Cops Ticket Drivers For Ignoring Creepy Pedo-Bunny

[Ian David]

Hat-tip to: Cops Ticket Drivers For Ignoring Creepy Pedo-Bunny #wtf http://bit.ly/csv028

Police used an officer dressed for Easter to remind drivers to stop.
By Veronica Rocha
Published: Last Updated Thursday, April 1, 2010 5:43 PM PDT

CENTRAL GLENDALE — The large furry rabbit walking between Central and Garfield avenues Wednesday was no hallucination, especially for drivers who failed to yield.

For an hour and a half, Glendale Police Officer Tom Broadway donned the eye-catching costume during an enforcement sting aimed at educating motorists to yield for pedestrians walking along unmarked crosswalks.

<snip>

Calling the enforcement sting a “stupid traffic stunt” that was “breathtakingly dangerous,” Drayman said city resources would have been more appropriately used to clamp down on speeding motorists — an issue that prompts daily complaints from the public.

“The police may be experts in public safety, but they don’t have a padlock on common sense,” he said. “This is not law enforcement, this is taking public safety personnel, dressing them as bunny rabbits to confuse, disorient and shock drivers and then cite them with traffic tickets.”


A car does not stop for a Glendale police officer dressed in a rabbit costume crossing the street at Central and Garfield avenues Wednesday. The driver was pulled over for not yielding to a pedestrian. (Raul Roa/News-Press)

More:
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2010/04/01/publicsafety/gnp-sting040110.txt

I would speed-up to avoid that creepy thing myself.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. I don't understand. Why is it a "pedo-bunny"?

:shrug:

Is it affiliated with the Vatican?

[Cali_Democrat]

3. Pedo as in pedestrian

I think.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Oh, My bad.

Still, it sounds wrong, doesn't it?

[Cali_Democrat]

15. It does

considering the fact that a bunny costume like that would appeal to children.

[Warren DeMontague]

18. Yes, but children shouldn't be driving, anyway.

I know, I know, that doesn't make any sense.

[petronius]

2. I wonder if officer bunny drove a police motorcycle back to the station

That I would like to see...

[merh]

6. if he did he deserves a ticket or two

driving without a helmet and with his view obstructed

[blogslut]

4. Shouldn't that be PEDE-Bunny?

?

EDIT: Shame on Jalopnik for doing it wrong.

[leveymg]

7. Does the Bunny have a foot fetish? What about his pals - they're into leather, boots, and rough

stuff. So, who should be cited for weirdness here?

[MrScorpio]

8. "Pedo" is netspeak for Pedophile

It should be "Pedi" instead

[blogslut]

9. Yes!

That sounds right. I thought pede but I am stupid.

[Electric Monk]

27. Out of curiosity I googled "Pedo bunny" and...

this was the #1 result
http://pedobunny.ytmnd.com/

Just as creepy as you'd expect it to be...

[Roon]

10. I walk every day against heavy traffic

and I have to be super careful when crossing major intersections because I could get CREAMED. Some drivers just don't have a clue.

[Auggie]

11. I agree it was stupid stunt

Use a real person

[SoCalDem]

13. They did it so that when people said "I didn't SEE him"

there would be no real defense.. I mean how could you NOT notice an adult-sized bunny:)

[Auggie]

19. Yes. But it could also be people thought it was a stunt of some kind.

Should have used a real person.

[melm00se]

41. BINGO

you *might* miss someone entering the crosswalk (and the judge might believe you) but telling the judge that you didn't see a 6 foot tall walking bunny would get a big laugh, a "you must be joking" look and slapped with a fine

[blueamy66]

42. How about...

"I thought that crazy freaking rabbit was gonna attack me, so I hit the gas!" ?? :-)

[melm00se]

45. be vewy vewy quiet

I am hunting wabbits.

[blueamy66]

53. :-)

funny

[SoCalDem]

12. My town did this with officers dressed as leprechauns

wrote 50 "no yield" tickets , arrested 3 and impounded 7 cars ..cha-ching:)

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Good God. What town do you folks live in? Acidland?

Cops dressed as leprechauns and bunnies- I'll tell you, back in my drug taking days, my poor brain wouldn't have been able to handle it. :rofl:

[KonaKane]

16. I'd be tempted to speed up and hit it.

But that's not because I hate rabbits, only idiotic "McGruff the crime dog" style publicity stunts by the police department.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

30. me too. n/t

[greencharlie]

17. first response is certainly LOL nt

[wroberts189]

20. Why dress him as a rabbit...? a fake old lady would be better. nt

[kenny blankenship]

21. I don't brake for furries. Says so right on the bumpersticker.

That sight would get a swerve with throttle-down fishtailing and opposite lock steering from me. For one thing, I believe it's against local ordinances in most cities to appear in public with a mask on. (But cops always think the laws are for other people don't they?) Knowing that mask laws have existed to protect the law abiding people from Klansmen and armed banditry, I would forgive anyone for believing they were possibly being "hailed" by this masked person for a carjack attempt. Given the fact that the jaywalker is in a furry suit, carjacking might be the least of your legitimate worries.

