Jaywalkers Nabbed At Crosswalks

by Allan Appel | Dec 20, 2019 1:34 pm

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Posted to: Legal Writes, Transportation

Who knew that it has for years been illegal to cross on the diagonal at an intersection, even if pedestrian signals give you the all-clear to go? This reporter didn’t know that. Nor did the nine downtown pedestrians who each received a ticket for the infraction within 60 minutes. Ouch! To the tune of $92. The nine citations were issued by a team of four traffic patrol officers lead by Sgt. Pedro Colon from 4-5 p.m. hour at the Church and Chapel Street intersection on a bitter cold Thursday late afternoon. Sgt. Colon’s crew will periodically return during rush hour in coming weeks — so mind your pedestrian manners. The officers are participating in an enforcement and education pilot project sponsored by Watch For Me CT, a nonprofit promoting pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist safety, through the Connecticut State Department of Transportation. (Click here for a background story on the program.) Colon said that a $15,000 grant under the program is enabling the police department’s traffic division to deploy eight four-hour four-officer shifts on Thursday and Friday afternoons through Jan. 17. They are to be stationed on the corners of heavily trafficked intersections like Church and Chapel and in the coming weeks on Chapel and Temple, Chapel and High. Their mission: to pass out flyers on the basic state laws drivers, cyclists, and especially pedestrians need to follow, or face enforcement. (Update: Police Chief Otoniel Reyes Friday, in response to this article, ordered officers on this specific details to hand out warnings instead of tickets to pedestrians. Read more about that here.) In the first week of the pilot period, Colon reported, 123 formal warnings were written, 102 for pedestrians crossing at angles or at non-crosswalk situations; five for cyclists; and 16 for motorists. Thursday was the first day police started handing out tickets. (Note: And earlier version of the story in correctly identified those warnings as tickets.) The fines are stiff: Including $92 for a pedestrian who fails to obey signals and use the crosswalk correctly. And for drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. “We could have stopped way many more,” Colon said of the first week’s effort, but during the writing of one ticket, a half dozen violators walked by, he added. “There’s a complete disregard for the signals, ” Colon said. He put the blame as much on law enforcement as the public. “We really do want to get the word out there. Frankly, it’s something we as police don’t enforce. How can we expect people to obey if we don’t enforce?” Citing the high number of pedestrians killed by cars this year, he said, “When you have the same number of [fatal] motor vehicle accidents as homicides, that’s a serious problem that has to be addressed.” The pilot program is one way of doing that. As Colon deployed his troops during rush hour at the corners of the Chapel and Church this past Thursday afternoon, he motioned to the intersection awash in people crossing at angles, crossing when the light was red, and stepping off and crossing well outside of an intersection. They did that right from the bus stop in front of the CVS Pharmacy and quick-stepping, among parked and passing cars, to the Green. That’s what Maria Santiago did. She had gotten off work in North Haven at 3:45. The 215 bus let her off with her friend in front of the pharmacy. She was tired, she said, and it was cold. So she crossed over directly from the stop without going to the corner to use the crosswalk. Officer Paul Cavalier, stationed by the fountain on the Green’s northwestern corner, spotted her and walked up to her when she stepped onto the curb. He gave her a flyer, explained the violation, and asked her for her ID. While he went into his vehicle to write up the violation, she stood, shuffling her feet to stay warm against the cold. She wasn’t happy about the stop. It came as a surprise. But all she wanted to do, she said, was for the officer to “hurry up because it’s cold.” Jonathan Stewart, who was ticketed for crossing on the diagonal, told Cavalier, “It’s not fair. I’ve been crossing like this for years.” The young man said his mother lives across the street, right on the corner. He was visiting her, as he always does, and suddenly he had a ticket. “It never was a problem. This is Christmas time. Why aren’t they doing it next year?” Jenna Arater, a nurse at rehab facilities, had just come from a doctor’s appointment and also crossed at the diagonal from the southeast to the northwest corner. Officer Jason Jackson of the traffic division met her when she stepped up on the curb and gave her the bad news. She gave him an earful as he wrote the ticket. “It’s very unfair, without a warning,” she said, and much more. Jackson, who rides a motorcycle for the police department and knows the traffic court well, calmed her down. “On the back of the ticket,” he said, she could plead not guilty instead of sending in the $92. At the court date she can explain to the magistrate her position: that sudden enforcement is not fair. Jackson said in his experience the traffic court judge won’t eliminate a fine, but well may reduce it. “If you don’t yell at him,” he added. Arater was mollified. So was Allan Benoit, also ticketed for diagonal crossing. He immediately called his parole officer, who told him to pay the ticket, or some of it, and not to worry, it was only an infraction— it wouldn’t get him into parole trouble. Another ticketed crosser, Victoria Darden, said she always walks outside of intersections because she finds intersections, with all the fast-turning cars ignoring the lights, even less safe. When she heard she’d have to pay $92 for the infraction, or appeal, she grew upset. “That’s crazy,” she complained. “That’s too much money.” And yet there it was, when Officer Cavalier brought out her ticket and explained what was to be done. He also handed her back her ID, which he had asked from her, as he did with each person ticketed. When he left, she shared with the press an opinion no one else had expressed: “They just want to look at your ID so they can check to see if there are warrants.” Sgt. Colon said he expected people to be angry, in part because of the out-of-the-blue arrival of the enforcement. He said he plans to put in a call to the personnel at traffic court to let them know there may be an influx of appeals. He said he thinks public education on a continuing basis is key, but the enforcement has its role to play. “If the fear of infraction is the price for safety, I’ll take that any time,” he said. Colon’s officers prepared for the pilot with eight hours of training at the New Britain police academy, on the state’s pertaining statutes. They will take a break in the days after the Christmas holiday, he said. When they resume, they’ll reposition, at Chapel and Temple and Chapel and College. On those Thursday/Friday shifts, they will hand out only the flyers, no tickets. Colon acknowledged that it is obviously harder to catch drivers in violations, but that the pilot’s aim is equally to educate and enforce motorist correct behavior as it is for cyclists and pedestrians. Officer Jackson said fatal motor vehicle collisions often stem more from pedestrian behavior — darting out in front of traffic, appearing suddenly from between parked cars—than from driver behavior. Colon said he’d like to see this focus continue after the pilot program ends. “It’s something we desperately need, so people can feel they are safe when they are in New Haven.”

