An EV Grieve reader sends along a story from this past weekend... She had been at Russ and Daughters, and was walking her bike east along Houston.
Near Ludlow Street, a police car pulled over. The officers demanded to see her ID. She handed over her license, and was made to wait for nearly 30 minutes while the officers sat inside the car. (A detail worth noting — both officers were smoking cigars...)
Per the reader: "They issued me a court summons for riding my bike on the sidewalk, which I wasn't doing. [I never] put my feet to the pedals. The officers completely refused to offer any explanation whatsoever."
So, was this just one of the things... like the one person busted for hanging flyers on light poles full of flyers? Or has the NYPD been issuing tickets like this of late? Anyone else recently receive a rather frivolous ticket like this?
15 comments:
bloomberg & kelly's police force: priority number one is to shake the good citizens of new york for as much $$$$$$$$$$$ as they can get, in the easiset way possible - preying upon innocent bystanders. really effin sad. took bad this incident wasn't recorded.
I was pulled over for "not riding in a bike lane" (what the cop said) because the cop himself was blocking the lane and I was forced to pull around him into *traffic*. However, the ticket was written as a traffic infraction ("riding on the sidewalk" - which was a complete lie as I was forced to ride out into traffic, and *not* hop the curb onto the sidewalk).
I appeared before an administrative judge yesterday at the DMV. What the law states however is that the DMV doesn't handle that kind of case, which I would have told the judge had she not dismissed the case due to cop being a "no-show". Who issued the ticket in the case of your reader?
The officer's name was Cardona, didn't catch the name of his partner. Your ticketing story sounds even more outrageous - who issued your ticket?
I recently was walking my bike on the sidewalk and I saw my friends one block up, so I hopped on my bike for a few feet and the cops saw me. I was riding on the sidewalk, but it was for less than a block (my address even stated that I lived on the corner). I can't even pay a fine; I have to go to court. The cop told me just to show up and the judge will throw out the case. I did the crime, I suppose, but should I really have to appear in front of a judge and waste taxpayer money for such a minor infraction?
At least it's against the law for persons over 11 or 12 (I forget which) to *ride* on the sidewalk (as it ought to be -- riding on the sidewalk endangers pedestrians no matter how careful you think you're being, and makes them hate all bike riders), but it's most certainly *not* against the law to walk your bike on the sidewalk. That's exactly what the law would have you do and since the city's network of bike lanes is still pretty spotty, it's often necessary.
I too was recently ticketed for 2 infractions on my bike.
#1 no bell - I've had 3 horns stolen off my bike. 3 awesome horns too.
I showed him the remnants of the last one explained the recent theft but he didn't care. He wanted to see the receipt right then & there or I get a ticket.
#2 riding wrong side of the street - which I was doing for a brief 3-4 car lengths about to cross to the proper side when the cop got in my way blocked me and then trapped me between parked cars until i gave him my license.
I have put in online a "not guilty" plea but the tickets have yet to be processed, so maybe they never will is my hope.
I should say the police should be more concerned about me & everyone else not wearing a helmet than either of these "infractions".
This story is so outlandish I find it hard to believe. If it is true though its horrifying to think that the officers assigned to protect our communities have taken to harassing and nickel&diming the citizenry. Would love to know the whole story of what happened here.
While it's an obvious miscarriage for the walker to be ticketed, I'm glad to see the NYPD finally cracking down on cyclists who deserve tickets.
Let's hope a few $100 hits to the pocket will encourage people to act respectfully to their fellow citizens.
It's a dick move. The last cop to hassle me ordered me to move into the First Ave. bike lane even though it was blocked with ConEd trucks. He said he was "only trying to protect you guys" meaning bikers. I told him I'd do better taking care of myself and rode off.
one word: quotas
I suppose it's against the law to ride a bike on a sidewalk, but LOTS of things are against the law.
Exactly how much does this endanger pedestrians, compared to automobile "accidents"? Last I checked, the death ratio (car:bike causing ped deaths) was 3000:1 -- I'm not in favor of any crackdown on lawless cycling, unless the crackdown on careless driving is 3000 times more severe.
Has anyone seen any J-walking tickets lately?
Better yet has anyone seen someone not J-walking lately or ever?
Get video evidence when riding in the city. The whole system is stacked against bicyclists; your best bet is to have a bicycle-mounted camera rolling at all times.
Something very odd about the wording, about "Never put my feet on the pedals'' ... If your ass was on the seat and you were "walking" the bike then you deserved the summons, if you had one foot on the pedal and you were using at a scooter then you deserved the summons...
i agree with shutuphooker, if you were straddling the bike and coasting or even walking, i think the EV Grieve reader noted was in the wrong. sounds like splitting hairs, but just get off your bike and walk it and you wont have the issues.
if the reader, was in fact straddling her bike.
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