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I'm hoping our resident cop & former cop (along with others I may not know about) will see this & comment to settle a debate.

 

There's a couple of stop signs on Wal-mart property in Muscle Shoals. One is between the sporting goods store & the gas station.

The person I'm debating with says a policeman will not stop you for running that stop sign because it's on private property. (I don't know how he knows this, if it's even true) I say that no matter where a stop sign is, you run it, you can get a ticket.

Every time he's in that area, he will run that stop sign, (and any stop sign) if nothing is coming.

Am I wrong in believing you can get a ticket for running that stop sign?

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Originally Posted by semiannualchick:

I'm hoping our resident cop & former cop (along with others I may not know about) will see this & comment to settle a debate.

 

There's a couple of stop signs on Wal-mart property in Muscle Shoals. One is between the sporting goods store & the gas station.

The person I'm debating with says a policeman will not stop you for running that stop sign because it's on private property. (I don't know how he knows this, if it's even true) I say that no matter where a stop sign is, you run it, you can get a ticket.

Every time he's in that area, he will run that stop sign, (and any stop sign) if nothing is coming.

Am I wrong in believing you can get a ticket for running that stop sign?

Interesting question. I'm curious to know the answer myself. 

Originally Posted by Kate Colombo:

Semi, I can't say they wouldn't, but I doubt it. They will not do an accident report on any private property, be it Walmart or anywhere else. I know some Walmarts have their own "police" who will issue parking warnings, etc. I have no idea what happens if you get so many...banned from Walmart?

Things may have changed since the late 80's but I was hit in the parking lot of Wal Mart when it was where Tractor Supply is now back in 88 or 89. The girl who hit me had no license and was 17 years old. Of course she had no insurance either. I remember Muscle Shoals police coming out and writing up an accident report there in the parking lot. 

 

Maybe they have indeed changed their policy since then. I just dunno. 

Originally Posted by Seven:
Things may have changed since the late 80's but I was hit in the parking lot of Wal Mart when it was where Tractor Supply is now back in 88 or 89. The girl who hit me had no license and was 17 years old. Of course she had no insurance either. I remember Muscle Shoals police coming out and writing up an accident report there in the parking lot. 

Maybe they have indeed changed their policy since then. I just dunno. 

______

I was hit in Wal-mart parking lot 4-5 years ago. I called the police but they wouldn't write a report because it was private property. How crazy is that?

Originally Posted by semiannualchick:

Interesting. Why have a stop sign at all if it's not illegal to run it? What about on a public street, can you be ticketed for that?

According to state law

quote:


(a) No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any highway any unauthorized sign, signal, marking, or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of an official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal.

(b) No person shall place or maintain nor shall any public authority permit upon any highway any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising.

(c) This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection upon private property adjacent to highways of signs giving useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs.

(d) Every such prohibited sign, signal, or marking is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the authority having jurisdiction over the highway is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to be removed without notice.



From a bit earlier in the code:



quote:


Obedience to traffic-control devices; devices presumed to comply with requirements.

(a) The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable thereto placed in accordance with law, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in this chapter.

(b) No provision of this chapter for which official traffic-control devices are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official device is not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does not state that official traffic-control devices are required, such section shall be effective even though no devices are erected or in place.

(c) Whenever official traffic-control devices are placed in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this chapter or other law, such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.





Looks like Wal-Mart can't put a stop sign next to the road without having it declared a public nuisance, and one they place in the middle of the parking lot isn't legally enforceable.

On the other hand some people just wouldn't let pedestrians by without a stop sign, so there's ggod reason to have one there as a suggestion..

Originally Posted by Seven:
Originally Posted by Kate Colombo:

Semi, I can't say they wouldn't, but I doubt it. They will not do an accident report on any private property, be it Walmart or anywhere else. I know some Walmarts have their own "police" who will issue parking warnings, etc. I have no idea what happens if you get so many...banned from Walmart?

Things may have changed since the late 80's but I was hit in the parking lot of Wal Mart when it was where Tractor Supply is now back in 88 or 89. The girl who hit me had no license and was 17 years old. Of course she had no insurance either. I remember Muscle Shoals police coming out and writing up an accident report there in the parking lot. 

 

Maybe they have indeed changed their policy since then. I just dunno. 

 

I'm glad you weren't left holding the bag (or airbag?). That may be connected to something I've wondered about--the "street" leading off Woodward to that area, by Ruby Tuesday, was once a public Muscle Shoals street. I'm not sure if it still is or if it's been vacated. I'm sure at least part of it's been vacated in the past 20 years or so. Could this be the reason they did a report?

Originally Posted by Kate Colombo:
Originally Posted by Seven:
Originally Posted by Kate Colombo:

Semi, I can't say they wouldn't, but I doubt it. They will not do an accident report on any private property, be it Walmart or anywhere else. I know some Walmarts have their own "police" who will issue parking warnings, etc. I have no idea what happens if you get so many...banned from Walmart?

Things may have changed since the late 80's but I was hit in the parking lot of Wal Mart when it was where Tractor Supply is now back in 88 or 89. The girl who hit me had no license and was 17 years old. Of course she had no insurance either. I remember Muscle Shoals police coming out and writing up an accident report there in the parking lot. 

