I'm not really a biking policy wonk. It's a way I differ from advocates. I just want to get from where I'm going to where I'm going - safely. A few places, there're bike lanes/paths, most places there're pure roads (really wide bike lanes). Tomorrow morning, I'm going to pay a friendly visit to the Fort Worth Police Alliance Airport Substation - on "Bike to Work" day. How ironic...
Today, riding home from work, for the first time in my 54 years, I got pulled over while on a bicycle. It was on Westport - the only really viable way out of Alliance Airport to the east unless you ride on Interstate 35W. The FW Policeman turned on his lights and ordered me to get to the right. I yelled back that the lane was too narrow to share - mistake - never say much other than "yes sir" to a policeman. I was in a quandry since the road's got no place decent to pull off. Pretty quickly, the siren came on and I decided the grass was OK. The cop told me my earphones are illegal (they're not). I corrected my previous mistake and took the "yes sir approach" since the cop was still on the road (no place HE could pull off) and traffic was rapidly stacking up behind him. I did mentally note that not a single motorist was inclined to cross the double yellow to pass a cop that'd just pulled over an uppity cyclist - and that was about as far as my scientific investigation tendencies went at that time.
Today, riding home from work, for the first time in my 54 years, I got pulled over while on a bicycle. It was on Westport - the only really viable way out of Alliance Airport to the east unless you ride on Interstate 35W. The FW Policeman turned on his lights and ordered me to get to the right. I yelled back that the lane was too narrow to share - mistake - never say much other than "yes sir" to a policeman. I was in a quandry since the road's got no place decent to pull off. Pretty quickly, the siren came on and I decided the grass was OK. The cop told me my earphones are illegal (they're not). I corrected my previous mistake and took the "yes sir approach" since the cop was still on the road (no place HE could pull off) and traffic was rapidly stacking up behind him. I did mentally note that not a single motorist was inclined to cross the double yellow to pass a cop that'd just pulled over an uppity cyclist - and that was about as far as my scientific investigation tendencies went at that time.
For what it was worth, at least six motor vehicles stacked up (it was a light traffic day) while the cop was talking to me about earphones to me off in the grass. One part of me just said "let's just get this over" and the other, impish part said "let's continue the discussion to see just how much of a traffic snarl this parody will produce." I think the smarter part won out. Maybe it was counting illegal passes that helped avoid escalation - and added irritation about cyclists on the road.
To keep this post from getting even more lengthy, the question is: when I go to the Fort Worth Police Station tomorrow morning (it's directly on the way to work), what should I say to make the point without making authoritative enemies?
Happy "Bike to Work Day! Get the (expletive deleted) off the road!"
I'll check any comments before leaving for work tomorrow morning. Contrary to my typical commute, I'll cover the whole drill - spandex, helmet, shorts, and all. Crimeny, I'll even stuff the earphones into my back pocket for the march into the station with "Buddy." I'm pissed...
No, I didn't get a ticket, but I also do not want to repeat the experience of Fred dot U on Commute Orlando.
I'll check any comments before leaving for work tomorrow morning. Contrary to my typical commute, I'll cover the whole drill - spandex, helmet, shorts, and all. Crimeny, I'll even stuff the earphones into my back pocket for the march into the station with "Buddy." I'm pissed...
No, I didn't get a ticket, but I also do not want to repeat the experience of Fred dot U on Commute Orlando.
9 comments:
Take the statute. Highlight the substandard lane exception.
Among the documents Fred provided to his lawyer is an illustration of why cyclists need to ride farther left.
If you don't have it already, here's a link:
Passing Clearance IllustrationGood luck!
Thanks. Good info & graphic. I'll print that off before I take off tomorrow. BTW, I plan to take my tape measure along with me tomorrow & make a detour back up Westport (normally, I only ride Westport on the way home due to to the pathetic surface conditions).
I'd prefer to avoid the lawyer thing...
PS: The picture was inspired by Lisa B, albeit via several mutations and by virtue of added lessons learned, along with a few "maybe I'll need this before longs"...
I will NOT mention to the police that all of the passes in Keri's graphic are illegal in Texas since they cross the double yellow...
So he first demands that you ride in his preferred lane position rather than your prefrence. Then he makes up a law that you can't wear headphones?
I would ask them to produce the statute that prohibits you from wearing headphones. I would also ask them where in the lane the law says you must ride.
Ask these things as a seeker of truth, but accept nothing less than the actual statute. In their attempts to answer you, they will be educated. (You must at all times seem to be the student.)
Recommend letter to the "Chief" or "Supervisor" of the Patrolman will help document and externalize your view calmly. Most law enforcment offices must reply in writing to questions or concerns.
This was a verbal warning, not citation, correct? Keep ahead of the game, don't be contemptuous, stay calm, respect will go further no matter if you are totally right. Keep cool, things can spin out control, i.e. http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2009/04/22/the-right-to-disobey-cops/
Also review this reply: http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2009/04/29/a-cop-responds/
Now that you have left for work, I'll relate a pull-over by a cop that makes me angry even today.
I was traveling east on Beltline near DeSoto about here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=beltline,+desoto,+texas&sourceid=ie7&oe=utf8&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=32.591081,-96.865511&spn=0,359.912453&t=h&z=14&layer=c&cbll=32.589787,-96.868879&panoid=HRi_3QQU1aj0Yqfgcru6Yw&cbp=12,90,,0,5
Traffic was light and was having no difficulties going around me in the left lane.
A police officer flashed his lights and siren directly behind me, so i dutifully pulled into the gutter and put my foot down for a traffic stop.
Instead, he motored past me in the lane and turned right about a quarter mile ahead. He abused his authority to compel me to stop to enforce his imaginary law.
I resolved to never pull off to the right during a traffic stop. Just as in your example, had he pulled me over, he would have had to block the lane. In the future, I will just stop in the lane in front of him.
Also, when I am stopped for imaginary laws, I just say "Could you just write me a ticket so I can be on my way?"
Citing an imaginary law would be a neat trick, don't you think?
Also Steve, I searched and multiple sources have confirmed that there is no headphone law in Texas.
Headphone Law - Just to be safe, I also searched the Fort Worth Ordinances. I hadn't checked those before. Nothing on the subject...
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