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posted by: ElmCityAle on December 20, 2019 1:45pm “...it has for years been illegal to cross on the diagonal at an intersection…” - while I’ve advocated enforcement action against pedestrians and cyclists who break the rules of the road - which exist for the safety of everyone - this seems like a strange technical violation to enforce. The real issue is crossing outside the crosswalks and against signals, not diagonal crossing when all traffic is stopped and the pedestrian signals are walk/green for all sides of the intersection. This seems like a misguided effort, especially on some wide avenues in the city with too-short walk cycles to cross except diagonally.

posted by: RobotShlomo on December 20, 2019 1:49pm Is this really about “safety”, or is it another blatant cash grab/form of regressive taxation? What about writing citations for jaywalkers on Elm St. where the Yale students have made it a tradition, of crossing anywhere they please, and despite paying $60,000 for an education, don’t know the difference between red and green? Yeah, probably not going to happen.

posted by: DMH464 on December 20, 2019 1:50pm While I’m all for enforcement and I’m glad they are now holding pedestrians accountable for improper use of roads I think what they should have done was start with educating the public or grace period before issuing the infractions. Some people don’t really know that it’s illegal to cross diagonally. I also would have waited until after the holidays but that just me. Either way I’m glad the police are being proactive. I certainly hope they enforce on Elm St between York and Temple during class exchange by the Yale Students and not just the everyday working folks at their other proposed locations. One day at that location could dunk the PD for a month with the volume Lastly I can tell you that they are not issuing infractions just to see if you have a warrant. The last think they want is to have to deal with a warrant service while working this type of enforcement.

posted by: Mike Melanson SO ABSURD. Are you kidding me? Called it last week. This silly “experiment” has cops out their targeting people crossing diagonally on a full, all-walk-signal time. Meanwhile, I literally watch cars RUN RED LIGHTS ALL OVER THE CITY WITH NO ENFORCEMENT AT ALL. Cars drive 50mph+ down Whalley Ave EVERY DAY. But y’all are down there on Chapel ticketing pedestrians for crossing diagonal on an all walk signal? There’s drag racing on Ella Grasso. I’ve had cars pass down the wrong side of the street on small residential roads. I’ve been harrassed more times than I can count for riding my bicycle in the lane. I’ve been nearly hit by a bus riding down the Elm St. bike lane because, they said, they were being “squeezed over by traffic”. But yes, pedestrians crossing diagonally is the problem. Elicker, please, get your people in check, because this is downright stupid.

posted by: WMACHQ on December 20, 2019 1:58pm At Elm and Chapel right turning cars ignore the “ no right turn on red” routinely. I also see folks avoiding crossing at the proper place on the corner to avoid bicycle riders who ride on the sidewalk on Chapel Street (going against traffic flow.), people diagonally cross at Elm and Chapel as the time given to cross goes by very quickly. Enforcement may be a hard lesson, but if it saves just one life, it is worth it.

posted by: anonymous on December 20, 2019 2:01pm This is a horribly misguided program that will disproportionately levy fines on people of color, who are more likely to walk, bike, and use transit. The money should be used instead to crack down on motorists who are driving at 45 miles per hour down small residential streets and and blowing through red lights at almost every cycle.

posted by: mom247 on December 20, 2019 2:09pm How coincidental is it that YALE student population” most guilty of being oblivious to motor vehicles cross walks etc” has left the city and no enforcement begins?

posted by: Elmer's Glue on December 20, 2019 2:21pm There is something deeply and profoundly wrong with any program that targets pedestrians SIX TIMES more often than it targets motorists. What are we trying to do here? Make this city lively, livable, and walkable? Promote the interests of local residents who like to walk to the places they’re heading to? Allow people not rich enough to own cars to nevertheless survive in this city? Or preserve the divine right of motorists - a good many of them out-of-towners, many of the worst of them driving fancy cars - to go anywhere they like, at any speed they like, in any and all circumstances? Shame on whoever set up this absurd crackdown on New Haveners, who have it hard enough.

posted by: urbancarpenter on December 20, 2019 2:22pm New Haven police have blatantly disregarded both pedestrians and drivers obeying signals for the twenty years I’ve been here. Everyone has seen someone run a red light or cross through traffic in front of a New Haven cop without even being acknowledged, so yeah it’s “out-of-the-blue”. Some consistency from our city would be nice.

posted by: AverageTaxpayer on December 20, 2019 2:27pm What an ugly joke of an operation by the NHPD. 1. They can’t bother with all the reckless drivers, but they have time to ticket, (not warn), people for crossing diagonally during a pedestrian walk signal? 2. $15,000 only buys us 128 hours of police time? That’s $117/hour! 3. This kind of selective enforcement is the equivalent of police harassment. One week, without warning, NHPD decides to selectively enforce laws, at one downtown location? Finally who gave the order to write $92 tickets instead of warnings? I can hardly believe this was the intent of the safety initiative.

posted by: James Sunderland on December 20, 2019 2:31pm When the hell are we going to get enforcement on turning traffic not yielding to pedestrians, something which happens DAILY on my walk to and from work downtown. How about cars which violate pedestrians legally crossing in a crosswalk that does have a traffic light, such as at the corner of Lincoln and Bradley. The number of times I’ve nearly been hit at that intersection (which i choose because the one one block down at Orange and Lincoln is even worse) over the years is staggering. Pedestrian lights across this city are not nearly frequent enough, and are often way too short to get both ways across the intersection, especially for disabled pedestrians. the temperature has plummeted this week, compounding the issue. My heart breaks miss santiago, “illegal” though her crossing may have been. The timing on this is “experiment” is incredibly poor.

posted by: watchfuleye on December 20, 2019 2:32pm This is great! and hopefully will remain and not just a pilot program. it is extremely unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists to dart right in front of a car or for the car not to slow down either. respect for each other. and honestly if your not a child everyone knows about crosswalks, signals etc. warning aren’t needed we should have all been taught when we were little kids about how to cross a street. and if you have a license you know the laws also. Enforce safety for all. Don’t like it perhaps obey.

