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We received an e-mail this morning from a regular bicyclist who rides around White Rock. During a recent ride, he chatted with a fellow cyclist who complained of getting a traffic ticket for running a stop sign at the lake "at 6 in the morning with no one around."
Well, ya know, what? Boo hoo, run a stop sign while driving a vehicle, regardless of time of day or lack of other drivers around, and you get a ticket if a cop sees you. The price of the ticket, $230, also caused the fellow pain, and again, too bad.
One thing he said, though, really raised an eyebrow. The cited cyclist said the officer did not ask him for any form of identification. I called the Northeast Operations Division and talked with experienced hand Anita Bassinger in Deputy Chief Jan Easterling's office. Bassinger said that story smelled a bit fishy because the first thing a cop asks when about to issue a ticket is to see some ID.
How else can the officer fill out the citation, she asked rhetorically.
The e-mailer mentioned that cyclists "don't necessarily carry ID," which strikes me as a bit odd and, frankly, unwise. What are responding emergency personnel supposed to do if an unidentified cyclist suffers an injury and can't answer questions like, "Who are you?"
A little personal responsibility, here, folks.
3 responses to this post
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probably me said at 1:27 p.m. on May 15, 2008, 1:27 p.m.
I am so in agreement with you! How many times have I seen cyclists sail through stop signs? Can't count the times. And how difficult is it to pull a little to the right in a lane when a car is trying to pass? If a cyclist is that tuned out about a vehicle following, then I question the alertness and safety of that cyclist, unless he is too stubborn to move from his "rightful" place in the road. (and all of my observations have occurred in the middle of the day)
Benny Barrett, Sr. said at 2:02 p.m. on May 15, 2008, 2:02 p.m.
Even when I was serving, but especially now as a retired Dallas Police, any time I go to a party once people find out they tell me every bad police story they can imagine. When I start asking them questions about the protocol the officer used the citizen invariable either back pedals or abruptly leaves me without admitting that they were lying. No doubt this is the case as well. I never wrote a bicyclist, I wanted to sometimes, but chose not too.
Nathan Scot said at 2:06 p.m. on May 22, 2008, 2:06 p.m.
The issue of stop sign running is a delicate subject and it is apparent that motorists who never ride a bike are often the most bellicose in responding to these issues. As a cyclist who does it for competition, exercise, a collegiate cycling club organizer, and as someone who does it for commuting, I see a lot of errors in judgment from motorists as well as cyclists.
I will not give those cyclists that blow through stop signs without so much as a glance any slack, but for those of us out on the roads, motorists need a lot more awareness regarding this issue.
Bicycling Magazine named Dallas as the worst city in the U.S. for cyclists. Why? Because of a stalled bike plan at City Hall and because many motorists are so unaware of their surroundings when they drive. Dallas has a strong and vibrant bike community, so we are not leaving the streets even though Dallas has a deadly reputation.
The reason cyclists do not stop completely at a stop sign is due to the differences between a car powered by fossil fuels, and a bike powered by your own power (maybe some pasta, Gatorade and Power Bars!) A cyclist has much better vision (no roof, A or B pillars) but poorer stability when unclipped from the pedals. A car requires no effort upon the driver to start or stop, where a cyclist must provide all the energy to get back up to speed. It is purely an exigency of having to provide all the power to stop and to start moving as to why a stop sign is usually a moment to be cautious and slow appreciably, but not stop. Coming to a complete stop, hundreds of times on a journey, is dangerous and inefficient.
I have been hit twice while stopped at a stop sign because of motorists who are careless.
If my work is any indication, motorists will need to start sharing the road with many more commuters, so stop hating cyclists and learn to "share the road." We have no layers of steel between us and you, so a bit of compassion and consideration on your part would not be unwelcome.