The Sartorialist Almost Arrested in Antwerp!!!!
Prostitution is legal in Antwerp and I think pot is too but don't cross the street against a red light or BIG TROUBLE!
A cop car stopped me today in Antwerp because I crossed the street against a "NO Walk" sign.
Well, I am a New Yorker, sorry but that is what we do.
In New York If no traffic is coming and you don't cross the street people will think you may be hurt and will come to your aid.
This policeman stopped me not because i had created some type of traffic problem but merely because I had crossed the street against the red "right in front of my nose."
He was so mad his hands were shaking while he looked at my ID. When he asked for my ID I gave him my drivers licenses but he wanted my passport. He really thought he had me when I couldn't find it right away but when I found it he was pissed that he didn't get to take me in to the station house.
He asked all kinds of questions like how long I have been in Antwerp and why I am here.
He was looking for the stamps on my passport and asked why the last one was from 2006. I told him I don't know and that i came here on the train. "From New York by train?" he asked, "No from Paris" I said.
I was trying really hard not to laugh out loud.
"This is very bizarre, let this be a warning!!!"he said and he drove away.
That's right, me and 50 Cent, we are some bad-ass lawbreakers in Antwerp!!!
Can I come back to New York now?
A cop car stopped me today in Antwerp because I crossed the street against a "NO Walk" sign.
Well, I am a New Yorker, sorry but that is what we do.
In New York If no traffic is coming and you don't cross the street people will think you may be hurt and will come to your aid.
This policeman stopped me not because i had created some type of traffic problem but merely because I had crossed the street against the red "right in front of my nose."
He was so mad his hands were shaking while he looked at my ID. When he asked for my ID I gave him my drivers licenses but he wanted my passport. He really thought he had me when I couldn't find it right away but when I found it he was pissed that he didn't get to take me in to the station house.
He asked all kinds of questions like how long I have been in Antwerp and why I am here.
He was looking for the stamps on my passport and asked why the last one was from 2006. I told him I don't know and that i came here on the train. "From New York by train?" he asked, "No from Paris" I said.
I was trying really hard not to laugh out loud.
"This is very bizarre, let this be a warning!!!"he said and he drove away.
That's right, me and 50 Cent, we are some bad-ass lawbreakers in Antwerp!!!
Can I come back to New York now?
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post a commentSart,
I apologize for our neighbors to the South. They're still a tad bit perturbed at not being part of the Netherlands;-) Glad to hear you've escaped the wrath of the Gendarme. Hopefully you had a good glass of Pils and some Frietjes.
That's freakin hilarious! Come back to New York!
Come Back!!! We miss your eye here. The pics from Europe are wonderful, but I'm jonesing to see some fashion-savvy, jaywalkers from the Big Apple.
Very funny! Glad you weren't arrested!
ROTFL! Montreal is also famous (hmm, infamous) for jaywalking, too.
Glad you didn't become a jailbird.
mltt
But in Europe we all think jaywalking is something only crazy yanks outlaw, especially after this incident.
Well prostitution is not legal but tolerated
and pot is legal 35 kms away in the Netherlands, but not in Belgium
It happened to me too to be stopped in Antwerpen for jaywalking and nothing happened, just had a laugh after.
By the way prostitutes are total fashion victims and some are quite classy too.
They prefer Italian than Belgian or French.
LOL! Look out, world, for that bad-ass street fashion photographer. Get on home already!
That's hilarious! Go ahead, flout convention (and the law) - that's personalising your style!!
Why don't you come to Brussels instead? We're a little bit more civilised further South.
If crossing at red lights was penalised, I'd probably get death penalty.
Please, try to love this country, it deserves it. Despite policemen.
Chin up, that must have been an anomaly! Usually, we Europeans are quite nice ones...
Jaywalking is a sin in Seattle, too. Got to be careful when you travel--you know the old saying, "When in Rome----do all the Romans you can."
