Warning! This morning a pair of cops were standing across the street from the PCC in Fremont ticketing cyclists who ran the stop sign. In other words, virtually everyone they had time to write up. They were still working on two others as I went through (just before I noticed them) but they got the next guy 30 seconds behind me. So, watch out in this area or other intersections where you normally wouldn't put a foot down.
Particularly ridiculous in the morning, when most riders are going up the slight hill and entering the intersection at barely 10 mph. Hard not to see this as some sort of responcse to the SPD's embarassment over tussling with the Critical Mass guys recently. If they just wanted to encourage "respect for all laws," why not set up a speed trap a few blocks away on Leary, where the limit is 30 and most cars are going 37-45? An equally high proportion of scoff-laws, and doing something that's actually risky! mx
Warning! This morning a pair of cops were standing across the street from the PCC in Fremont ticketing cyclists who ran the stop sign. In other words, virtually everyone they had time to write up.
If the cyclists were flying through the signs like they do around here, then they had it coming. On the other hand, if they're writing up folks that do a 2mph rolling stop in order to avoid clipping out of their spds--that's over the top. Same thing goes for red lights. If the cyclist treats it as a stop sign and makes an effort to be safe, then let it slide. Can't have your cake and eat it too, if you want to use the road legitimately, follow the rules.
Sounds like this was exacerbated by Critical Mass--which is not usually a pro-bike event. The two I did out of curiosity in Chicago, were simply disorganized acts of hostility and self importance. You reap what you sow.
Warning! This morning a pair of cops were standing across the street from the PCC in Fremont ticketing cyclists who ran the stop sign. In other words, virtually everyone they had time to write up. They were still working on two others as I went through (just before I noticed them) but they got the next guy 30 seconds behind me. So, watch out in this area or other intersections where you normally wouldn't put a foot down.
Particularly ridiculous in the morning, when most riders are going up the slight hill and entering the intersection at barely 10 mph. Hard not to see this as some sort of responcse to the SPD's embarassment over tussling with the Critical Mass guys recently.
It wasn't the SPD but a few King County Sherrif's undercover deputies who tangled with the wide-eyed (but dutifully helmeted) Critical Mass kids last month. The SPD actually has a nice way of de-escalating the Mass rides by escorting them through the city center nice n' easy, Canadian style-- as opposed to the strategy favored by the NYPD, which is to harrass, ticket, arrest, impound, and dog the ride into nonexistence. High-ranking members of the SPD have criticized the deputies over this incident, and it has highlighted what seems to be a bit of a turf war between the two departments, over who should do what where. I don't know why I know this.
