I got a traffic violation today, for turning into the bike lane of a one way street. I did it right in front of two bike cops because I didn’t even realize I was breaking a law.
For those of you who bike somewhere other than New York City, be thankful you don’t live here. The cops are out to stop us, but do nothing to protect or defend us. Two bike couriers died last week as a result of being hit/crushed by cars. No charges filed, as far as I can tell. As always, “the biker was at fault.” Of course, when you replace the bicyclist with an off-duty cop on a motorcycle, it’s front page news, and the driver is paraded around in handcuffs on the evening news.
I’ve lived in a few places around the east coast, but it wasn’t until I moved to New York City that I began to resent the police and their agenda. I really think they have better things to do in this city than ticketing bicyclists and trying to criminalize our group rides. I won’t let this slow me down though – I’ll just be more wary around bike cops from now on.
My next goal is to get a speeding ticket on my bike. Instant cool points right there.