Is TPD stepping up enforcement?
I’ve been getting a lot questions about this email, which is making the bicycle-internet rounds:
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 12:34:58 PM
Subject: police man asked me to spread the wordHi y’all. I was pulled over (for no reason) this morning coming back from Gate’s Pass. Motorcycle cop asked me to “tell my friends” that TPD has been given a directive to raise revenue by citing cyclists for minor infractions. He specifically noted a cyclist speed trap on A-Mountain. A fellow cyclist mentioned to be after the cop let me go that he and a friend just got a ticket for not putting BOTH FEET down at a red light. Being stopped was not enough apparently. That sounds odd to me, but if cops are warning me that they have been told to be vigorous enforcers of traffic law, perhaps it is true. The cop also told me, “I am letting you know because I don’t want to be the bad guy.” I was not cited or warned for anything. This guy was literally just embarrassed about his new job description and was doing his best attempt at civil disobedience.
Eric Post, the other Tucson Bike Lawyer, has sent an inquiry to TPD’s Paul Tosca asking to verify this. We haven’t heard back.
Has anyone been ticketed on A-Mountain? I’d like to hear about it if so.
And no, you do not need to put both feet down to have come to a stop. The problem is, it’s pretty much up to the cop to decide whether you did or did not stop. If he thinks you didn’t, then as far as the law is concerned, you probably didn’t (absent independent video footage of the event or something of that nature). Given my past experiences and the glee that some officers take in citing bicyclists, I always put a foot down if a cop is at an intersection.
–Erik Ryberg
July 16th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Don’t count on hearing anything meaningful from Paul Tosca. That duchebag doesn’t tell anything to anyone.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
A few of us were riding up “A” mountain early Wednesday morning when a couple of friendly TPD bicycle police fell in beside us and explained that because of resident complaints TPD was setting up a speed trap for cyclists taking the descent too fast.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
One of the riders in our group was pulled aside by a motorcycle officer this morning and told the exact same thing as Art G.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:24 am
I would like to see TPD blitz the media–television, radio, and the paper stating that that they will be strictly enforcing the 3 feet safe passing law when car drivers pass cyclists. That would get the attention of the Haters I have to deal with on my commute to work in the mornings—-that handful that think they’re gonna to teach me a lesson about sharing the road by passing as close as they can without hitting me.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
[...] summer concerts in LA, LB, CC, SM and Pasadena. Is it an Arizona urban myth or are Tucson police counting on cyclists to fill city coffers? A New Hampshire woman is about to be released after 15 years for intentionally killing a cyclist. [...]
July 19th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
“putting BOTH FEET down at a red light” … i’m assuming this is a mistaken reference to a stop sign, rather than a red light ???