posted by: mountaingoat on December 20, 2019 2:32pm The NHPD and Watch for Me CT need to seriously reconsider this program. Increasing safety for pedestrians by ticketing 102 pedestrians and only 16 motorists? The motorists are the ones with the potential to take a life. Such unproductive victim-blaming. It is so much safer to cross diagonally at that intersection; there is just not enough time in one cycle to get across otherwise. I am a transportation professional, and to be honest, for years I assumed that the whole point of having the pedestrian-only cycle with the walk signs in both directions was to allow diagonal crossing.

posted by: nero on December 20, 2019 2:40pm Cops have nothing better to do? Really? A non-profit throws a little money around and now New Haveners have to pay stiff fines or show up in court for the next month. Law enforcement can’t figure out how to stop dirt bike maniacs from tormenting motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians, but pedestrians safely crossing an intersection diagonally must be caught and punished. Gimme a break.

posted by: cellardoor on December 20, 2019 2:41pm Wow, I had no idea it is illegal to cross on the diagonal when the pedestrian light has stopped traffic in all directions!

posted by: Pedro Soto on December 20, 2019 2:50pm This is one of the most absolutely ridiculous enforcement actions I have ever seen. Diagonal crossing illegal? Maybe in city that only has it’s crosswalks going in the direction of travel at any given time, but New Haven specifically touts it’s pedestrian exclusive cycles, which presumably allow people to not just cross at right angles, but across, or else what is the point of having them?? There isn’t enough time or justification to walk at right angles. The worst part are the people who, with an out of the blue enforcement actions of outdated laws, will now have to spend their time and money to try to get these cleared. This isn’t a nuisance for some people, $92 is not a small amount of money for something this ridiculous. Seriously, either Mayor Harp or after Jan 1st Mayor Elicker should call for these to be torn up, and then make a full press to amend city law to allow this.

posted by: Bill Saunders on December 20, 2019 2:52pm Crossing on the diagonals is known as ‘Doing the Barn Dance’!

posted by: TheMadcap on December 20, 2019 3:05pm I constantly have cars do near 50mph on my presidential street and not come to a stop at the sign on top of a hill, but sure, let’s fine a bunch of pedestrians for crossing diagonal with a lit crosswalk in a place where pedestrians dominate.

posted by: Hill Resident on December 20, 2019 3:06pm I never knew that it was illegal to cross on the diagonal ... especially when all four corner cross signals are activated. And I am not the only one. Signs should be posted at the intersections. I would also like to see this enforcement on the Yale campus ... Elm and York, Elm and Temple, Wall and Prospect. And then go the Med School campus ... Frontage Road and College, Frontage road and York. Can they also ticket people who are walking while texting and not paying attention to the other pedestrians in the walkway?

posted by: bipartisan on December 20, 2019 3:07pm Well, if you want to scare people who CHOOSE to come to New Haven by issuing tickets, this is the way to do it. How about a thorough public educational program for a few months before issuing tickets?

posted by: cunningham Clearly, the best way to deal with a civil infrastructure that’s actively hostile to pedestrians is to punish people for walking. Absolutely ridiculous.

posted by: Juwanna Man on December 20, 2019 3:29pm This is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! Are you KIDDING me!!?? Is this some kind of Christmas prank!? This is not only trying to put the cat back in the bag - this is like trying to put a herd of buffalo back in the bag! For YEARS, the New Haven Police have done ZERO to enforce ANYTHING that happens at intersections, and NOW they’re going to START!? If walking diagonally through an intersection with walk signs in all four directions is illegal, POST SIGNS!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, can I now issue tickets to New Haven police officers who roll through stop signs, or turn on their lights to get through a stop light, or switch lanes without signaling, or any of a number of things I watch them do all the time!? This is completely infuriating. Can a lawyer speak to the possibility of selective enforcement in this type of activity? Any lawyers reading this?

posted by: jules on December 20, 2019 3:30pm “Officer Jackson said he surmises that the fatal motor vehicle collisions stem more from pedestrian behavior — darting out in front of traffic, appearing suddenly from between parked cars—than from driver behavior.” He surmises this, huh? Really? As someone who used to need to use crosswalks on Orange and Trumbull six or more times a day, & who’d routinely be nearly hit by drivers who wouldn’t stop or even slow down - even when I was in the middle of the crosswalk & a driver on the opposite side had already stopped to let me cross - I’d love to see any statistics, any at all, that support the idea that pedestrians crossing at a diagonal while both crosswalk signals permit represent any kind of significant contribution to accidents and fatalities, as opposed to drivers who absolutely don’t understand or care what a crosswalk means. To reiterate, THIRTEEN PERCENT of the tickets handed out went to motorists. EIGHTY SEVEN PERCENT went to pedestrians. Just incredible. Thanks a whole hell of a lot for making us, pedestrians, who are overwhelmingly the victims in these accidents, “feel safe”. Sorry it’s “harder to catch” drivers who flout the law, but they’re the ones who’re largely causing these problems, NOT people harmlessly crossing at a diagonal. This is a disgusting and frankly baffling misplacement of effort and punishment.

posted by: 06511 on December 20, 2019 3:34pm The Indy nicely included a link to the website for ‘Watch for me CT’, where one click will allow you to contact them and tell them how you feel about this kind of ‘public awareness’ raising.

posted by: LoveNH on December 20, 2019 3:54pm It’s always burned me up the way pedestrians have the nerve to cause such wear and tear on the middles of all our intersections without paying for their time savings. Such disdain for the public square while taking advantage of hypotenuses everywhere! The crosswalks are designed for this type of weight after all. But the middles? NO! No wonder we have potholes at intersections everywhere.

Alternative: How about they charge us for the distance saved but only if the corporate counsel can calculate it correctly?

Pythagoreans need to stand up for what’s right (angled) and make a difference with (two times) the (square) root of the problem.

posted by: tl4 on December 20, 2019 3:54pm This is SO DUMB!! I regularly wait at the bus stop on this block where I have seen police in the area refuse to respond (ie not get out of their cruiser) to assist someone who was highly intoxicated/ possibly overdosing. But they are sending out task forces to give out tickets for crossing diagonally? What a waste of taxpayer money.

posted by: Bill Saunders on December 20, 2019 4:08pm 06511, I can’t find any info on the Secretary of State’s Site regarding this organization.