I doubt anything exciting ever happens in Belgium ... The cop was probably just trying to fill his day ... the same thing happens in Greenwich, CT ... the warden / traffic ppl shout at you if you cross without them telling you to!
it could happen to you in atlanta as well: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/10/historian.arrest.ap/index.html
take care!
Aren't you in Paris for the HC or did you stop off in Antwerp on the way? I guess you'll be in Paris for the men's AW08 after the HC week anyway.
Sorry to hear about your brush with the law for something so trivial. However, I must point out that what people do in New York is irrelevant. You weren't in New York--you were in Antwerp! It pays, I think, to respect the traditions, customs, and laws of the country you're visiting. Americans, especially, need to heed this message. Not only is it good manners, but it can help you avoid having involuntary personal interaction with law enforcement.
If it happens in LA you can actually get fined, I have friends who when visiting LA from SF got tickets for jay walking. Here in san francisco I have never heard of a cop taking the law so seriously, neither in England from whence I came.
LOL!! That is funny!
I think you should come home as soon as you are finished. Antwerp is not a place you should be at. ;)
Haha, props for that "no, from Paris" line.
I almost got arrested for crossing a railroad once. Cops need to focus on more improtant things.
And the police state rolls on
Great story! Pot and prostitution aren't legalized in Belgium though, you're confused with the Netherlands. (Well actually, pot isn't legal there as well, but that's a complicated story :-)
You're mistaking us with our Northern neighbours, weed is not (yet)legal here. Besides that, welcome to my town! How long are you staying and what are your plans?
Antwerp girl
There are many cities in Europe that are very strict with jaywalking. In Munich, you could get arrested for being intoxicated on a bicycle.
Love your Blog, its my daily window to the outside world! Keep up the great work!
We had someone on our trip to Belarus who got stopped for the same thing. Only, Belarus is a bigger deal than Antwerp. We found the phrase in our phrasebook: "Is there a fine we can pay to make this go away?"
You should count yourself lucky. There was a story in the news a couple of weeks ago about a history professor from Britain who was attending a conference in Atlanta. An off-duty cop who was moonlighting as a security guard saw him crossing the street and decided to take him down. The cop kicked the unlucky prof's legs from under him and pinned him to the ground until backup arrive. The prof then spend 8 hours in jail until a judge let him out.
WHOA! That is such a stark contrast from the city...
Unfortunately I know this story all too well. I am from Boston (where jay-walkers can be found at every street corner), however I recently returned from two-year long stint in Germany. This law is also enforced in Deutschland. Inpatients often prevailed over maintaining my reputation as a law abiding citizen...I just made sure the Polizei were not lurking around and, naturlich, that there were no young German children nearby to corrupt(otherwise I would be sure to get a tongue lashing from a local).
-CZ
If I could take a train ride from NY to Antwerp I would've moved there. A pictorial of jail wear may be interesting but I really enjoy checking out what people are wearing in NY and other travels. I'm in design school in LA now, still dreaming of NY and Europe. Thanks for the great photos and for the great advices last year.
people from antwerp are not exactly known for their sense of humor... very dour folk.
And I thought it was only in Singapore that you could get arrested for jaywalking.
Now that I've relocated to Australia, I cannot resist the opportunity to jaywalk every chance I get.
You and your law-breaking ways will feel right at home Down Under, Scott!
i'm parisean but live in brussels, and the fine for crossing at a red light is .... 75 euros!!!
i got out of it four times, but now i make sure there are no policemen around
Oh wow, what a freak! I grew up in NY, and now live in LA-and it is very stange at the corners here..people standing around waiting for the light...wierdos./.
We...dutch people mock belgium peeps allllll the time.
Damn-this is is hilarious as it's embarassing!
I can't believe this-I've been living in Antwerp for more than 10 years, and this has never happened to me nor anyone else I know of! And then to you of all people as a one time visitor ; )
never mind, I'm glad you finally made it to Antwerp. Hope you' ll forget about the dumb cop with too much time on his hands once you've been around the Nationalestraat and Lombardenvest!
