drivers! On the phone, running lights, etc... I bet all these outraged citizens (ha) never do anything wrong...or maybe they just do it when no one is looking.

Posted by: William Kurtz | July 26, 2009 11:46 PM

Whether the police are "just as bad" isn't really material in this case--I happen to think they are--but the fact of the matter is, in your own words GMAB, your wife was "literally driving down the street [from crown to high]". That's driving in my book. And, like Streever and many others, I have more times than I count nearly been the victim of someone pulling into or out of a parking space while making "a quick call."

Curiously, the police are explicitly exempt from this law. I can't imagine all those calls are official.

Posted by: anon | July 27, 2009 10:53 AM

The police sometimes appear to be exempt from every law, William. Within a 10 second period, I witnessed a police cruiser make two right turns on red, without coming to a stop at either light, all while speeding past within a few inches of the right side of a vehicle stopped at one of the red lights (on a single lane road). The officer did not use a turn signal or put on his sirens for either intersection. Also, he was talking on his phone. That's 9 traffic violations in 10 seconds, and it occurred within our pedestrian-heavy downtown area. By the way, this was cruiser 112-NH at about 3:55PM on 7/24.

No use filing a complaint because, based on my conversations with many others involved in traffic incidents with the NHPD or Yale PD, no action would be taken.

Posted by: Streever | July 27, 2009 2:11 PM

Blarney:

No one is a saint, however, if I were ticketed for breaking a traffic law, I would simply PAY IT and NOT post a whine fest on the internet :D

Look, I am not trying to crucify any of these people. However, if you break a law (as we have ALL done) yes, you deserve a ticket.

End of story. If you backtalk the cop, he or she may have to treat you like a 4 year old, because you are displaying the level of reasoning of one.

Drive carefully, pay attention, & if you get a ticket, suck it up.

It's not that I think it's IMPOSSIBLE for someone to break a traffic law & be safe--but if you get caught, it's clear you weren't paying enough attention, and you definitely deserve your ticket.

So, deal with it & pay it.

Posted by: STYLENE | July 27, 2009 2:35 PM

TO STREEVER,

APPARENTLY YOU ARE TAKING COMMENTS ON THIS PAGE TO HEART. I WASN'T SCREAMING AT ANYONE. MY MAMA TAUGHT ME BETTER THAN THAT. BY THE WAY ....MY MAMA'S NAME ISN'T REMOTELY.....STREEVER. HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

Posted by: Streever | July 27, 2009 4:58 PM

Stylene,

Sorry, I assumed you're "screaming" because of the use of all caps. Sometimes people use LIMITED caps to show emphasis (see how clever) and sometimes they just don't realize how hard it is to read all-caps.

Definitely not taking it to heart, though, just making points ;-) Enjoy your blessed day.

Posted by: stylene | July 28, 2009 7:12 AM

streever: it's ALL GOOD!! LOL :)