Tucson Bike Lawyer

Archive for October, 2007

One arrest at Tucson Community Bike Ride

Like Elizabeth, who posted below, I was at the ride last night. I drew the same conclusions she did but she was toward the front of the ride, and I near the back, so we saw some different things.
For example, I got to see local bike-celebrity Varo arrested, and his beautiful tall bike tossed [...]

Did you get a ticket yesterday?

Thanks in large part to the misguided efforts of the Tucson Bicycle Advisory Council, the police are now aggressively ticketing cyclists who roll through stop signs without coming to a complete stop. They say they have committed the resources to do this two hours per week, mainly in the University area, with six officers, [...]

Police Presence Causes More Danger for Everyone

Last night at the Community Bike Ride it was announced that we would have the Tucson Police Department riding with us to ensure safety and additional protection on the road. In response to this news over 200 riders clapped and rang their bells. A friend turned to me and said, “If they [...]

"Get into the road!"

By law a bicycle is considered a vehicle, and should be ridden on the road as should other vehicles.
Arizona statute 28-812, Applicability of traffic laws to bicycle riders, says this:A person riding a bicycle on a roadway or on a shoulder adjoining a roadway is granted all of the rights and is subject to all [...]

Twenty percent of pedestrian deaths from hit and run drivers

According to this article anyway, which I came across while researching this case about a man accused of killing a 33 year-old bicyclist in a hit and run. It is unusual that such people are apprehended.
But one more data point to confirm my own biggest fear when riding my bike: being struck from behind.
-Erik [...]

City council meeting tonight–I’ll be there

I’ve spent about year now being frustrated by the Tucson Police Department’s record retention policies.
If you get attacked by a motorist and you call the police, the officer will create two documents. The first is a “police report,” which is a simple form that will include the date, your name, and that you [...]

An old forgotten safety tip . . .

A client of mine inadvertently reminded me of this yesterday here in my office. Write your name, health insurance plan, allergies, and emergency contact information inside your helmet. I knew that but when I flipped my helmet around I realized I have not done it in years.
Of course, a more important [...]

Tucson Police Department says it will increase tickets given to bicyclists — mainly in University area

At the depressing Bike Advisory Council meeting last Wednesday (more on that later) Mike Pryor of the Tucson Police Department stated that beginning quite soon there would be a two-hour period each week where six TPD officers will be focusing only on bicycle violations. Apparently most of this stepped-up enforcement will occur near the [...]

Here’s a new one

I obtained a police report recently for one of those extremely rare cases where a ticket is given to a driver for a violation of the “three foot rule,” A.R.S. Sec. 28-735. These citations are almost never given out except in cases where a driver has struck and killed or seriously injured the cyclist. [...]

More nastiness from our adoring public . . .

The Arizona Daily Star has an article today about Critical Mass. When I checked it earlier today there were over 100 comments posted to the on-line version, and boy were they unsympathetic to bicyclists! Be careful out there . . .
–Erik Ryberg