Says George Branyan, Pedestrian Program Coordinator for the DC Department of Transportation:
I personally have trained about 100 officers in ped/bike law and effective enforcement techniques this year -- including how to target drivers who do not yield to pedestrians.
Interesting seeing this today. Just yesterday I was riding on 13 between Logan Circle and U and found myself following an officer on a marked police bike. He didn't stop at single one of the red lights and, ultimately, turned off of 13 by making a left without signaling...
Any word on training for how these officers might behave as role models while they are on their bikes?
Posted by: Danny | June 18, 2007 at 05:00 PM
If I had to obey all the traffic laws, I wouldnt get anywhere on my bike in any faster time than on a pathetic bus (assuming the bus is not in a bus only lane...which they arent!).
Bicycle adovactes who argue that bicyclists need follow street laws MADE FOR THE GODDAMN CARS are fools in two respects:
1)no one currently commuting and, it appears, those enforcing the road laws (that is, Cops!) follow the CAR road rules...
2) there is NEVER a reason given for why cyclists SHOULD follow the road laws for CARS, although it is always the case that I hear that, SOMEHOW, behavior on a bike affects/effects differential car behavior! SHOW ME ONE STUDY in this reagrd!!
I would be happy to pass along my email correpsondence with last years President of the PPTC (a lawyer no less!) when I called on her to defend her claims that "lawful" cyclist behavior on the road will lead to better teatment from CARS...
She got hysterical! If WASH CYLE will publish our correpsondence Ill be happy to pass it along...
Posted by: not a moron | June 18, 2007 at 06:55 PM
The point is not that motorists will treat cyclists better if cyclists act like saints, it's that if you act predictably [by following most, if not all, traffic laws] you will be safer because other road users will know what to expect from you.
That's one reason I find the road safer than most multi-use trails--the average driver behaves more predictably than the average trail user.
I talked to a man recently who told me he didn't think bikes should have to obey the same laws as motor vehicles, this, after mentioning that he'd had several collisions with cars while riding his bike. He didn't seem to see a connection between the two.
The same man also said he saw no reason to obey the speed limit while driving.
Posted by: Nancy | June 18, 2007 at 07:14 PM
Danny--the Bethesda [i.e., Montgomery County MD] bike cops are just as bad. They ride on the sidewalk most of the time. A couple of weeks ago I saw a couple of them riding on Del Ray Ave in the wrong lane AT NIGHT. And, the last time I saw Bethesda bike cops riding on the road in the correct travel lane, one of the cops was weaving back and forth across the lane like a 9-year-old in a suburban cul-de-sac.
I have actually never seen a bike cop riding in a responsible manner. And, since I don't want to be beaten down or tased for no reason, I haven't bothered to confront any of these scofflaw po' bikers.
Posted by: Nancy | June 18, 2007 at 07:32 PM
I don't think it's isolated to bike cops. I've seen polcie officers in cars break the law (speed, talk on cell phones, park in fire lanes etc...) with a great deal of regularity. But - I also think it's the case of a minority that are bad apples. You just notice them more.
Posted by: washcycle | June 18, 2007 at 09:13 PM