Friday, October 7, 2011

Guilty?

I got another ticket on my bike recently. The police officer and I argued about whether it should be for running a red light or being outside of the bike lane. I am writing in my not guilty plea, as I am moving and don't want to fly back to go to court.

Here is a quick recounting:

I was on 23rd street, turning left on to 1st avenue. There was (surprise) a large truck at the entrance to the bike lane, so I swung wide, took a lane, look up and see a cop looking at me. We make eye contact and he yells at me to "come here," so I did. He says "do you know what you did" and I say, "do you mean not riding in the bike lane?" He says "yes". I say I was on my way to it, but have a right to the road as a truck (which I now point to) is blocking the bike lane. He says, "you also ran the red light". I say "that one" pointing to 23rd st. "no i didn't" and he says "no, this one" pointing to the one we are standing under (24th st), which I still hadn't passed through. And that is what he ticketed me for.