Sart,
Be sure to watch for any officers before you go against the light while in San Francisco (or Palo Alto). Although a lot of folks walk against the light the officers may stop you and give a citation because there are many pedestrian fatalities in SF and there's increased enforcement whenever there's a bunch of accidents.
BTW I just picked up my Charvet shirts that were ordered made-to-measure after the event. They were ready back in December but I didn't have a chance to get back to the store. I had the left sleeve cuff made wider to accommodate my watch at no extra charge. (I was the guy that stopped to chat with you on the street after the event.)
Cheers and congrats on all the well-deserved success! Love the video interviews. I'm in love with Jordyn Bell - she's so refreshing, sweet, charming and smart!
that's just hilarious....
well, i lived in antwerp for a while, and i didn't particularly like it. so, really, i don't want to defend the city, but never did anything alike happen to me there, and i'm a regular jaywalker.... i don't have an idea what the cop's problem was! maybe he recognized you as the "bad bad sartorialist who suggests that men should wear leggings"... ohoh, shocking!
btw: your blog is getting better every day. loving it. thank you!
all the best from berlin, where you can happily jaywalk your way around town...
to Dutch
Dont be a hater man, that smug attitude just looks so bad. There are dumb cops in every nation.
I mean I've had the bizarre experience of seeing sometimes two arrests on the streets every weekend I have been in Holland, in Amsterdamn, Eindhoven and Utrecht! I don't know but I come from from South Africa and NEVER saw that happen.
Dont judge and dont be so smug!
an ex-antwerpenaar
...too bad you couldn't have gotten a shot of him.
sorry 'bout the antwerp coppers...that one guy is not an exception i must say
besides that: welcome to my town!
how long are you stayin? and what are your plans?
enjoy!
e
Since you were already on speaking terms, you should have asked him to pose for a picture for this blog. Probably more than his hands would have been shaking then!
I am very sad that YOU DID NOT TAKE THE COP'S PHOTO !!!
Sooooo funny!!!!!! Hahahahahahahahaaha come back to new york Sart!!!!!! NY rule!!! thanks for the advice!
kisses
Next time you jaywalk, try doing it while smoking dope with a couple of prostituts. thats the secret to getting away with jaywalking in Antwerp.
Is the the J train wanting to go to Brooklyn and I ended up in Antwerp. =)
hey, you should really live on the edge, and try littering in Singapore!
Too funny!
My friend and I crossed the road in the same manner when in Germany several years ago and some one rolled down their car window and shouted "Anarchists!" at us.
Good job man. Your street cred has been earned.
I also am looking forward to your daily NYC street posts again
what screwed up priorities...that's ridiculous. the police obviously have nothing more to do now that all the vice is legalised
I am really sorry for what happen to you. I am not Belgium but I live in BXL and I cross the streets with the red lights too and so far, may be I was lucky, no weirdo stop me. Don’t take it personal … may be the guy was in a bad day!!! Once more I congratulate you for your fantastic blog! I love it.
Scott go to the Netherlands...they cross wit hred light on when there is no traffic....just be carful of the bikes!
the cops in antwerp really have nothing better to do and they are on a huge ego trip. also if you ride a bike without working lights the bike patrol hunts you down and acts the same way. just kill them with kindness! and as a new yorker living in antwerp now, take me back with you!!!
Smoking pot is not legal in Belgium. It is in the Netherlands. Anywa, Antwerp ist a fantastic city.
Believe me this is just one guy, the rest of belgium loves you (well me at least).
Oh, and dutch, if there's one thing that belgians don't want, it's to be a part of Holland.
shit, im from Antwerp, its hilarious but still i so apologise ! our town is a nice town - normally.
I agree! I cant wait until red lights become green ones! So impatient? Maybe yes...but, what?
WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS?! i know you are busy with mens fashion month, but even style.com isn't posting the new shows every morning or your street photos. honestly what am i supposed to look at every morning?
i miss miss miss the real you
It's a good thing he didn't get a look at your list of "A" Felonies!
oh my, who would have thought that such passionate chocolate and fashion lovers (well, and let's not forget the beer and french fries!) would be so stern about traffic. lol. he sure must be eating too little of all the good stuff, you know
Sart,
I can't believe you were so close to Brussels...