It seems to be ‘associated’ with the CT Children’s Hospital.

posted by: ElmUrbanist on December 20, 2019 4:09pm I walk from downtown to Union Station several times a week for my MetroNorth commute. I have noticed that police cars very rarely observe the crosswalks (even when pedestrians are about to use them) and make dangerously fast turns when pedestrians are present in front of their own police station. I wonder if they’re going to be “educating” themselves about their own reckless disregard for pedestrian safety.

posted by: OhHum on December 20, 2019 4:09pm I’ve supported the NHPD for decades (except when Delieto had my phone tapped illegally during the Days of Rage) but this is over the top. Who thought it was a good idea to begin this program during the Holidays. Back in the day the Department used to put officers at all the major intersections directing traffic. This not only stopped “jaywalkers” but also stopped drivers from blowing through red light and speeding.

posted by: Pat from Westville on December 20, 2019 4:10pm On the Friday before Christmas: Merry Christmas from the City of New Haven, and that will be $92 for crossing diagonally with cross walk lights in all 4 directions!! As a senior citizen and a disabled person (MS) I feel this is not in the spirit of the ADA. For me to have to cross one street (after waiting through one traffic cycle for the crosswalk light) & then wait through another whole traffic cycle to cross with a 2nd walk light is too much! My disability affects my ability to walk the longer I have to stand and wait. Hopefully some reasonable person (Mayor elect Elicker, are you listening?) ) will intervene and toss all this garbage where it belongs.

posted by: Anonnnnnnnnn on December 20, 2019 4:10pm This is a great decision by the New Haven powers that be. This will stop these monsters that decide to use the street to walk across. What kind of world to we live in when we allow pedestrians to walk where the cars drive? Have we as a civilization not evolved yet? Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to own an electric vehicle of their own so that jaywalking becomes a thing of the past. The funds from this program is just the start and is what we need to raise the funds to afford an electric vehicle for ALL New Haven residents. This will be the first of many law enforcement initiatives to turn all these lazy pedestrians into elective vehicle owning noblemen and women. I for one back this program 100%. If only the fine for this disgusting act was closer to $5,000 we would soon be able to offer all residents of this great city a new electric vehicle. Join me brothers and sisters, hold hands and rejoice this is a great time to live. We will all be riding in brand new fancy, no smog cars very soon. Bow down to your overlord.

posted by: 06511 on December 20, 2019 4:22pm Bill Saunders, I have many questions. If I give the NHPD a $15,000 grant to ‘raise public awareness’ about police officers who park illegally while they are inside Starbucks picking up their coffees, are they obligated to do so? I’d love more details from the Indy about how these grants work.

posted by: jWw_in_NH on December 20, 2019 4:24pm Unbelievably wrong-headed approach from NHPD. This makes me seriously question the priorities, intelligence, and abilities of NHPD leadership. I have called multiple lines at NHPD to express my anger at targeting pedestrians on technicalities in clearly regressive ways while reckless driving endangers cyclists and pedestrians constantly around the city. I am reaching out to Mayor-elect Elicker’s office and my Alder as well. This should never be repeated, and any follow-up should target the hundreds of incidents of illegal driving putting citizens at risk around the city. While NHPD clearly has many problems, this small one is just so petty, mean, counter-productive to public safety, regressive, stupid, and misguided that it may spark a much bigger backlash. I expect an apology from the NHPD chief to the public and each of those pedestrians ticketed.

posted by: kgalo on December 20, 2019 4:25pm I am adding my voice to the chorus of how outrageous this is. Let’s change this law to allow for diagonal crossing. As an able-bodied person I can barely make it across in the allotted time. I have two parents in their 70s who walk everywhere in New Haven and this would really discriminate against older and disabled people and people with young children, who are just trying to make a safe choice - to get from point A to point B in the least amount of time while both walk signs are on. What do the safe streets people suggest? Because this does not strike me as the answer.

posted by: Thomas Alfred Paine on December 20, 2019 4:26pm The least New Haven could have done is issue warnings to these pedestrians.

It is bad enough that our cars are ticketed for expired meters, not walkers!

New Haven should do everything it can to generate good will to attract more people to come into the city!

Is this a policy of the outgoing Harp administration? Will this unnecessary focus and attention on pedestrians be a policy of the Elicker administration?

This whole new policy needs to be reviewed.

There are real crimes around this city that need police attention. People are being shot. Homes are being robbed and invaded on a regular basis! Instead of standing around on downtown street corners watching pedestrians cross the street, these policemen need to be in our neighborhoods walking the beat, watching our streets for thieves, robbers, vandals and assailants.

Contact your aldermen and complain. Contact the new mayor and tell him what you think. Start a petition drive!

This is no way to end a year and begin a new one. This policy will not bode well for New Haven.

We know the city is cash strapped, but this is a case of being penny wise and pound foolish!

posted by: Twentyniner on December 20, 2019 4:36pm Merry Christmas to the tax payers of New Haven. Red light runners and speeders get a free ride while people hoofing it across the street in the cold get a $92 ticket. How festive! Can’t wait to see what 2020 brings to the residents of New Haven. An educational campaign to keep pedestrians safe first would have been a reasonable start. How about get the real traffic issues fixed before you go after “easy targets”. I support the NHPD but this is ridiculous.

posted by: NewHaven18 on December 20, 2019 4:42pm If only that woman hit by a motorist while standing on the sidewalk of South Frontage knew that you shouldn’t cross diagonally on a 4-way crosswalk, her life might have been spared.

posted by: William Kurtz “Officer Jackson said he surmises that the fatal motor vehicle collisions stem more from pedestrian behavior — darting out in front of traffic, appearing suddenly from between parked cars—than from driver behavior.” Officer Jackson needs to get out of his car and pay more attention to the actual dangers on New Haven streets. Explain how the pedestrian was at fault for this one: https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/pedestrian_killed_/ At the beginning of her first term, Mayor Harp made some remarks about how safe and effective transportation was a civil rights issue. Six years later, no protected bicycle lanes (except for the Long Wharf trail to basically nowhere, which I’ve seen being used as a parking lot for city employees and the Canal Dock boathouse), pedestrians being killed in what I suspect are record numbers . . . thankfully she’s heading out of office. Hopefully the incoming administration will take street safety and the needs of actual human beings more seriously.

posted by: Eva G on December 20, 2019 4:59pm Please add my non-driving, pedestrian-and-bus-riding voice to the chorus of what-the-unprintable here.

