Holy shatz! Cop stops bicycle!

06-11-2004, 07:02 PM

(Prefatory note to Brent: Yes, I'm aware there are many badly-behaved
motorists. No, I don't think they should get off scot-free, either. Yes,
I'm aware you're vehemently opposed to bicycle and rider registration. No,
I don't buy your putative reasons for it. Yes, I know you have to respond
to this post. No, I won't get in a pissing contest with you.)

I was walking down Bloor St when I saw a copcycle pull over a cyclist for
running a red light...talk about shock and awe! I've never seen the likes
of this before. The cop ordered the cyclist to dismount, walk his bike to
the corner and park it, then lectured the guy for a few minutes ("Red
lights mean STOP, whether you're in a car or on a bike or on your feet!
It's the same rules of the road for you as for everyone else who uses
it!"). The guy was arguing that he bicycles in this area all the time,
there were no cars coming, etc. The cop (surprise...) told the guy he was
just warning him this time rather than writing a ticket, and eventually
let him ride off.

Now, it did my heart a lot of good to see and hear this. There are way too
many badly-behaved bicyclists in Toronto, as there are in every other
city. "Hey, lookit me! I'm a car! WHUP, now I'm a pedestrian! WHUP! Now
I'm neither! Hey, lookit me riding on the wrong side of the street! After
dark! Without lights or reflectors! Wearing all black! And if you hit me,
it'll be all your fault, neener neener neener! Whoah, sucks to be you, red
lights are only for cars!" etc.

I'd like to see a lot more of this kind of police activity, but pragmatic
questions pretty much scotch the idea. There's no law requiring
registration of bicycles or carrying an operator's license -- or, for that
matter, any form of identification at all -- while riding one. Should be,
but isn't. So what if the cop stops someone who hasn't got ID? What,
exactly, can the cop do? And even if s/he succeeds in writing a ticket,
what's to motivate the recipient to pay it? There'll be no demerit points
on his driver's license (which s/he may not even have). There'll be no
increase in insurance premiums (which s/he's not required to carry).
There'll be no denial of renewed registration (also not required).

Be nice if cops could/would (they probably can) write tickets and impound
bicycles until the ticket is paid.

-Stern (pedestrian/cyclist/driver)

06-11-2004, 07:25 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
<dastern@127.0.0.1> said:

>There's no law requiring
>registration of bicycles or carrying an operator's license -- or, for that
>matter, any form of identification at all --

Nor should there be.

It's a lot harder to ride a horse than it is to ride a bike, yet back in
the days when everyone rode around on horseback, a license wasn't
required.

06-11-2004, 07:25 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
<dastern@127.0.0.1> said:

>There's no law requiring
>registration of bicycles or carrying an operator's license -- or, for that
>matter, any form of identification at all --

Nor should there be.

It's a lot harder to ride a horse than it is to ride a bike, yet back in
the days when everyone rode around on horseback, a license wasn't
required.

06-11-2004, 07:25 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
<dastern@127.0.0.1> said:

>There's no law requiring
>registration of bicycles or carrying an operator's license -- or, for that
>matter, any form of identification at all --

Nor should there be.

It's a lot harder to ride a horse than it is to ride a bike, yet back in
the days when everyone rode around on horseback, a license wasn't
required.

06-11-2004, 07:25 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
<dastern@127.0.0.1> said:

>There's no law requiring
>registration of bicycles or carrying an operator's license -- or, for that
>matter, any form of identification at all --

Nor should there be.

It's a lot harder to ride a horse than it is to ride a bike, yet back in
the days when everyone rode around on horseback, a license wasn't
required.

06-11-2004, 07:25 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, "Daniel J. Stern"
<dastern@127.0.0.1> said:

>There's no law requiring
>registration of bicycles or carrying an operator's license -- or, for that
>matter, any form of identification at all --

Nor should there be.

It's a lot harder to ride a horse than it is to ride a bike, yet back in
the days when everyone rode around on horseback, a license wasn't
required.

06-11-2004, 07:37 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> Be nice if cops could/would (they probably can) write tickets and impound
> bicycles until the ticket is paid.

Riding your bike on the sidewalk on Sheridan road in Chicago WILL get your
bike impounded. Irony is that it's one of the scariest places for even
experienced riders in town--I've seen full dress racer boys chicken out
and jump up on the sidewalk there.

06-11-2004, 07:37 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> Be nice if cops could/would (they probably can) write tickets and impound
> bicycles until the ticket is paid.

Riding your bike on the sidewalk on Sheridan road in Chicago WILL get your
bike impounded. Irony is that it's one of the scariest places for even
experienced riders in town--I've seen full dress racer boys chicken out
and jump up on the sidewalk there.

06-11-2004, 07:37 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> Be nice if cops could/would (they probably can) write tickets and impound
> bicycles until the ticket is paid.

Riding your bike on the sidewalk on Sheridan road in Chicago WILL get your
bike impounded. Irony is that it's one of the scariest places for even
experienced riders in town--I've seen full dress racer boys chicken out
and jump up on the sidewalk there.

06-11-2004, 07:37 PM

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:02:32 -0400, Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> Be nice if cops could/would (they probably can) write tickets and impound
> bicycles until the ticket is paid.

Riding your bike on the sidewalk on Sheridan road in Chicago WILL get your
bike impounded. Irony is that it's one of the scariest places for even
experienced riders in town--I've seen full dress racer boys chicken out
and jump up on the sidewalk there.