If I have known before I would have run through the streets of Antwerp to find you ;-)
I also would like to apologize for our flemish compatriots who are very sensitive about everyone who isn't from their community...Very sad...
Keep up the amazing work !
Regards,
Amélie from Brussels
Scott,
He was probably ticked off that you were so smartly dressed and he was in a dorky uniform.
I saw a cop go ballistic in Los Angeles on a man who jaywalked. The guy was with his family, site-seeing on Hollywood Boulevard and was engrossed in something and crossed the street without looking at the light. The cop jumped out of the car and had his hand on his gun! Thank God there were lots of onlookers to see this nonsense.
There are idiot police people everywhere.
Stay out of jail, dude!
From my limited experience driving in Los Angeles it seems that people don't jaywalk there either. It makes driving there a very wierd experience for this New Yorker. The timing is all off.
Glad you didn't end up in the pokey.
Unfortunately, the Belgian police is not that easy. I adore Belgium but it is a bit of a police state. However, Antwerp is a real good place to photograph people as the fashion is definitely a lot like the Belgian designers. Also the food should be good. Have eel in green and frites (French fries).
oh, well mr «I'm a New Yorker», go figure. it's not just NYPD cops who get to behave like arrogant pricks you know. and it's not like being from NYC gives you any kind of special entitlement, or anything. take it easy
In a way, you missed the opportunity of doing a feature on Antwerp prison style.
Just joking!
We need you alive and well.
the idea of actually being arrested (almost) for jaywalking is quite humourous.
i'm sorry that had to happen to you though.
perhaps the old fart was just bored.
i got a ticket for crossing against the red, in a crosswalk, in california! it cost $76US! it was about 9pm on a wednesday night, a very quiet evening, and the cop tried to tell me it was going to go on my driving record as "running a red light" since i didn't only jay-walk, i crossed in the crosswalk while the light was red. i went to the law library and argued that charge, but i still had to pay $76. ridiculous!
oh this is so funny because i am an american, new yorker, just in antwerp for work as well (fashion-related) ANYWAY, i did the same thing as you on several occasions thinking that EVERYONE ELSE must have been either crazy or insane NOT to cross the street because, while there were red light "don't walk" signs, there was NO traffic in sight! it wasn't even like i had to rush across the street in order to not get hit--i could have tiptoed and still made it in time. it was surreal to me how everyone just stands there and waits and waits and waits until the change of light. almost scary!
When in Rome. . . . . Jaywalking is frowned on in Tokyo too--so don't do it. If one comes to New York from Amsterdam and lights up a joint in a coffee shop, should he expect to be subject to the laws of New York or those of Amsterdam? If a French woman comes to L.A. and lights her cigarette in a bar is it ok because she's from France? I agree that your story is amusing, but don't cast the police officer as a villainous buffoon--his city, their laws....
hurry, please!!! back to nyc!!!
ahahahahahahahahahahah!!!
by the way, what do ya think about spending some days in brazil?!? here, we are specialized on doing wrong - or not - things... absolutely out-of-law!!!
eheheheheheheheheheheheh!!!
come, sart, come, come!!! we have sartorialist peoples, too, and, be sure, more funny ones!!!
the invitation is done!!!
I just want to make clear that I'm not making fun of the policeman for doing his job.
I think it is great that people here obey the laws.
What I thought was funny was how upset he was about the whole thing. He was soooo pissed.
Everyone here has been very nice and i can't wait to come back
ps
The men's shows in paris don't start until the 25th or 26th so I am not missing anything except Couture which is not so big especially considering I will be back soon for women's RTW
Thank you all for your responses
It gets kinda lone traveling for so long by myself but I never feel completely alone because i feel like i am taking you with me on these journey's and you guys are great travel companions!
hm, although i have been guilty of the same crime numerous times and i am far from a goody two shoes i now look at it in a different light. now that my son is almost 4 and becoming very aware of traffic i get annoyed with people jaywalking while i'm standing there trying to teach him that he should wait until the "man turns green"....so now i try not to do it when i see other parents waiting at lights with their own kids.