[BrightKnight]

22. dangerous and dumb - n/t

[Edweird]

23. This is bigtime stupid. Now any psycho in a cosplay outfit is a cop.

"Look honey we are stopping for Officer Bunny. We don't want to another ticket, do we?"
"Wave to Officer Bunny"
"Hey, Officer Bunny wants to talk to you. We are going to roll our window down so we can hear Officer Bunny."
"Officer Bunny is showing us his gun."
"Uh Officer Bunny your pants fell down."
"National Forest????........"

[donco6]

24. Forget the bunny. They couldn't see the sixteen motorcycle cops sitting there?

Sheesh.

[MajorChode]

44. A high percentage of the population has no clue that pedestrians have the right of way

[Doremus]

25. Hehe I thought the 'pedo' bunny was dressed up to lure children because he's a pedophile. lol

[Ikonoklast]

26. If the crosswalk is unmarked, how would a driver know to stop?

That doesn't make any sense. Of course they won't stop, they have no clue that it's even there.

If a pedestrian steps off a curb into traffic outside of a marked crossing, it's called jaywalking where I come from.

And cops are writing tickets for this stunt?



Might as well have an invisible traffic control device and write tickets for going through an invisible red light.

[happyslug]

29. Crosswalks are at intersections AND Drivers are to yield to pedestrians at intersections

That the law in every state that I know of. Pedestrians MUST cross at intersections, whether there is a cross walk or not (Unless there is a No Pedestrian Crossing sign or a Walk Don't Walk sign). Thus, apparently, this bunny was stepping off the curb to cross the street at an intersection AND DRIVERS DID NOT YIELD TO HIM AS REQUIRED BY LAW. I am amazed at the driver who will NOT accept that as the law, they want to call it Jay walking when it is NOT. If the intersection has only a traffic light (or no light) or just a stop sign, if the pedestrian steps off the curb at that same intersection THE DRIVER MUST YIELD the right of way.

Please note when you are going the same direction as a pedestrian and the light turns green (And there is NO pedestrian light) the driver with the green light MUST yield to the Pedestrian for that Green Light is the Green Light for the Pedestrian also. When both a driver and a pedestrian have the same right to the intersection THE DRIVER MUST YIELD. This is NOT a jay walking but a pedestrian exercising his right to walk down the same street as cars. If there is a conflict it is the CAR that must yield not the pedestrian.

For your home state of Ohio, a Crosswalk is defined as follows:
LL“Crosswalk” means that part of a roadway at intersections ordinarily included within the public property lines, and any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere, distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other pavement markings. Regardless, there shall not be a crosswalk where local authorities have placed signs indicating no crossing.

Please note the requirement of lines or other marking is NOT for intersections but "elsewhere" i.e. a Crosswalk includes ANY intersection, marked or unmarked AND anywhere else marked as a "Crosswalk".

Ohio laws goes on and says the following:

4511.46 Pedestrian on Crosswalk has Right of Way When traffic controls are not in place or not in operation, a driver shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway in a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the same half of the roadway as the driver, or so close as to be in danger.

http://www.orwellpolice.com/Pedestrian_Laws.pdf

Sorry, what the Drivers in the story are doing is illegal even in Ohio.

Florida has similar laws:
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/Safety/ped_bike/laws/ped_bike_pedLaws.shtm

Pennsylvania's law are a little clearer (i.e. clearly say all intersections are crosswalks whether marked or not)
http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Pedestrian/web/laws.htm

Washington State also say drivers MUST yield to Pedestrians at intersections:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/walk/laws.htm

[Retrograde]

50. because it's the law in this state

jaywalking is crossing in the middle of the block outside of a marked crosswalk. Unmarked crosswalks are those at street intersections. California law specifically gives pedestrians the right of way at all marked and unmarked crosswalks (and a startling large percentage seem to heed this).

[AnnieBW]

28. I'm having a "Donnie Darko" moment here

Or maybe a Hunter S. Thompson one.

[Dank Nugs]

31. Entrapment

That's the argument that I would make in court. Or argue that you had to violate the law to avert a greater harm from being done -- that you thought the rabbit was going to carjack you. There is no way I would pay that fine. Why should I contribute an arbitrary fine to a State that is increasingly becoming fascist? Starve the beast. They should be out there catching pedophiles. Not enforcing this nonsense. It's a waste of police resources.

[piedmont]

34. Best post in the thread. Welcome to DU. nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

36. You'd lose big.

Thinking you're going to be carjacked is not a valid excuse to fail to yield to pedestrians. And it's not entrapment, the cops aren't encouraging you to fail to yield.

"They should be out there catching pedophiles. Not enforcing this nonsense. It's a waste of police resources."

Pedophiles and jackasses who don't yield to pedestrians are both a threat to public safety, I'll bet the last one is both more serious and easier to combat with standard police officer patrols.

[Dank Nugs]

38. How many pedestrians walk around in a pink, fluffy bunny suit on a hot day?

I would too argue entrapment, you can visibly see like 15 police motorcycles right behind that rabbit. They are using the rabbit as bait. Because any reasonable observer would slow down for a pedestrian, but if they see someone wearing a pink fluffy bunny suit in the middle of the day, not holding a sign / advertising something -- that's gonna raise a flag.