I was waiting for my (late) bus yesterday and witnessed one of the people in this article speaking with much agitation to the cops who had ticketed her; had I known why she was so upset I probably would have crossed the street to defend her and have a few words with the police myself. I don’t complain about the NHPD in general but this is ludicrous on so many levels.

posted by: thecove on December 20, 2019 5:04pm I agree with the enforcement of laws as they pertain to pedestrians, but there are much worse violations than diagonal crossing. How about the people who cross against the light without even looking up because they are either talking or texting on their phones? This is constant and is probably the most dangerous violation.

posted by: William Kurtz “While he [Officer Cavalier] went into his vehicle to write up the violation, she stood, shuffling her feet to stay warm against the cold. She wasn’t happy about the stop. It came as a surprise. But all she wanted to do, she said, was for the officer to “hurry up because it’s cold.”” Is there any better illustration of mindless bureaucratic cruelty than a cop getting into a car to write a ticket for a woman pushing a carriage cross the street “improperly” while she stands around outside trying to stay warm on a 25 degree day?

posted by: IloveMYcity203 on December 20, 2019 5:25pm I would congratulate everyone who commented on this article. Because of you, this happened:

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/chief_halts_special_pedestrian_ticketing/ This is what happens when the community (regardless of race, sex, religion etc.) comes together for one common cause. Congrats!!!! Now the city needs to rescind the tickets that were issued and that’s a complete win for the people. Chief Reyes, you did the right thing! Kudos.

posted by: Westhousehomey on December 20, 2019 6:08pm To quote the article: “They are to be stationed on the corners of heavily trafficked intersections like Church and Chapel and in the coming weeks on Church and Temple, Church and High.”

I’m just a New Haven native, not a traffic engineer, but I don’t think there will be too many citations handed out at Church and Temple and Church and High because those intersections don’t exist.

posted by: NewHavenNewbie on December 20, 2019 6:13pm It is stunningly stupid to punish walkers - - and just before Christmas no less. I’ve lived here since June and I’ve only witnessed a cop giving a driver a ticket ONE TIME. It’s like the cops here refuse to ticket drivers. Why is this?

posted by: Bike NL As an advocate for pedestrian and bicycle policies that benefit all citizens of our city (New London), and yours, I have to add my name to the chorus of people who are shocked by this enforcement action. A pilot program? How nice, give people a $90 ‘starter’ ticket. That’ll teach them hardened criminals! Sorry if I sound sarcastic, it’s all I can do to keep from yelling out loud as I read this. The use of this grant for this kind of enforcement is exactly not what it should be for. If anything, education of pedestrians should be the goal for 3 months or more. If NHPD wants to increase enforcement after that period, so be it. And at the same time, enforcing safe driving and quality of life issues. Grabbing pedestrians out of crosswalks is the lowest of the low hanging fruit. The incoming and outgoing Mayors need to be unified that this is bad policy. NHPD, I truly respect the hard work you do. Our own Chief came up through your system. Someone there however has gotten the wrong message about this initiative from Watch For Me CT. This is supposed to be about making the streets easier to walk or bike on, not levying $9600 in fines upon people who can least afford them, for simply walking around the city. It is misguided at the very least. Please end this unfair enforcement program. Robert Bareiss

Bike New London

posted by: mspepper on December 20, 2019 6:19pm I’m writing this comment as cars speed in both directions through the light on Chapel by Conte/West Hills—a 25 mph school zone—at what I can only imagine is at least 40 mph. This is a neighborhood with a big police presence, and yet I see this kind of driving all day every day. This is a disgrace. Anyone who lives here knows how dangerous these streets are with reckless drivers everywhere you go. There is actual DRAG RACING here on a regular basis that police just can’t manage to prevent. ALL we ever hear from NHPD is how understaffed they are, how scarce their resources, yet they have time and resources to allocate to…ticketing pedestrians for crossing diagonally? This is an embarrassment.

posted by: mspepper on December 20, 2019 6:28pm ”Officer Jackson said he surmises that the fatal motor vehicle collisions stem more from pedestrian behavior — darting out in front of traffic, appearing suddenly from between parked cars—than from driver behavior.” How dare Officer Jackson blame pedestrians for their OWN DEATHS. This has ruined families. Loved ones who will NEVER come back. Children and elderly people gone forever because of reckless drivers. This is victim blaming, pure and simple. And to suggest that traffic fatalities happen because pedestrians “dart out in front of cars” is pure gaslighting. Go look at the statistics, then come back and look a mother in the eye and tell her she’ll never see her daughter again because she “darted into traffic.”

posted by: Allan Appel on December 20, 2019 7:06pm Correction: Sgt. Colon just informed me that I had misunderstood when I wrote about the 123 “tickets” issued last week, the first shift of the project. Those 123 were not tickets, but formal warnings only. Thursday, when nine violations were issued, was the first day of enforcement during the pilot project. Sorry about that.—Allan Appel

posted by: tmctague on December 20, 2019 7:14pm I’ve met many people that come to New Haven and absolutely DELIGHT in the number of people crossing diagonally at crosswalks. The essence of our city is under attack! If you’re going to do this, at least get the people wearing sweaters with a Y on them, they are some of the most alarming pedestrians.

