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Group pulled over by police

4K views 36 replies 29 participants last post by  Camilo 
#1 ·
I heard from my cousin who was out on a group ride yesterday evening. There were four riders, riding 2 abreast one group behind the other. They heard a car coming up from behind so they moved into a single line to the right. They waved the driver on but it ended up being a cop and he said to pull over. He then got after them for riding two abreast. One of the riders used to always carry a copy of the bicycling laws for Texas(it happened in Grey Forest just NW of San Antonio) and showed it to any police that incorrectly pulled cyclists over, however he didn't have it with him at the time. My cousin didn't hear what the policeman said as she wasn't close enough to the person he was talking to. This is a road that has lots of cyclists going down it and from what I've heard he also likes passing out tickets for running the one stop sign there as well.

So how many of you get pulled over by the police and told your doing something wrong when you know in fact it's all correct according to the law?
 
#3 ·
BikeRider said:
So how many of you get pulled over by the police and told your doing something wrong when you know in fact it's all correct according to the law?
I've been lucky, the cops around here usually are pretty knowledgeable about bike laws.

Except, the other night I was driving home, about 9:30, it's starting to darken, and I see one of my village's bike cops riding the Police Cannondale down our shady street, no helmet, no lights on; in his dark blues at dusk, he was all but invisible. And this guy is a bike cop. I suppose I should call his supervisor, remind him that his patrolman was riding during the most deadly hours for unlighted bikers.
 
#4 ·
I was doing one of the Pungo Death Rides in Virginia Beach and we were pulled over for riding two abreast on Princess Anne Road. We just got a stern talking to and luckily no one smarted off to the cop. We were in the wrong and got caught. He said he wouldn't have pulled us over if we hadn't been on a busy road.
 
#8 ·
So are 80% of drivers.
People ride their bikes, like they drive their cars.

The majority of cops know squat about laws that pertain to cyclists. Same could be said about cyclists. Most drivers know even less.
 
#9 ·
Did you ever notice how many drivers make a complete stop when they are making a right turn, and the road is clear?..........very few.
Have you noticed how few drivers use their turn signals anymore?......less and less every year.

Both sides are at fault.
 
#11 ·
How many drivers exceed the posted speed limit?
 
#12 ·
edhchoe said:
Whether I am driving my car or riding my bike, I try to be as inconspicuous as possible.
...by dressing up like a power ranger. :p i keed i keed.

I thought for sure this thread would have been about a pack of riders running reds and such. That really sucks.
 
#15 ·
bigbill said:
I was doing one of the Pungo Death Rides in Virginia Beach and we were pulled over for riding two abreast on Princess Anne Road. We just got a stern talking to and luckily no one smarted off to the cop. We were in the wrong and got caught. He said he wouldn't have pulled us over if we hadn't been on a busy road.

One of the groups out there get stopped a couple of times every summer. No tickets just stern talking. I wish they would issue tickets to some of the knuckle-heads.
 
#17 ·
Actually I only threw in the bit about this cop getting cyclists at a stop sign to show that he seems to be after cyclists. Of course everybody knows it's against the law to run them. For myself, if there's no other traffic around I run them.

This particular ride also starts at 6pm and is really past the peak traffic time for that road, not usually much traffic at other times of the day. I live on the other side of the city and don't get down that road very often but it seems to me that the areas that have the most cyclists also have the most trouble with traffic in general.

My cousin has always seen the police being out as a good thing to keep traffic in line. I'll now have to tell her that when "the police are out there looking out for her" that this has taken on a new meaning...
 
#18 ·
I've seen too many. .

bigbill said:
I was doing one of the Pungo Death Rides in Virginia Beach and we were pulled over for riding two abreast on Princess Anne Road.
Jackass cyclists in huge groups riding two, sometimes three abreast in Pungo/Chesapeake area, and they are giving cyclist like me (I always ride alone) a bad name, and it pisses me off. Why do these idiots have to ride in groups anyway?
 
