"Ralph W. Brown, Jr." <cbq682@grics.net> wrote:
>>I would be one of the "local mounties". More preferably, a Knox County
Deputy Sheriff. The Illinois Vehicle Code reflects the following:
625 ILCS 5/11-1303 Stopping, standing, or parking prohibited in
specified places.
(a) Execpt when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or
in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or offical
traffic-control device, no person shall:
1. Stop, stand or park a vehicle: . . .
g. Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or
within a highway tunnel;
i.e. It is against Illinois law to park on a bridge.
In my own opinion: I realize that the shoulders of the County 10
bridge are very wide and comfortable, however, being a deputy sheriff, I
spend a lot of time out of a car working along the highway. Even a
highway construction worker will tell you the same, it is not safe to play
around the highway. When there are people on the bridge it increases the
likelyhood of someone getting run over. Espically when you have no
where to run too. Unless you choose to jump over the bridge edge. On top
of that you have the local people who could careless about the trains
are and driving 60 mph + (because we all know eveybody drives 55 mph . .
. yea right) and talking on their cell phone. They too could run over
a railfan.
I myself don't get after people on the bridge. One reason, I too like
to watch from the bridge. Just remember, he told you to move because
its against the law to park there, and that is his job to enforce the
law. More importantly then that, because he would rather have you
relocate than to come back an hour later and scrape your body of the roadway.
Believe it or not, we do this because we don't want to see people get
injured or killed. I hope my comments make sense. Thanks.
R.W. Brown, Jr.
Galesburg, IL <<
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Ralph,
Yeah, everything you cite above apparently is fact, and makes perfect sense,
but...this sounds like selective/elective enforcement to me. I mean if it's in
the code then of course it needs to be enforced AND obeyed. That's not my bone
of contention in this situation, though. What I do have a problem with is why
is it seemingly being enforced now but hasn't been in the past? This isn't a
case of some train people crying because they aren't allowed to park on a
bridge to look at some choo-choo's, but rather a case of them being allowed,
even encouraged to in the past, and now all of a sudden the local constabulary
has decided to enforce this law. Why now and why not before? Seems kind of
strange to me.
Having said all that I mean no disrespect to you or your profession, or the law
for that matter, in fact in this day and age we need to say THANKS and show our
support to you guys more than ever, but hopefully you can see why I'm perplexed
at how hypocritical this situation "appears", at least from my "average Joe"
perspective.
Best,
Paul - "The CB&Q Guy"
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