posted by: FrancoisMarieArouet062 on December 20, 2019 10:46pm @ms pepper- you write, “How dare Officer Jackson blame pedestrians for their OWN DEATHS. This has ruined families. Loved ones who will NEVER come back. Children and elderly people gone forever because of reckless drivers. This is victim blaming, pure and simple. And to suggest that traffic fatalities happen because pedestrians “dart out in front of cars” is pure gaslighting.” As a citizen in this city for the past 16 years, I can attest to people walking haphazardly in the street without regard to on-coming traffic. If you aren’t in a crosswalk, most normal drivers don’t expect pedestrians to just walk into the street. This is why there are rules for road use. I live off Blatchley Avenue. Slamming the breaks is the norm in Fair Haven. Crosswalks are seldom used. The driver isn’t always reckless- sometimes its the offender who does it to themselves. I cant comment on whether the deaths are the result of natural selection or if the driver is the offender, namely because I don’t have access to the statistics. But striking someone with a car who darts or haphazardly walks into the road doesn’t make the driver automatically at fault. https://patch.com/connecticut/newhaven/pedestrian-hit-seriously-injured-new-haven https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/police-investigating-pedestrian-struck-by-car-incident-in-new-haven/ Instead of dramatizing the comment, how about educating people about proper use of the road? I agree, giving tickets before def isn’t the best way to build community good-will. If you read the article though, training was received and a grant was provided to the city. That’s not an Officer issue, take it up with the grant writer. A public relations campaign would have served everyone better. Villianizing Ofc Jackson doesn’t help the problem,either. On one hand, you talk about the pedestrians that were struck, but I’m sure Officer Jackson has seen many incidents first hand. His experience shouldn’t be discounted. Respect goes both ways.

posted by: NHRavens on December 21, 2019 2:16am Wait…So the police force who’s losing the faith of residents with every spike in crime decides to focus resources on citizens who don’t use a crosswalk properly…handing out $92 tickets…during the holidays. Not only did someone think that was a good idea, but multiple people signed off on it? Even spending time and resource to write a grant to fund it. As Ring video after Ring video gets posted online showing thieves breaking into cars and homes and alerts popping up about shootings, it’s comforting as a tax payer to know that people aren’t crossing in a diagonal path around town. Our local merchants must be thrilled. Nothing will draw in customers like the threat of a hefty fine for a trivial infraction. At least it’s not an important time year for them. Are we sure this program isn’t being funded by the Hamden Chamber of Commerce?

posted by: Ben on December 21, 2019 6:34am An additional point about the ridiculous enforcement of the law against diagonal crossing: at many intersections in New Haven, there simply isn’t time to cross in each direction separately during the walk portion of the cycle. In other cities, I’m told, the walk sign can interrupt the cycle at any point, but in New Haven there is only one walk sign in the cycle. So following this law means waiting through two cycles. At a complicated intersection like my corner at Harrison, Fountain, and Alden, each cycle is extremely long. Getting all the way across could take 10 or 15 minutes if you followed the rules.

posted by: Progressive Reform on December 21, 2019 6:43am You heard it here folks…yes, diagonally. That’s the problem. Pedestrians crossing the street at an angle, during a fully signalled, designated crosswalk period, is the problem. How dare they. How dare you walk at 45 degrees. This is the type of problem our police force should be focused on. Idiotic doesn’t even begin to the scratch the surface on this type of lunacy. This is shameful.

posted by: DMH464 on December 21, 2019 7:33am @Allan Appel That correction should be printed at the top of the article in bold. That is certainly a huge discrepancy from over 120 to nine. Kinda changes the dynamic of the article and comments.

posted by: Checking on December 21, 2019 9:13am Here’s a new sign:: New Haven

———

Respect

New Haveners

posted by: mspepper on December 21, 2019 9:20am FrancoisMarieArouet062 writes: ”I cant comment on whether the deaths are the result of natural selection or if the driver is the offender, namely because I don’t have access to the statistics. But striking someone with a car who darts or haphazardly walks into the road doesn’t make the driver automatically at fault.” Try reading a little about the subject. Maybe do—I don’t know—the slightest bit of research, before blaming victims for their own deaths on the basis of nothing but your own unexamined anecdotal evidence.

posted by: Pat from Westville on December 21, 2019 9:57am One last comment: the ticketing /whatever was for walking diagonally with all 4 cross walk signals stopping all vehicular traffic, NOT for darting into traffic anyplace you feel like. Speaking as a pedestrian who ALWAYS crosses with a cross walk light, this is the safest, most efficient way to cross 2 streets & get out of the way of cars. Due to the at most 15-20 seconds crossing time given by most walk lights, it is very difficult to cross 1 street and then the 2nd one.

posted by: greenbee on December 21, 2019 11:26am Why can’t the police focus on more life threatening road safety issues? Too name a few: nearly all drivers fail to use their mirrors and signals properly, so they don’t see pedestrians and cyclists; few drivers obey ‘yield to pedestrian signs’; drivers stopping and parking in cycle lanes, which forces cyclists out into other lanes endangering them and slowing down other traffic.

posted by: Ravenclaw on December 21, 2019 11:28am The pattern of enforcement gives the lie to the stated rationale. A hundred pedestrians vs under 20 drivers, and the pedestrians even had the walk signal. This in Scott where many drivers routinely accelerate as the light changes, often from well behind the “stop here” line, even when there are pedestrians crossing who have to jump back. Where crosswalks are rarely honored. Where drivers will actually threaten pedestrians who try to enforce their rights. And where the police basically ignore these violations. Infuriating.

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on December 21, 2019 12:10pm As I said before.To fix this problem.It takes cooperation of Cyclists Pedestrians and Vehicle Operators.Now I look this up.The Connecticut statute against jaywalking stipulates that any pedestrian who “negligently or recklessly” disregards traffic signals or the signals of an officer, or who “recklessly disregards” their own safety will be fined between $35 and $55. I believe in equal enforcement of motor vehicle laws.In fact the other day.I saw a Cyclist run into a baby stroller on the sidewalk.Him and the mother got into a Shouting match.In fact in the research I did .I found Countries that enforce motor vehicle laws have less accidents.Look at Distracted Walking which is on the rise.Now let me say this.As far as the people who got tickets for cross on the diagonal at an intersection.They should have gotten warnings instead of tickets due to the fact that they did cross when the pedestrian signal gave them the right of way.Again to fix this problem.It takes cooperation of Cyclists Pedestrians and Vehicle Operators.Also even if you do not drive.You should pick up a copy of the DMV: Driver’s Manual. Again As I said before.To fix this problem.It takes cooperation of Cyclists Pedestrians and Vehicle Operators. Class Is Now In Session. Let’s Go Walking! Lesson 2: Crossing Streets Safely https://youtu.be/_jCpBH5zehI Let’s Go Walking! Lesson 3: Crossing Intersections Safely https://youtu.be/bQVcdaW2TuY

