[Creakyknees]

Very cool to see.

Undercover bike officers target unsafe drivers | WOAI: San Antonio News

"SAN ANTONIO - Undercover officers are targeting unsafe drivers in a sting operation, to enforce the city's "Safe Passing" ordinance.

The law requires vehicles to pass with three feet of space or move into another lane when approaching a cyclist, pedestrian, runner or even highway or utility workers.

Two officers geared up and rode through downtown Thursday afternoon, heading south toward Roosevelt. Officers in a marked and unmarked car closely followed, to keep an eye on the officers and watch out for drivers who weren't passing safely.

The officers patrol the streets every day, experiencing the dangers firsthand.

"It's a scary thing because they have this vehicle that's $2,000 pounds and I'm on this 20-30 pound bike. My life is in their hands," Officer Roger Zuniga said."

 

[cda 455]

That's awesome!

 

[Love Commander]

An article about cycling, the police, and traffic that gives me warm fuzzies? Is this crazy backwards day?

 

[SauronHimself]

I'm moving to San Antonio.

By the way, the author confused weight with British currency when she wrote "$2000 pounds".

 

[threebikes]

Ive never been to san antonio but if its anything like where I live a dollar a pound is about right for a car.

 

[vmps]

Ive never been to san antonio but if its anything like where I live a dollar a pound is about right for a car.

Do you have unusually heavy cars or just cheap ones?

 

[Campngolf]

Very cool. Wish they did this around here.

 

[love4himies]

Good going, San Antonio! We need cops to be doing this all over North America.

 

[Sixjours]

Crime rate must be low in San Antone

 

[Sam Brasel]

Crime rate must be low in San Antone

That conclusion would depend upon how many criminal bike-passers they catch. Whether I'm dead because of a driver cutting it too close to my bicycle or because I surprised an armed burglar in my home, either way...I'm dead.

 

[Guest]

That conclusion would depend upon how many criminal bike-passers they catch. Whether I'm dead because of a driver cutting it too close to my bicycle or because I surprised an armed burglar in my home, either way...I'm dead.

It would be interesting to be a fly in the wall the first time one of those undercover officers not only gets buzzed by a close pass but gets a beverage or other object intentionally thrown at him, only to get immediately pulled over and handed a citation for assault.

 

[gearloose]

It would be interesting to be a fly in the wall the first time one of those undercover officers not only gets buzzed by a close pass but gets a beverage or other object intentionally thrown at him, only to get immediately pulled over and handed a citation for assault.

Something like that happened to me a few months back. I got buzzed. About two blocks later, the gendarmes whiz past and light up the driver who buzzed me. I kept on pedaling with a huge smile on my face.

Hopefully, these officers will do some good and get the attention of drivers and cyclists alike.

 

[SauronHimself]

Initiatives like this give me a glimmer of hope that we can foster a culture which accepts cyclists as equals to motorists. During my naval service, I got to visit Copenhagen, Denmark where the ratio of cars to bicycles appears to be 1:1. There is a general acceptance of cyclists and a much better attitude toward them.

 

[BostonG]

We, the citizens of Mass. (forgive the abbreviation, I haven't learned how to spell the name of the State yet), cordially offer to double those officer's salaries if they do their work here.

 

[r1lee]

the officers should check out weight weenies.. 30lbs

 

[F45]

I was wondering why the cars on my morning commute were afraid to pass me. These laws are getting ridiculous.

 

[Akirasho]

... in a way, it's sad that it has to come to this... for some reason, in many areas of the country, folks just don't like sharing the road with bikes... a bus, or slow moving truck, no prob... but a bike???

On an aside, three of us were bookin' somewhere 'tween 25 to 30 on a four lane (with median) with a posted LIMIT of 40. In my honest but biased opinion, we could not have been construed as "obstructing" traffic (a clear and relatively straight stretch of road where the posted limit means "do at least 10 t0 15 MPH more as you race between stoplights) yet we could hear vehicles approach from the rear and be unable to use their steering wheel to use the passing lane (too busy laying on the horn). Suddenly, from behind, we hear a cop using his PA in a cruiser warning the drivers to back off... YAY!!!!

 

[TrojanHorse]

Initiatives like this give me a glimmer of hope that we can foster a culture which accepts cyclists as equals to motorists. During my naval service, I got to visit Copenhagen, Denmark where the ratio of cars to bicycles appears to be 1:1. There is a general acceptance of cyclists and a much better attitude toward them.

I used to live in Denmark... the fix is easy. Make cars so bloody expensive that people HAVE to ride bikes and use public transportation.

If I recall, they also had a ton of bike lanes that were curbed & separated from both the street and the sidewalks.

 

[RRRoubaix]

I used to live in Denmark... the fix is easy. Make cars so bloody expensive that people HAVE to ride bikes and use public transportation.

If I recall, they also had a ton of bike lanes that were curbed & separated from both the street and the sidewalks.

And do what they've done in other European cities- make driving inside the city limits such a pain in the arse that it encourages "alternative transportation".

 

[RRRoubaix]

I'm moving to San Antonio.

By the way, the author confused weight with British currency when she wrote "$2000 pounds".

Regardless- the average weight of cars nowdays is a HELLUVA lot more than 2000 lbs!
More like 3500- 4000 lbs. And add 1000- 2000 lbs for SUV's and trucks.