Ticket for stopped to pick up passenger in loading zone

[mentalward]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

I was shopping with my son and parked in a parking spot. We left the store, he went to another store while I got in my car. When I saw him through the store's window, I pulled up to the YELLOW curb to pick him up. Before he saw me there, a cop tapped on my window and asked for my license/registration. My car was running and in 'drive'. My headlights were on, brakelights were on and seatbelt was fastened. The cop came back with a ticket for being parked in a no parking zone. When I said I was not parked, I had stopped here to pick up my son (who was in the car by this time), the cop threatened to have my car towed.

What I want to know, since I cannot find anything on this is, is there any time limit for picking up a passenger while stopped at a yellow loading zone? I was there less than 60 seconds before my son was in the car and less than 30 seconds before the cop tapped on my window.

 

[justalayman]

was there a statute listed on the ticket? It makes it easier to look things up.

 

[ecmst12]

Usually, in terms of the vehicle code, "parked" means simply "stopped or standing". So ANY length of time stopped in the no parking zone is not allowed.

 

[mentalward]

But this is a loading zone so how can one pick up passengers or merchandise without stopping? Are they supposed to just jump in through the window while the vehicle is passing by?

 

[cbg]

It's not a loading zone for passengers. It's for merchandise being delivered or deliveries being offloaded. Passengers shouldn't be there in the first place.

The authorized vehicles which are loading/unloading as authorized by the store may stop there. Unauthorized vehicles would be the ones picking up or dropping off passengers in a zone that is designated for only certain loads.

 

[justalayman]

But this is a loading zone so how can one pick up passengers or merchandise without stopping? Are they supposed to just jump in through the window while the vehicle is passing by?

is it a passenger loading zone or a loading zone for parcel pickup/delivery?

 

[Isis1]

But this is a loading zone so how can one pick up passengers or merchandise without stopping? Are they supposed to just jump in through the window while the vehicle is passing by?

honestly, you need to check your definition of loading zone. the loading passenger should already be at the location. and be simply loading for the duration the vehicle is there.

 

[mentalward]

was there a statute listed on the ticket? It makes it easier to look things up.

I am not sure I understand. There is something on the ticket that says, "Law Section" with 158.6 written in after it.

 

[mentalward]

is it a passenger loading zone or a loading zone for parcel pickup/delivery?

This is in front of the stores (strip mall). The curb is painted yellow indicating a loading zone. The only sign at that spot said No Parking but there was another sign closer to the end of this strip mall that said "No Stopping or Standing". I was parked in front of the No Parking sign. Nothing said anything about stopping.

Doesn't a yellow curb indicate a loading zone? I looked up parking and found, "625 ILCS 5/1-156 Park or Parking
Sec. 1-156. Park or Parking. Means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than when temporarily and actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers."

I was loading a passenger!

 

[Isis1]

This is in front of the stores (strip mall). The curb is painted yellow indicating a loading zone. The only sign at that spot said No Parking but there was another sign closer to the end of this strip mall that said "No Stopping or Standing". I was parked in front of the No Parking sign. Nothing said anything about stopping.

Doesn't a yellow curb indicate a loading zone? I looked up parking and found, "625 ILCS 5/1-156 Park or Parking
Sec. 1-156. Park or Parking. Means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than when temporarily and actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers."

I was loading a passenger!

actually, per your first post, your passenger didn't even know you had arrived yet. and wasn't loading when the officer arrived.

 

[mentalward]

I thank you for your replies. I just wish this officer had simply asked me to move on and not do this again as I have been driving for 40 years and have a squeaky clean driving record.

I was there to pick up a passenger. The passenger was in the car before the officer gave me the ticket, before he even wrote the ticket. When on my way home after this, I witnessed 5 people running a red light and countless people speeding. It makes me so angry that these people get away with it over and over, yet because of a mere 30 seconds, I get a blemish on my record. This is the reason I was wondering if there was an actual time limit assigned to picking up passengers. It was very cold that day and my son was waiting inside because he did not have his coat on. I have never seen it written that the person being loaded must be standing at the curb, this is what I want to see for myself.

What about taxi cabs that wait at the yellow curb for passengers to come out of the airport? Why are they allowed to sit there when I am not?