#20 ·
BikeRider said:
My cousin has always seen the police being out as a good thing to keep traffic in line. I'll now have to tell her that when "the police are out there looking out for her" that this has taken on a new meaning...
I'm not convinced that the cops are 'looking for' cyclists. The fact is, being a flashily (word?) dressed minority, we're more easily noticed , and riding two abreast (I said breast), we could be perceived as holding up the normal flow of traffic. You could go all Critical Mass and say that we are traffic (and we are), but the fact is, most people don't see us as traffic. They see us as a hinderance to traffic.

Like minorities in many areas, we feel we are persecuted. The man has a different opinion, and even though waving the local statutes may prove us right(eous), it's probably not going to stop the constabulary from hassling us.

Those of you who are hassled by 'The Man' regularly need to find a sympathetic reporter, cop or lawyer to complain to.
 
#21 ·
bigbill said:
I was doing one of the Pungo Death Rides in Virginia Beach and we were pulled over for riding two abreast on Princess Anne Road. We just got a stern talking to and luckily no one smarted off to the cop. We were in the wrong and got caught. He said he wouldn't have pulled us over if we hadn't been on a busy road.
You weren't in the wrong. Riding two abreast is perfectly legal in VA, as of about 3 years ago.

You might write a letter to your police chief.

VA Beach is by far the least bicycling-friendly city in VA. Ignorance abounds, along with a healthy dose of attitude.
 
#22 ·
QQUIKM3 said:
Jackass cyclists in huge groups riding two, sometimes three abreast in Pungo/Chesapeake area, and they are giving cyclist like me (I always ride alone) a bad name, and it pisses me off. Why do these idiots have to ride in groups anyway?
I suppose you don't do group training rides.
I think critical mass type rides do more harm...
 
#23 ·
murbike said:
I'm not convinced that the cops are 'looking for' cyclists. The fact is, being a flashily (word?) dressed minority, we're more easily noticed , and riding two abreast (I said breast), we could be perceived as holding up the normal flow of traffic. You could go all Critical Mass and say that we are traffic (and we are), but the fact is, most people don't see us as traffic. They see us as a hinderance to traffic.
CM usually are a hindrance to traffic, not riding legally or safely. They do us no good.

By law we're vehicles on the road like any other, with the same rights.

Like minorities in many areas, we feel we are persecuted. The man has a different opinion, and even though waving the local statutes may prove us right(eous), it's probably not going to stop the constabulary from hassling us.

Those of you who are hassled by 'The Man' regularly need to find a sympathetic reporter, cop or lawyer to complain to.
Appeal to your city council, or police commission if you have one, explaining the law and how you're concerned the police aren't following it or enforcing it correctly. An email copied to all your council, mayor, and police chief will make them aware of the situation. If you get no resonse, follow up by speaking at a council meeting. All politely of course. Let them respond and take steps before speaking publicly though.

I've found this to be pretty effective. Usually the problem is lack of knowledge. Most police officers want to a good job following and enforcing the law, and most police chiefs are far more reasonable than one might imagine.
 
#25 ·
MR_GRUMPY said:
Did you ever notice how many drivers make a complete stop when they are making a right turn, and the road is clear?..........very few.
Have you noticed how few drivers use their turn signals anymore?......less and less every year.

Both sides are at fault.
and I curse each and every one of em'..... It's impossible to know someones
intentions when the cues normally associated with following the rules (obeying the law)
are absent or abbreviated. I have issues.:mad2:
 
#26 ·
He was not riding in VA

mattotoole said:
You weren't in the wrong. Riding two abreast is perfectly legal in VA, as of about 3 years ago.

You might write a letter to your police chief.

VA Beach is by far the least bicycling-friendly city in VA. Ignorance abounds, along with a healthy dose of attitude.

He was riding in TEXAS, and if you read the Texas vehicle code as it applies to bicycles, it is a violation to ride two abreast...
 
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