I hate to beat a dead horse but why would you (or a foreign visitor) need to carry a passport around? I don't get it? Would the Antwerp policeman really arrest you if you didn't have your passport with you?
"told him I don't know and that i came here on the train. "From New York by train?" he asked, "No from Paris" I said.
I was trying really hard not to laugh out loud. "
FUNNY! I would have laugh...and probably made things worse.
The guy was doing his job. Maybe mentioning your origin as excuse is not a good idea...Yeah! the political climate for Americans is pretty much of NO tolerance out of the country....I guess then is where international perception comes into play. The perception of USA nationals having privileges and being spoiled and unconscious, no mater weather this is a fact or not...so hopefully if people get more responsible with the right to vote in the presidential elections, this type of perceptions will fade away.
HEY!! im a swedish girl, use to live in Belgium..AND the cops are completely crazy over there!!!!
I got some horrible souvenirs....
welcome 2 belgium. very nice 2 have u here. sorry 'bout our coppers. most of these stories R really 'bout them not having anything 2 do. so happy 2 hear they didn't turn u into a jailbird. hope u've met some nice belgians in the mean time ... trust me they exist 2
Omg, Thanks ALOT for giving me a great laugh at work.
yeah the flem, esp. the goverment flem take themselves reaaaaaal serious.
Know you know how we feel when we come to the USA. Paranoid passport guards and cops shooting for nothing.
Yea, typical American!! Great. We don't cross street when the red light is on. Just because that's how you do in your city, doesn't mean you can do it anywhere.
Hysterical!! Poor thang. I would have been laughing and AT the station house.
typical american, go to other countries and 'teach' people to play by their rules...
You bad bad boy, you.
haha, that reminds of when I saw some football hooligans walking the streets of Berlin, shouting, drinking, throwing and kicking bottles around them, and this one man walks against red light, and another goes "what are you doing? kids are watching!".
im late but i just wanna say..if u were to get arrested... u got bail money all the way in panama!
luv ur blog!
L
No picture of the cop? I bet he had some off-white mayonnaise stains on him.
i'm sorry to hear that. alot of the european countries are really big on jaywalking.
here in germany - if one jaywalks and an accident happened between the jaywalker and a motorist(s) - the jaywalker will have to pay for ALL the damages and fees. if one gets caught jaywalking, the polizei can give the jaywalker a ticket.
when I'm in antwerp I also cross streets when the lights are red, unless there are policemen watching me. And i'm hardly ever the only one doing that. So the rule should is: "Don't cross streets when the lights are red and there's police watching"
There's even a joke about it in belgium: "how do you know whether someone is staying illegally in belgium? He waits untill the light turns green to cross the street." (because they would be scared to get arrested and be locked up untill they have to leave the country unless they get permission to stay)
So next time you're in my doesn't-make-any-sense-country check whether there are any police before crossing the streets while the lights are red and don't forget to pay me a visit
this reminds me when my girlfriends and i went to vegas for a bachelorette party...in vegas anything goes, except squeezing an extra girl in the back of a cab...now THAT is off limits!!! haha the things that make some cities tick...
LOL, I am from Belgium, been to antwerp often and I can tell you that is not common. When there is no uncoming traffic I also cross the street and so do most Belgians. he was either having a bad day or its the principle of the matter. if its the last then really it doesn't matter if you were from New York or not he would have blown up at anybody
Funny that this happened to you, but in that part of Europe not exceptional, it's a completely normal thing in both Belgium and the Netherlands.
I myself once got fined for running a red light at 4:30 in the morning.
But hey, we don't have guns. So I'd pick Antwerp over NYC any day of the week.
Had the same experience in Winnipeg long ago, but managed to talk my way out of it. Some cities take their odd rules very seriously.