 

[Isis1]

I thank you for your replies. I just wish this officer had simply asked me to move on and not do this again as I have been driving for 40 years and have a squeaky clean driving record.

I was there to pick up a passenger. The passenger was in the car before the officer gave me the ticket, before he even wrote the ticket. When on my way home after this, I witnessed 5 people running a red light and countless people speeding. It makes me so angry that these people get away with it over and over, yet because of a mere 30 seconds, I get a blemish on my record. This is the reason I was wondering if there was an actual time limit assigned to picking up passengers. It was very cold that day and my son was waiting inside because he did not have his coat on. I have never seen it written that the person being loaded must be standing at the curb, this is what I want to see for myself.

What about taxi cabs that wait at the yellow curb for passengers to come out of the airport? Why are they allowed to sit there when I am not?

i don't know about your particular area, but at the airports i am familar with, there is a specific taxi loading zone. i've been ticketed at the airport myself. for waiting for a passenger. now, i keep circling for my sister when i pick her up. she has to tell me what exit she is coming out of. and i will only circle 3 times. or she can find her own way to my home.

 

[mentalward]

Ah, thanks, Isis. I guess I haven't had to wait at airports enough times to notice the signs.

This sticks in my craw because there was NO other traffic anywhere near me at the time of this incident. I wasn't hurting anyone. A warning would have been enough as my driving record alone says that I obey the law but this uniformed person felt the need to act totally superior and treat me as if I were a moron. He threatened to have my car towed simply because I tried to explain that I was picking up a passenger. That's intimidation. I did not have a nasty attitude, I just wanted to explain how I saw it but he refused to allow me that.

This entire incident has made me not want to go outside my home ever again. I was an English major and I know the difference between parking and stopping yet, apparently, it's totally different in legal terminology.

 

[Isis1]

Ah, thanks, Isis. I guess I haven't had to wait at airports enough times to notice the signs.

This sticks in my craw because there was NO other traffic anywhere near me at the time of this incident. I wasn't hurting anyone. A warning would have been enough as my driving record alone says that I obey the law but this uniformed person felt the need to act totally superior and treat me as if I were a moron. He threatened to have my car towed simply because I tried to explain that I was picking up a passenger. That's intimidation. I did not have a nasty attitude, I just wanted to explain how I saw it but he refused to allow me that.

This entire incident has made me not want to go outside my home ever again. I was an English major and I know the difference between parking and stopping yet, apparently, it's totally different in legal terminology.

here's the thing...driving a car comes with responsibility. and that responsibility includes knowing all the laws that come with driving that vehicle. so if you stop somehere, you should know if you are allowed to, and for how long.

and if you step back a minute...think about it. i'm not saying this to get your goat...so bear with me.

a police sees a parked vehicle where it's not supposed to be with no loading passenger. the officer lets the person know they are violating the law. person wants a warning. the officer is not required to ever give a warning for anyone. in fact, shame on the officer for giving warnings out.

you explaining a non existant passenger is only arguing. officers don't like being argued with. shoot, as a parent, i don't like being argued with. arguing first starts with me repeating my instruction. further arguing from the child comes with consequences.

 

[Zigner]

Ah, thanks, Isis. I guess I haven't had to wait at airports enough times to notice the signs.

This sticks in my craw because there was NO other traffic anywhere near me at the time of this incident. I wasn't hurting anyone. A warning would have been enough as my driving record alone says that I obey the law but this uniformed person felt the need to act totally superior and treat me as if I were a moron. He threatened to have my car towed simply because I tried to explain that I was picking up a passenger. That's intimidation. I did not have a nasty attitude, I just wanted to explain how I saw it but he refused to allow me that.

This entire incident has made me not want to go outside my home ever again. I was an English major and I know the difference between parking and stopping yet, apparently, it's totally different in legal terminology.

As an English major, you understands that words can have specific definitions in specific situations. I am not sure why you seem so surprised.

...indimidation? Please. The place to argue this is not while parked improperly with the officer writing a ticket.

ETA: May I suggest therapy for your agoraphobia? It is really illogical that this one incident would weigh heavily enough on you to cause this...I suspect there is a prior history.