posted by: FrancoisMarieArouet062 on December 21, 2019 12:29pm @ms pepper- Ill leave it for you to post the evidence. The guy who was hit last week on ella t grasso was in the middle of the road. No crosswalk. Im not going to get into a peeing battle with you and make this a forum for invective. You want to be rude, disrespectful, and close minded, that is your choice. Seeing you know more than me, Ill allow you time to go get the police reports to present your case. They’re available under the FOI act. Then, armed with YOUR research info which proves me right, Ill remain humble and not comment. Have a happy holidays folks 😁

posted by: Christopher Schaefer “How can we expect people to obey if we don’t enforce?”That goes for MANY laws & ordinances on the books: Federal, State, City. How about ramping up enforcement of issues that effect the quality of life in New Haven, e.g. blight, illegal dumping, littering, illegal parking, illegal out-of-state car registrations, speeding, illegal dirt-bikes, noise ordinance violations, etc.etc. The only good thing that can be said about ticketing jaywalkers is that it’s better than dry statistics as an indicator of reduced serious crime in New Haven when our police have spare time to ticket trivial infractions.

posted by: Westhousehomey on December 21, 2019 2:01pm @Allan Appel - so I see you made the correction. Much better and less confusing to readers!

posted by: 1644 on December 21, 2019 7:37pm Wait, 123 warnings, not tickets? I hear Emily Litella, “Never mind.”

posted by: TheInternet on December 22, 2019 11:52am This is garbage. The only people who benefit from this are the police who are being paid overtime by a small grant that will have no lasting or systemic effect. The city has failed to make light cycles that are long enough, traffic signals that are timed and pedestrian signals that are responsive. The bad behavior starts there. Every one of these pedestrian infractions should be thrown out and the city should be held accountable for its inability to protect the public through working infrastructure.

posted by: FrancoisMarieArouet062 on December 22, 2019 1:52pm @theinternet- The police didnt write the grant. You gotta go to the grant source. They write the stipulations. An education effort would have been better, though. And the city infrastructure is horrible. Many things could be done.

posted by: DawnBli on December 22, 2019 2:30pm I really hope all the people who have been harassed and given tickets choses to fight them and shows up at the court house EN MASSE!!!

posted by: IminDelawareNow on December 22, 2019 4:54pm I lived in the New Haven area most of my life and did not know a pedestrian wasn’t suppossed to cross the street diagonally. I thought that is why the “walk” light showed on all 4 corners. Before issuing tickets signage should have been placed on the light poles, near the walk button that pedestrians push for a “walk” light. For years, it has been stated by New Haven Police that they can’t stop dirt-bike riders, ATV riders, loud motorcycles and all sorts of dangerous activity on the streets, but they can ticket a pedestrian crossing at a corner at a traffic light that says “walk”. I hope all these tickets are thrown out when the jaywalkers get to court.

posted by: BhuShu on December 23, 2019 10:23am Bah humbug says the city of new haven!! They receive a $15,000 grant to collect $$ off the backs of those already in need!!! One week is NOT enough time to re-educate. That $15,000 should be going towards signs posted at all the downtown crosswalks about the pedestrian law for one year. Let it take place. Keep the signs up in place permanently and then there is great reason to fine. Those at hefty fines. And holiday time… really? !!! Shameful NHPD. Flyers end up in the trash but signage is permanent. Give the people a real chance! to change. Change does not happen overnight. This is why people hate shopping in New Haven.

posted by: Noteworthy on December 23, 2019 11:02am People defend idiocy. Crosswalks are painted for a reason. It’s the same as lane dividers and handicap parking. You don’t cross diagonally. Some of you need to travel outside your cocoon. Good lord.

posted by: MagnetSchoolMom on December 23, 2019 11:18am In response to “anonymous” please don’t make this out to be a police against people of color thing. Everything is NOT always about race. PLENTY of white people walk the city streets daily! This is a fabulous program. Pedestrians need to be held accountable just as much as the motorists!

posted by: James Sunderland on December 23, 2019 12:59pm Noteworthy, the only person who needs to step out of their cocoon is you. The style of crosswalk New Haven uses was literally invented to allow crossing on the diagonal. Otherwise what’s the point in stopping traffic altogether. Only reason i can think of the fact that respecting pedestrians in crosswalks is a foreign concept to Connecticut drivers, especially those turning on reds.

posted by: mspepper on December 23, 2019 1:14pm This effort on the part of the NHPD to punish pedestrians comes after a year of brutal traffic deaths in New Haven (which the NHI has covered admirably). 5 people were killed by drivers here in the month of August alone. A 72 year old man was hit and killed in October. Nationally, traffic deaths are at a 28-year high. Experts believe the main causes are distracted drivers, distracted walkers, and the proliferation of SUVs. You can put the blame wherever you like. But 5 traffic deaths in a single month, in a city of 20 square miles, should signal a major problem. Those of us who live here need to ask ourselves who we’re building this city for. We’re asking those questions with regard to affordable housing. We need to ask the same question with regard to planning and traffic safety. Because the fact is, most of the traffic deaths here happen in our neighborhoods. They don’t happen around Yale. Ask your Alder why Newhallville or Dixwell or the Hill or Fairhaven aren’t afforded the same traffic safety infrastructure that exists downtown. Raised crosswalks. Protected intersections. Neckdowns. Better signage. Safe streets are as much an issue of class as affordable housing. It’s time we start prioritizing safety for everyone in New Haven, not just downtown.

posted by: Noteworthy on December 23, 2019 2:06pm Sunderland - If what you say is true - the street would be painted that way. The only reason there is a four way hold on traffic and literally no right turns on red is because both pedestrians and drivers are too stupid not to run people over and walk into traffic. This way - no traffic moves and you can navigate from corner to corner. It was not so lazy people can jet kitty corner. If that were true - there’d be no enforcement or warnings. Enjoy your cocoon - come up air some time.

posted by: OverTheRiverThruTheHood on December 23, 2019 2:12pm Handing out $92 tickets during the holidays?And they wonder why so many people hate cops.

