Stump the City!
Man Jailed For Creating Crosswalk, Vows More
Graduate Student Says Intersection Unsafe
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Whitney Stump didn't like watching drivers ignore the stop signs at the intersection outside his home, so he asked the city to paint crosswalks there.
When the city said no, he made one himself. And the city wasn't appreciative.
Stump, a 27-year-old Ball State University graduate student and father, says he was arrested in July on a charge of criminal mischief for creating the crosswalk at the intersection of Dicks and North streets. A police officer then warned him after he went back to touch up the paint in August, and, unbeknownst to him, the county prosecutor decided to charge him again.
"If they're not going to provide a safe environment for me and my community, then I believe I have a moral obligation," said Stump, who, because he didn't know about the second charge, missed a court appearance and subsequently spent 10 hours in jail.
Stump said he first asked the city to do the job, thinking crosswalks would get drivers' attentions and make them aware they needed to slow down.
"I called the street and sign department probably a half-dozen times in the course of six months (to) a year," he told 6News' Ray Cortopassi.
But the city said painting a crosswalk in a residential area is not necessary unless the intersection is near a school. In Stump's case, the intersection isn't.
So Stump bought some paint and used it to create a crosswalk at one of the intersection's four spokes.
"I used spray paint on the outline, and went to Wal-Mart, where they had a sale on ... white paint and rolled it out," he said.
The city hasn't covered up the crosswalk. Stump said he intends to paint crosswalks on the intersection's other three spokes.
-- Well what do you expect from a guy named "Stump?"
LINK: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/15181455/detail.html
Graduate Student Says Intersection Unsafe
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Whitney Stump didn't like watching drivers ignore the stop signs at the intersection outside his home, so he asked the city to paint crosswalks there.
When the city said no, he made one himself. And the city wasn't appreciative.
Stump, a 27-year-old Ball State University graduate student and father, says he was arrested in July on a charge of criminal mischief for creating the crosswalk at the intersection of Dicks and North streets. A police officer then warned him after he went back to touch up the paint in August, and, unbeknownst to him, the county prosecutor decided to charge him again.
"If they're not going to provide a safe environment for me and my community, then I believe I have a moral obligation," said Stump, who, because he didn't know about the second charge, missed a court appearance and subsequently spent 10 hours in jail.
Stump said he first asked the city to do the job, thinking crosswalks would get drivers' attentions and make them aware they needed to slow down.
"I called the street and sign department probably a half-dozen times in the course of six months (to) a year," he told 6News' Ray Cortopassi.
But the city said painting a crosswalk in a residential area is not necessary unless the intersection is near a school. In Stump's case, the intersection isn't.
So Stump bought some paint and used it to create a crosswalk at one of the intersection's four spokes.
"I used spray paint on the outline, and went to Wal-Mart, where they had a sale on ... white paint and rolled it out," he said.
The city hasn't covered up the crosswalk. Stump said he intends to paint crosswalks on the intersection's other three spokes.
-- Well what do you expect from a guy named "Stump?"
LINK: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/15181455/detail.html
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He said "Dicks",
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Good for him, I think that it is some b.s. that they are prosecuting him, I mean shouldn't they say "thanks" at least? Doesn't seem like a big deal, the guy did what he had to do to feel a little more safe. 0 -
It reminds me of the story I heard a while back about a guy getting arrested for filling in pot holes. He got tired of waiting on the city to do it so he did it himself, and rather than say "thanks" they through him in jail. I don't remember where, when, or what the outcome was. If I get a little time I'll try to look it up. 0 -
Was it Michigan? I know we have some car eating pot holes here it's terrible. 0 -
Maybe he should have had four of his buddies stand around and watch him...that's usually the way I see it done[xx(] 0 -
There was a guy in Louisville that put in his own speedbumps after the city wouldn't do anything to slow down speeders. The city removed them and charged the guy the cost of removal. 0
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