The Legality of One Wheel

Cicero said:

*Ok, here's a fun question. I live in St. Augustine, FL, and there's
a pedestrian street here. That means there are signs for "No Bikes",
"No Skateboards", and "No Rollerblades". So, naturally, I ride my
unicycle down the street without even a tinge of guilt. Few weeks
ago, a bicycle cop (why the hell does HE get a bike) threatened to
ticket me. So, where do uni's fit in the grand scheme of
classification? Do I get to force my town to put "No Unicycling"
signs up? *

The St Augustine 'city code' (http://tinyurl.com/5n3r6) is online. Throw
unicycle in and you get no hits. Throw "pedal" in as in "pedal cycle" a
commonly used expression for all human power pedaled vehicles, and you
get no hits. Skateboards and roller skates and bicycles are specifically
prohibited on sidewalks and in specified areas.

Do your own research, i.e. don't trust my quick look, but based on what
I see of the St Augustine codes, you're on good footing riding your
unicycle *technically speaking*. Print it out and show it to an officer
next time. Be nice about it, not smug. Let them know that it *appears*
that unicycles are not covered in the code.

What you do depends on how much trouble you want to make for the police
and and for them to make for you.

Report back here on your experiences, please.

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

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You think it's bad the cop that caught you had a bike? While riding
along a pedestrian mall last weekend I was pulled over by a motorcycle
cop. Dear god the irony.
best of luck,
Zac

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Our city cops hang around the schools monitoring traffic. When I was in
7th grade my mom stopped in a red zone (not parked). She was just
leaving when a bike cop stopped her and wrote her a ticket.

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sounds to me like you need to pick yer battles. i'd just listen to the
nice police man, and ride on the sidewalk. also, the cop's got a point.
yer a lot slower than bikes, so you would slow down cars in the street.

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Someone posted something in here about city codes in California, and it
said that the legal definition of a bike involved the use of gears,
which means that a giraffe would be in violation, but a standard uni
would not be.

Legally, unicycles are more closely related to wheelchairs than to
bicycles and skateboards, which would make the rider a pedestrian, and
thus legally belongs on pedestrian streets.

At least that's what I remember.

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The cops at Virginia Beach told me they consider the unicycle to be the same
as a bike, so I had to stay on the bike path and stay off the pedestrian
boardwalk. I was not inclined to argue even though I an sure they made the
rule up on the spot. It does not usually pay to argue with cops, especially
when they have guns and I do not.
Jim

"Cicero" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok, here's a fun question. I live in St. Augustine, FL, and there's a
pedestrian street here. That means there are signs for "No Bikes", "No
Skateboards", and "No Rollerblades". So, naturally, I ride my unicycle
down the street without even a tinge of guilt. Few weeks ago, a bicycle
cop (why the hell does HE get a bike) threatened to ticket me. So,
where do uni's fit in the grand scheme of classification? Do I get to
force my town to put "No Unicycling" signs up?

--
Cicero - Jump on, pedal like hell...

"So why do you ride a unicycle?"
"Because I'm Catholic."
"What the hell does that have to do with it?"
"Well, every other form of contraceptive is out of the question."
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You're not going to like this, but here's my rule:

When in doubt, be a bicycle.

You'd be amazed at how much trouble it will save you. You can ride
everywhere the bikes can ride, and probably don't need to ride where
bikes can't.

The cop can ride on the pedestrian street because he/she's a cop. I'm
sure they can ride a motorcycle or drive a car there too.

If you feel all unicyclists, regardless of skill level (not just you of
course) *should* be allowed to ride on that pedestrian street, the
establishment of a legal precedent will probably start with you getting
a ticket, then fighting it and getting them to make a ruling. Be
prepared to live with the result...

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gasmaster said:

*sounds to me like you need to pick yer battles. i'd just listen to
the nice police man, and ride on the sidewalk. also, the cop's got a
point. yer a lot slower than bikes, so you would slow down cars in the
street. *

See, but that's just the thing. St. George Street is a pedestrian
street, so therefore classified as a sidewalk. There are no cars to
slow down!

To be honest, I'm not trying to be a jackass. I just really, really
want to see a little "No Unicycling" signpost by the "No Biking" sign.
That would make my day. 😄 😉

--
Cicero - Jump on, pedal like hell...

"So why do you ride a unicycle?"
"Because I'm Catholic."
"What the hell does that have to do with it?"
"Well, every other form of contraceptive is out of the question."
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sockmonster said:

*Someone posted something in here about city codes in California, and
it said that the legal definition of a bike involved the use of gears,
which means that a giraffe would be in violation, but a standard uni
would not be. *

not really, this definition leaves room for interperation. a "geared
vehicle" does not nessesarely (forgive my poor spelling)
mean cogs and chanes. Technically anything with a mechanical advantage
(leverage) is geared.

your standard unicycle has a tiny mechanical advantage. for example,
when you are riding a coker, and take one pedal you will travel much
further than you would if you took two crank lengnth steps. this is true
for any unicycle. The only exception would be if the diameter of your
wheel where exactly the size of your cranks.

call me ignorant, but I don't care. I will ride anywhere I want.
honestly, places where "no skateboarding, bicycling etc." signs are
more attractive. It feels like I am beating the system. The worst anyone
can do, is kick me out. If I came across a "no unicycling" sign, which I
dout will happen in my lifetime, it woulden't change anything, I'd still
ride there.

Right now, my whole draw to unicycling, is street riding and skatepark
riding. alot of the street spots that are great to skate, are perfect
for unicycling.

Take care of youreself, and each other,
mike

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'link' (http://unicyclist.org/blog/show.cfm?serial=00727) with a link.

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thats why you ride at night when no one is around to hassle you or call
the police.

mike

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-eh- seen the wax part?
It wont take long the cops will find out unicyclist may grind to.

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