Charm City

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/9229472/detail.html
"Couple jailed for asking directions"
Isn't it nice of Baltimore to put a nice couple who's lost in a room
for the night? That city is really accommodating. I sometimes wonder
why I left.
Frank Reid

"Frank Reid" wrote in
oups.com:

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/9229472/detail.html
"Couple jailed for asking directions"
Isn't it nice of Baltimore to put a nice couple who's lost in a room
for the night? That city is really accommodating. I sometimes wonder
why I left.
Frank Reid




I got seriously lost in Cleveland once. I was looking for a business, but
I had the wrong street name, and I ended up in a scary place. I grew up in
Brooklyn, lived in B'more and Cleveland, and it takes a good bit to scare
me in a neighborhood, but I was scared. Every other building was boarded
up or burned out, and there were crack dealers on just about every corner.

Finally, I drive by a housing cop walking down the street in body armor,
carrying a shotgun. I pull up to him, got out of the car, and said "I'm
lost". He gives me the once over three times, finally decides I wasn't in
the neighborhood to buy crack, and says "You're lost". He asked where I
was trying to get to. I immediately gave up my plans to find the business
I was looking for, and asked for directions back to Cleveland Heights. He
said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Go down this street until you get to that
street, and take a right. Until you get to point X, don't stop for red
lights". I did just what the nice officer told me to do.
--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

On 5/19/06 9:55 AM, in article
, "Scott Seidman"
wrote:

He
said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Go down this street until you get to that
street, and take a right. Until you get to point X, don't stop for red
lights". I did just what the nice officer told me to do.

And oddly enough, not far from where I'm assuming you were, the city has now
installed red light/speed trap cameras, on streets where it has been almost
written policy to recommend, at least at night, ignoring (when no cross
traffic) red traffic lights. In fact, there is one at an intersection where
15 years ago my parents were victims of a smash-and-grab robbery while
waiting at a red light. The cameras would not, of course, capture any such
robberies because they are triggered only by speeding or red-light-running
cars. The city is calling the cameras Cleveland Safe Streets initiative,
but it turns out that they are more like Cleveland Filled Coffers
initiative.

From the mean streets,
Bill

William Claspy typed:
On 5/19/06 9:55 AM, in article
, "Scott Seidman"
wrote:

He
said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Go down this street until you get to
that street, and take a right. Until you get to point X, don't stop
for red lights". I did just what the nice officer told me to do.

And oddly enough, not far from where I'm assuming you were, the city
has now installed red light/speed trap cameras, on streets where it
has been almost written policy to recommend, at least at night,
ignoring (when no cross traffic) red traffic lights. In fact, there
is one at an intersection where 15 years ago my parents were victims
of a smash-and-grab robbery while waiting at a red light. The
cameras would not, of course, capture any such robberies because they
are triggered only by speeding or red-light-running cars. The city
is calling the cameras Cleveland Safe Streets initiative, but it
turns out that they are more like Cleveland Filled Coffers initiative.

From the above descriptions, I'd say the fines would be worth it. Besides,
I'd bet dollars to doughnuts (or shiny new nickels, if preferred) that you'd
beat that fine in court. All of this, of course, is very unlike fishing
without a license, which is just plain wrong on many levels.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

On Fri, 19 May 2006 10:09:58 -0400, William Claspy
wrote:

On 5/19/06 9:55 AM, in article
. 4, "Scott Seidman"
wrote:

He
said (and I'm paraphrasing) "Go down this street until you get to that
street, and take a right. Until you get to point X, don't stop for red
lights". I did just what the nice officer told me to do.

And oddly enough, not far from where I'm assuming you were, the city has now
installed red light/speed trap cameras, on streets where it has been almost
written policy to recommend, at least at night, ignoring (when no cross
traffic) red traffic lights. In fact, there is one at an intersection where
15 years ago my parents were victims of a smash-and-grab robbery while
waiting at a red light. The cameras would not, of course, capture any such
robberies because they are triggered only by speeding or red-light-running
cars. The city is calling the cameras Cleveland Safe Streets initiative,
but it turns out that they are more like Cleveland Filled Coffers
initiative.

From the mean streets,
Bill

If the area with cameras are in an area that is burned out, boarded-up,
and full of nothing but crackheads, crack whores, and other assorted,
well, let's just say non-contributory members of society, with the
occasional lost Seidman accidentally tossing themselves into the mix,
just how much coffer-filling would a truly intentional government expect
to accomplish? Heck, a good number of the lost Seidmans would likely be
non-locals in either non-local cars or rental cars, which would further
diminish the coffer-filling. Are you sure you aren't mistaking
government stupidity for government pecuniary?

TC,
R