Man Jailed For Making Crosswalk, Plans More

[Steve]

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Whitney Stump didn't like watching drivers ignore the stop signs at the intersection outside his home, so he asked the city to paint crosswalks there.

When the city said no, he made one himself. And the city wasn't appreciative.

Stump, a 27-year-old Ball State University graduate student and father, says he was arrested in July on a charge of criminal mischief for creating the crosswalk at the intersection of Dicks and North streets. A police officer then warned him after he went back to touch up the paint in August, and, unbeknownst to him, the county prosecutor decided to charge him again.

"If they're not going to provide a safe environment for me and my community, then I believe I have a moral obligation," said Stump, who, because he didn't know about the second charge, missed a court appearance and subsequently spent 10 hours in jail.

Stump said he first asked the city to do the job, thinking crosswalks would get drivers' attentions and make them aware they needed to slow down.

"I called the street and sign department probably a half-dozen times in the course of six months (to) a year," he told 6News' Ray Cortopassi.

But the city said painting a crosswalk in a residential area is not necessary unless the intersection is near a school. In Stump's case, the intersection isn't.

So Stump bought some paint and used it to create a crosswalk at one of the intersection's four spokes.

"I used spray paint on the outline, and went to Wal-Mart, where they had a sale on ... white paint and rolled it out," he said.

The city hasn't covered up the crosswalk. Stump said he intends to paint crosswalks on the intersection's other three spokes.


http://www.theindychannel.com/news/15181455/detail.html#

[Steve]

I love this part - He was arrested a second time when he went back to touch up the paint.


Now here is the million dollar question - if someone here were to do that, do you think the city would notice?

[Jason]

Probably not.  They might actually be appreciative because first off there will be one less disgruntled citizen screaming at them and secondly, they wouldn't be any poorer because they didn't have to pay for it.

I guess the problem with the city is that this guy's paint job likely doesn't meet city standards and may look like crap.  I don't blame him for taking the matter into his own hands though.

[Charleston native]

It's amazing that a citizen takes the initiative to do something that the city chooses to ignore--despite that properly designed infrastructure is one of its primary responsibilities--and the city then decides to spend money, time, and resources punishing him for that. It is quite apparent that government in general is pretty inept, useless, and idiotic.

[Charles Hunter]

Why does the City get upset?  L-I-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y
If the crosswalk was not "legal" - and a pedestrian was hit in that faux crosswalk, the lawyers would be able to retire to Tahiti.
And, if it's OK for this guy to paint a crosswalk, why can't the guy a couple blocks over put up a Stop Sign, or a speed limit sign? 

[Charleston native]

^ The liability issue is important, but where is the A-C-C-O-U-N-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y for the city not doing what should be one of its primary responsibilities? I'm not saying that the man is 100% right for his actions, but the city's reaction is completely dumb and unwarranted, plus, it demonstrates that the city would rather incarcerate a citizen than do its job.

[Lunican]

Is there any evidence he did it? He shouldn't have admitted to anything.

Or announce future plans for that matter.

[Steve]

Is there any evidence he did it? He shouldn't have admitted to anything.

Or announce future plans for that matter.

No, he freely admitted to doing it, and he told them that he was going to do the other three at the intersection.

[Steve]

Why does the City get upset?  L-I-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y
If the crosswalk was not "legal" - and a pedestrian was hit in that faux crosswalk, the lawyers would be able to retire to Tahiti.

Unless it's on an interstate, most states' laws say yeild to pedestrians.

[Lunican]

Looks like we've got a local version of this playing out.

UrbanJacksonville.info reported on 'Do it Yourself Parking Spots' in Springfield:
http://www.urbanjacksonville.info/2008/02/10/diy-parking-spaces-and-other-springfield-news/

I guess the city read it.

Creative, and illegal, parking solution in Springfield

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ---Neighbors living on Silver Street between 5TH AND 6TH say parking in their neighborhood is some of the worst in the city.

“This is the only block in Springfield, to my knowledge, that fights the traffic.”

Bill Kennedy lives in front of where someone took matters into their own hands. Someone painted 5 parking spots along Silver Street.

“At first I really did think it was funny that somebody took it upon themselves to do this…but it really has eliminated, in this part of this block, eliminated the hassle.”

The parking problem may have been temporarily solved along this block---but with a total disregard for the law. The JSO says if caught, the phantom painter faces “criminal mischief” charges for defacing public roads. They say the cost of the damages dictates the penalty and whether or not to charge the suspect with a misdemeanor or a felony. A fine or jail time could be imposed.

The city’s public works department tells us there are multiple problems with people painting their own parking lines, visibility being first according to the Right of Way and Grounds Maintenance division. They tell us without proper planning the spots could block driveways and signs. They may also not be the correct size to accommodate vehicles ranging from compact cars to full size trucks.

There is also a cleanup concern. The Public Works department says cleaning paint off the road is a difficult procedure. They say they either have to use an emulsion agent, water blast the site, or grind out the paint and repave the area.

We contacted the Springfield Preservation & Revitalization council to find out if they had any suggestions to solve the area’s parking problems. Our call was not returned.

Still, neighbors living on Silver Street taking advantage of the spots say they think it would be a great idea if the city learned a lesson from whoever painted the lines.

“I wouldn’t be opposed to doing this to both sides of the street.”

Full article

[Charleston native]

We contacted the Springfield Preservation & Revitalization council to find out if they had any suggestions to solve the area’s parking problems. Our call was not returned.

One wonders if the people that sit on these councils only do so to fulfill a void in their lives and instill in them a power trip. Of course these bureaucracies want to do NOTHING about the problem, but they can feel important if they're on a "decision-making" council.

I think what we're witnessing is more and more citizens taking the initiative since their representative government chooses to rest on its laurels.

[Lunican]

A JSO 'investigation' would be a huge waste of resources. It may be illegal but let's prioritize a little bit. After they solve the several hundred unsolved murders they currently have, then they can investigate this heinous crime.

[Driven1]

If I experience nothing but the joy & laughter in my life that comes from reading about the antics of Jacksonville City Government, my life shant have been wasted.  

[Lunican]

This is pretty funny:

The city’s public works department tells us there are multiple problems with people painting their own parking lines, visibility being first according to the Right of Way and Grounds Maintenance division. They tell us without proper planning the spots could block driveways and signs. They may also not be the correct size to accommodate vehicles ranging from compact cars to full size trucks.

With that said:

[deathstar]

This is pretty funny:

The city’s public works department tells us there are multiple problems with people painting their own parking lines, visibility being first according to the Right of Way and Grounds Maintenance division. They tell us without proper planning the spots could block driveways and signs. They may also not be the correct size to accommodate vehicles ranging from compact cars to full size trucks.

With that said:

Oh, Jacksonville. Tried to pull a fast one, eh?