 

Maybe they have indeed changed their policy since then. I just dunno. 

 

I'm glad you weren't left holding the bag (or airbag?). That may be connected to something I've wondered about--the "street" leading off Woodward to that area, by Ruby Tuesday, was once a public Muscle Shoals street. I'm not sure if it still is or if it's been vacated. I'm sure at least part of it's been vacated in the past 20 years or so. Could this be the reason they did a report?

I'm not sure. I figure you're probably right though. I didn't realize they wouldn't file an accident report in a parking lot(private property)until reading this thread. Just something that never came up again and I never gave it a second thought. Either way, they did file one that day. For whatever reason. ?

Originally Posted by semiannualchick:
Originally Posted by Seven:
Things may have changed since the late 80's but I was hit in the parking lot of Wal Mart when it was where Tractor Supply is now back in 88 or 89. The girl who hit me had no license and was 17 years old. Of course she had no insurance either. I remember Muscle Shoals police coming out and writing up an accident report there in the parking lot. 

Maybe they have indeed changed their policy since then. I just dunno. 

______

I was hit in Wal-mart parking lot 4-5 years ago. I called the police but they wouldn't write a report because it was private property. How crazy is that?

Pretty crazy if you ask me. Now I am wondering how you get your insurance to pay up when there isn't even an accident report? I'm sure there are ways but have never had to deal with that luckily. 

Last edited by Seven
Originally Posted by Contendah:

Parking lots are downright dangerous. Too many people not watching what they are doing.   It makes sense to drive slowly and vigilantly  when in a big,.sprawling commercial parking area. I respect all signs and directions in such lots for my own welfare, and so should we all.  

You are correct. You have to watch out. People drive crazy enough out on the highways but they get downright stupid in parking lots. It's almost a free for all. Or so they seem to think...

Originally Posted by Seven:
Originally Posted by Contendah:

Parking lots are downright dangerous. Too many people not watching what they are doing.   It makes sense to drive slowly and vigilantly  when in a big,.sprawling commercial parking area. I respect all signs and directions in such lots for my own welfare, and so should we all.  

You are correct. You have to watch out. People drive crazy enough out on the highways but they get downright stupid in parking lots. It's almost a free for all. Or so they seem to think...


And unless you ride a motorcycle, you really can't imagine just how careful you have to be.

Don't you just love the way people get right in the center of the parking lot road when rolling their cart to their car?  Don't you just love the idiots who are going the wrong direction down the parking lot road? Don't you just love the numbskulls driving down the parking lot road with lanes going both directions and insist on taking their half of the road down the middle?  Don't you just love those airheads who walk directly behind your car while you are in the process of backing out?  @*#*&!!

Originally Posted by seeweed:
 


And unless you ride a motorcycle, you really can't imagine just how careful you have to be.

------------------------------

*YOU*.......Said a mouthfull!  Amen to that!

 

@ ogm:  Yeah, it can be challenging at times-but it's to be expected when ya mix peds and cars in the same space. Peds always have the right of way. Don't dent one.

 

Originally Posted by Contendah:

Parking lots are downright dangerous. Too many people not watching what they are doing.   It makes sense to drive slowly and vigilantly  when in a big,.sprawling commercial parking area. I respect all signs and directions in such lots for my own welfare, and so should we all.  

No danger from me, Beter...I keep my eye out for Seniors like you when driving the parking lots...

Did I spot you recently?


Dogsoldier - little off topic, but can a police officer enforce a 'no parking zone' or a 'fire lane' in a Wal Mart parking lot?  I've always assumed they could since they can write citations for parking in a handicapped parking spot as well.  Just Curious - it seems as if more people are using those LARGE fire lanes at some walmarts to stop and drop off Redbox movies - Ive done it myself, let my wife run in while I sat in the truck with it running.  Last time I did, they had me move.  

 

Im not talking about the 'half lane' fire zones, but the big area between the two main doors at some walmarts (Shoals area does not have them) where they sometimes have huge sidewalk sales - you could park two semis next to each other they are so wide and deep - so it wouldnt be an issue of holding up traffic - just the fact that you are sitting stopped in a fire lane.....

Originally Posted by dogsoldier0513:
Originally Posted by Capt James T:

Dogsoldier - little off topic, but can a police officer enforce a 'no parking zone' or a 'fire lane' in a Wal Mart parking lot?  I've always assumed they could since they can write citations for parking in a handicapped parking spot as well.  Just Curious - it seems as if more people are using those LARGE fire lanes at some walmarts to stop and drop off Redbox movies - Ive done it myself, let my wife run in while I sat in the truck with it running.  Last time I did, they had me move.  

 

Im not talking about the 'half lane' fire zones, but the big area between the two main doors at some walmarts (Shoals area does not have them) where they sometimes have huge sidewalk sales - you could park two semis next to each other they are so wide and deep - so it wouldnt be an issue of holding up traffic - just the fact that you are sitting stopped in a fire lane.....


It depends, with regards to 'loading zones'.  It is usually at the discretion of the property owner.  However, 'handicapped parking' and 'fire lanes' are fair game.  FWIW, I've run judges out of 'fire lanes' at WallyWorld, before. 

 

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