posted by: James Sunderland on December 23, 2019 2:28pm Noteworthy- all one has to do is simply google “scramble style crosswalk” and it will show that I am correct. The current system in place- a full stop of traffic with only enough time to cross in one direction, yet diagonal is illegal, is the least efficient system imagineable. it wastes every bodies time, and encourages the dangerous pedestrian behavior people have discussed. Either the law should be changed or the traffic system.

posted by: FrancoisMarieArouet062 on December 23, 2019 2:42pm @ms pepper- The author of his article wrote, “The officers are participating in an enforcement and education pilot project sponsored by Watch For Me CT, a nonprofit promoting pedestrian, cyclist, and motorist safety, through the Connecticut State Department of Transportation. (Click here for a background story on the program.)” Grant writing- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_writing The GRANT WRITER sets the stipulations because they’re PAYING for it. A realize and agree a public education plan would have served better. But to say NHPD is “punishing” people is factually inaccurate as they did not set the parameters of the grant, CT DOT and Watch for Me set the parameters. Also, I find it hard to believe these men an women wake up every day just itching to piss off everyone. Pushing false narratives is no different than Trump saying “no quid quo pro” to Sondland after getting caught withholding aid. That type of behavior undermines trust in the local government just like Trump undermines trust in the national government. Demonizng NHPD because the grant writers asked for infractions shows bias at best. It’s nice to see Reyes told his officers to suspend infractions for warnings.

posted by: OverTheRiverThruTheHood on December 23, 2019 2:42pm “It’s something we desperately need, so people can feel they are safe when they are in New Haven.”

I’d feel safer if the police left me the hell alone.

posted by: OverTheRiverThruTheHood on December 23, 2019 3:01pm WTNH News 8, December 19

“Overall crime in New Haven is up by 15%, People shot: up by 54%, Aggravated Assault/Armed Robbery: up by 22%, and Murder: up by 11%.” GREAT JOB PRIORITIZING NHPD !

posted by: OverTheRiverThruTheHood on December 23, 2019 3:34pm @ FrancoisMarieArouet062 “The GRANT WRITER sets the stipulations because they’re PAYING for it.

A realize and agree a public education plan would have served better. But to say NHPD is “punishing” people is factually inaccurate as they did not set the parameters of the grant, CT DOT and Watch for Me set the parameters. Also, I find it hard to believe these men an women wake up every day just itching to piss off everyone.” YEAH, OK. Except that you are wrong, the police chose to target pedestrians. from the grant writers’ facebook page: “Thank you to everyone who has reached out in response to the New Haven enforcement activity. I want to assure you that I understand and share your concern… In light of these guidelines, pedestrians should only be ticketed if they do something dangerous. My goal is and has always been to be an ally to pedestrians by being their voice in an environment designed for cars. Ultimately, the police department makes their own decisions about how to conduct enforcement operations. My role is to help everyone understand why saving pedestrian lives is important, and how we can best do that. I take this role seriously, and promise you that I will do everything I can to address concerns about the current implementation of the enforcement campaign with the appropriate people. Thank you again for your speaking out on this issue.” https://www.facebook.com/WatchForMeCT/

posted by: Ravenclaw on December 23, 2019 4:11pm Thank you “OverTheRiverEtc” for checking in at the Watch me CT site! I had earlier (I’m one of the ones who wrote to them) but hadn’t seen the response. Several commenters offer variations on the theme “punish pedestrians who don’t obey every law” without stipulating the same for drivers. They seem to come from the same car/centric culture as the constabulary. Fact is: cars are much more dangerous, drivers much more aggressive, and cities can or should be easily traversed on foot or by bike.

posted by: FrancoisMarieArouet062 on December 23, 2019 6:32pm @ over the river- what about the ct dot? Lmk! What did they say? Grant $ comes with stipulations. Im not for or against, but Im also not for trashing everyone either. Biden is right. Everyone is too left or right. Both sides saying they have an open mind, but they dont. Political points and agendas. I like the blanket statements though. It/they accentuate my point(s). I hope the police leave you alone too. Thats assuming youre not doing anything. If you are though, thats your own doing.

posted by: FrancoisMarieArouet062 on December 23, 2019 6:37pm @overtheriver- since you’re good a vetting, vet the article and the rest of the “statements”. Although it probably doesn’t fit your narrative, you might be surprised what you turn over 😂😂

posted by: Ben Howell on December 23, 2019 10:48pm Commenting to add another vote to the “If diagonal crossing is against the law, let’s change the law” group. It seems silly to have traffic stopped in both directions for walk signals & *not* allow diagonal crossing. If that means painting some new diagonal cross-walks & adding some time on the signals, so be it. It’d be a much better use of this type of grant than this silly ticket-writing effort that will change nothing. The readership of NHI is not large enough to change well-established pedestrian behavior through out New Haven. (Also, FWIW, we should be reporting absolute changes in crime & not percentage changes in crime. If crime rates are at record lows - which they currently are - any increase will seem large if reported as a percentage change, but could be still relatively low to historic rates. That is if shooting rates go from 1 per year to 2 per year, that’s a 100% increase, but not a meaningful change.)

posted by: Fbland on December 24, 2019 8:50am Since I first arrived in New Haven as a Yale freshman in 1964, I have been impressed by New Haven’s enlightened ped-friendly policy of stopping traffic both ways to allow pedestrians to cross diagonally. Illegal? Who knew? Guilty for 55 years (LOCK HIM UP!). Let’s change the law so

New Haven really is the enlightened place I have always thought it to be.

posted by: acherolis If you want to propose fixing the law to allow for diagonal crossing during an all-way stop walk signal (scramble phase), send that suggestion to your state legislators. Let’s get a wave of support for that while they’re planning for the next session. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to suggest reducing the fine for jaywalking to $1.00, to reduce the inequitable impact if a ticket does get issued to low-income residents. At that level, it is more of a warning, which is appropriate since pedestrians are only putting themselves at risk. Pedestrians that cross the street poorly already have a severe penalty, which is getting hit and severely injured. Here’s where to find your legislator—- https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/cgafindleg.asp Here’s the $1 jaywalking ticket example from Boston. —- https://www.mass.gov/how-to/pay-a-jaywalking-ticket