Also, you can't really argue that a driver failed to yield to a pedestrian unless they hit them. Absent any injuries, there's no proof that they failed to yield. You can't take the bunny's word for it. That's observer bias.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

54. Then you'd lose big too.

It doesn't matter if the guy's wearing a rabbit suit, or a business suit, or baggy jeans. They're all pedestrians.

Pedestrians means people that are walking, just to clear up any apparent confusion, which a lot of people apparently have.

"I would too argue entrapment, you can visibly see like 15 police motorcycles right behind that rabbit. They are using the rabbit as bait."

There's a difference between a trap and entrapment. Just because they sound the same doesn't mean they're the same.

"Also, you can't really argue that a driver failed to yield to a pedestrian unless they hit them"

If the driver sees a pedestrian waiting at a crosswalk and drives past without stopping, that person has failed to yield and has broken the law. The proof is in the police officer's testimony witnessing you've done it. And all the other police officers, and all their cameras.

Thousands of such tickets are written every year, and they're fully justified and upheld by the courts.

[blueamy66]

43. So what do you suggest one does

if they think that they are going to be carjacked? Stop and roll down the window and inquire as to what their business is?

If someone tries to carjack me, I'm hitting the gas pedal.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

55. I suggest that if people want to drive, they should learn how to drive.

And if they're worried about giant pink bunnies carjacking them, they should take their medicine.

[Truth2Tell]

64. Welcome to DU Dank Nugs!

You win my award for the best new user name of late. :hi:

[Lucian]

32. Stings shouldn't be legal.

It's entrapment.

[Politicalboi]

33. Doesn't it go

If a pedestrian walks illegally into the street and gets hit the driver most of the time is not at fault. I know the pedestrians have the right of way, but I have read stories about someone getting killed while jay walking and the driver was not cited. I could see if they did this at a crosswalk, but not like this.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

37. Unmarked crosswalks are still crosswalks and drivers have to yield.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

35. In other news, pedo bear got away from police.

The guy took off running as soon as he heard "why don't you have a seat over..."

[Gin Blossom]

39. My first thought was Marge Simpson going to "road rage" class

And being instructed by the police and "Curtis E. Bear".

[lunatica]

40. Anything to keep from doing the obvious. Paint in a crosswalk for pedestrians

[snooper2]

46. I would have stopped and tried to steal the bunny

get in the truck rabbit your coming home with me!

:rofl:

[Ishoutandscream2]

47. "Harvey" was doing his Abbey Road impersonation

[AngryAmish]

48. Furries should be run down on the street

Those people are sick.

[hunter]

49. Cars are loathsome smelly things.

I tend to always side with the pedestrians, bicyclists... or giant bunny in this case.

Our city installed one of those flashing crosswalks at one particularly bad crossing. It even has those little flashing marker bumps on the lines on the road. You cannot miss them when they are lit.

If there's no policeman around some drivers still feel entitled to drive through while pedestrians are crossing and the lights are flashing. They look right at you like they are entitled, and they drive on through.

Personally I think these people should be arrested and their cars confiscated and immediately shredded for all to witness in a giant mobile car shredding machine that the arresting officer could call up. Shred their driver's licenses too.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

58. personally I think pedestrians shouldn't play in traffic

and cyclists who disobey traffic laws should be beaten and their bike crushed under the nearest semi.

[hunter]

59. You wouldn't like me.

I think we should take down every last highway overpass.

Tough love baby, our addiction to imported oil would be over.

Just like that.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

61. huh?

Highway overpasses? What do they have to do with anything?

[hunter]

62. Would you drive anywhere if every single intersection had a stop sign?

Even on the Interstate Highways. No underpasses, no overpasses, heck, I'd even get rid of traffic lights.

Make driving a car hell.

It would be a wonderful world.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

65. Sounds like driving in Zambia

where pedestrians are too terrified to go anywhere near the roads as sidewalks are better known as "passing lanes" - it is actually quite a sight to see. When a mini bus is stopped people will run for cover because the local motorists won't wait five seconds before turning into oncoming traffic or the sidewalk to pass the waiting mini bus.

I know you hate cars, but we will find a way to make cars run on piss before we give up driving,

[Mari333]

51. hey, my poor grandson ran into one

this is him screaming in the picture. he basically told me ' I DONT LIKE HIM!!!'

( it has no eyes)

[kenny blankenship]

52. It has tombstone eyes!

[Silent3]

67. Just like DU moderators!

:hide:

[WeekendWarrior]

56. I probably would have aimed my car at it and hit it.

Or maybe not.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

57. great, now I will be so paranoid I will stop for every little ceasers "sign dancer"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH-aHb8M3HM

[Mimosa]

60. Government entities have all gotten DUMBER. n/t

[Nailzberg]

63. Rabbits have no right of way. Just tell the judge you believed it to be an actual rabbit.

[Rex]

66. 'Entrapment Bunny causes unnecessary traffic, cops bored of donuts...

decide to fuck with drivers.'