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Busted by Shorewood Police ... but why? |
 | By Andy Tarnoff   Publisher E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Andy Tarnoff |
| Published April 15, 2009 at 11:05 a.m. |
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According to the Shorewood Police Department, I made an illegal u-turn this morning on the way to conduct an interview for an upcoming article on OnMilwaukee.com. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but if I'm unsuccessful in fighting the ticket, I'll owe Shorewood $83.80 and lose three points on my license.
I actually saw the police car in front of me as I headed east on Capitol Drive, preparing to meet my interview subject at City Market. But when I saw that construction trucks were blocking Maryland Avenue, the street on which I planned to turn left to find parking, I slowed down, put my turn signal on and made a u-turn into a parking spot in front of the cafe. The whole maneuver took about 10 seconds.
Sure enough, Officer L. Pfeil pulled up behind me and told me that I couldn't make a u-turn, that such turns aren't allowed in business districts. However, there was no sign telling me that, nor did I make the turn at a light. Afterwards, I noticed that "no u-turn" signs are present around the corner and facing the other way on Capitol, but not in the direction I was heading. I didn't impede traffic, and considering the blocked street ahead of me, I'm still not sure what I did wrong.
Obviously, arguing with a police officer is never a good idea, so I waited the 10 minutes for Officer Pfeil to issue me a ticket for $83.80 and three points. He informed me of my right to contest the ticket in Shorewood on June 3, which I plan to do. But even though I have a great driving record, I know how these things tend to turn out: you plead guilty to a lesser violation, pay a bigger ticket, but avoid the points on your license.
Thing is, I don't think I broke any laws, and if I did, it was only because construction crews were blocking the intersection ahead, forcing me to make a slow, safe and deliberate detour from my expected route. I didn't slow anyone down, and I certainly didn't put anyone in danger with my well-executed, properly signaled u-turn directly into a parking space. It wasn't a great way to start the day, and it may go down as the most expensive interview I've ever conducted.
Talkbackers, tell me if I'm wrong. But I think I got a ticket for something that wasn't illegal, rather was a quick and convenient way for Shorewood to collect some easy money from an always responsible driver.
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44 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by hojnack2 on July 30, 2009 at 6:27 p.m. (report)
I could not agree more. If there was no sign there, how is the average everyday citizen supposed to know this "business district" rule? Absolutely ridiculous. Someone had made the ignorant remark replying to your article that "It is not that Shorewood is enforcing too much, but Milwaukee needs to enforce more". No. Milwaukee is a HUGE cities with murders happening like wildfire this summer. I would say that Milwaukee has WAY bigger fish to fry with the rate of crime and the size of the city. Shorewood, on the other hand, is a quaint, quiet little township where the police officers have to LOOK for something to do. Like today, sit behind a hedge of bushes in a vacant lot and pull me over on Capitol for going a speed that the main-drag 2-lane road SHOULD be on my way to work. And then give me a ticket for $88, take 4 points off, and when seeing me balling my eyes out, state, "Have a nice day, mam". Between these two situations, I'd say Shorewood is out to get the money because NOTHING HAPPENS THERE. In my case, yes, there were posted limit signs, but as I am going with the flow of traffic, I am pulled over; that's just my luck. But that's a whole other story. As for Andy, I am sorry; it makes me want not even take the three minutes to drive through Shorewood because of SOMETHING I'm sure I'd get pulled over for. Everyone, make sure all of your lights are working, you're wearing a seatbelt and you use your blinkers!
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Posted by bw180h on April 22, 2009 at 12:52 p.m. (report)
Andy I read your article and believe the officer was well with-in his right's however he need's to pick his battles more carefully,I live in West Allis and on a daily bases see people making u turns on Hwy 100 at stop lights all the time seems this is against the law but goes unnoticed. So I hope you win your case and seems to me you did everything you were required to do I hope the officer reads this and you get a lessor fine. To bad the market people can't send a nice basket of food to the police station and see where that goes.
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Posted by terrymccallum on April 22, 2009 at 12:23 p.m. (report)
U-turns should be legal everywhere except where posted IMHO. I lived in CA for 9 years and that is the case there, at lighted intersections, business districts, where ever you want, you could conveniently U-turn. However, it is not the case here, and my guess the cop in Shorewood knows the law better than you and you are wasting your time. Ironically, I believe the Y-turn in legal in some cases where the U-turn is not. Anybody have insight on that?
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Posted by alba on April 16, 2009 at 6:35 p.m. (report)
By choosing to enforce minor traffic violations when no one's safety is at risk, you're re-enforcing the stereotype that all cops are dicks.
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Posted by Hckyboy00 on April 16, 2009 at 6:05 p.m. (report)
I always love the "cops with nothing better to do" argument. It not like they are making up laws to enforce. They are their to catch people doing things they shouldn't. Yes it sucks, and i've done hundreds of U-turns in "business districts" and have never gotten a ticket for it. What i think does suck is not so much Shorewoods enforcement, but Milwaukee's lack of enforcement. Yes, MPD really does have bigger fish to fry than me making a U-Turn back towards Michigan after a delivery at the Hilton, but it's to any drivers disadvantage that the rules change once you cross a street. The sign argument is a waste of time, i and everybody else has tried that whenever we get a ticket for breaking one of the thousands of selective un-posted night parking restrictions in Milwaukee (you can't park on a bus route when there is a 25% chance of precipitation between the months of October and April if you have a 4 door import that is closer to white than black. Unless you have permit 47629-B which costs $2.50 plus shipping and handling that you have to order from the DMV, you could get it at a substation, but it will cost you a $10 processing fee) The city's defense was that it would cost to much to have signs posted with all the restrictions, my replay was that maybe there a) shouldn't be so many restrictions, and b) what else do you do with all this money. neither did anythinghelp my case. Either way, show up in a nice sweater and pants, get the points reduced to 0, and write it off as a business expense. and learn your lesson, all business meetings in milwaukee proper.
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