Comments on Bicyclist Ticketed for Going through Red Light

  • by
  • Views: 3,862
  • Posted in Biking in Baltimore
I support the police officer who ticketed the bicyclist for going through a red light on University Pkwy. Bicyclists have both the rights and DUTIES of a motor vehicle driver. If motorists and bicyclists choose which laws to obey and which ones to disobey; travelling by bike, foot, or car becomes more dangerous.

I disagree with the cyclist who compares cycling to jogging and feels that by keeping far right cyclists earn special proviledges, like being allowed to run red lights. Cyclists are vehicles , though pedestrians should also wait for the green light to cross. In addition, one should only ride as far right as safe and reasonable. Riding too far right can increase the chance of a right turning motorist cutting you off, as was the case in the fatal accident of John Yates, who was killed by a right turning truck on Md Ave at Lafayette. His riding next to the curb on SB Md Ave left him no room for escape.

Finally, if you are wrong then you should admit it and listen to the officer's constructive criticism. The officer is just doing his job. The police take a lot of abuse and deserve respect. If the officer is wrong (e.g. - ordering you to ride in a right turn only lane when going straight), then you have a right to politely stand up for your rights, even if it means a ticket. In this case, the officer was correct.. Now, if the officer will follow through by stopping motorists who pass cyclists too closely or fail to yield, then the police will be helping to make cycling safer.
  • Currently 0.00/5
Rating: 0.00/5 (0 votes cast)

Share It!

Story Options

  • Comments on Bicyclist Ticketed for Going through Red Light
  • 9 comments
Login required to comment
Dude, Would you like to bike to East Baltimore to the JHMI campus? Once you get beaten up punks with rubber bullets/ fists/ rocks that I have been for the last 5 years - you will understand why some of us dont stop at red lights.......
To Ali, I feel your pain. I live near Woodlawn in the county, and I commute on my bike back/forth very frequently across there and the inner harbor. I have been near-mugged (and have been knocked off my bike) so many times on various routes across West Baltimore that I simply put my bike onto a bus rack if it's dark when I have to go home. It's a huge drag for me (I HATE riding the bus), but there's no way I could ride "legally" if I had to ride through certain sections of Baltimore at night. That being said, I think the problem of dangerous is an exceptional and localized one; on the whole, I think it's actually a good thing to see rules of the road being enforced on cyclists. I see a lot of people on bicycles (including, occasionally, my absent-minded self) doing stupid and illegal things that I think only contribute negatively to friction between motorists and cyclists.
Baltimore needs an annual naked bike ride.....
ALI. Dude, chill, come on 5 or 6 times you've been either shot with rubber bullets, hit with rocks, and fists, You must be very lucky to still be alive. Be happy you are. Remember to watch out for cars and police when you run red lights. I also bike the east side, and so far I have not had a problem. Used to ride in a rougher west Baltimore area, and again no problems. You must just attract violence, maybe its Karma.
Yo homies. My general view on the red light situation is this : If you do it, and nobody sees you, and you don' inconvenience or scare or hurt anyone, good for you. I hope you had a good ride. If you do it, and you cut off a pedestrian or make a pedestrian feel really uncomfortable, that's shitty. If you run a red light and get pulled over and ticketed, it's all in the game of being a scofflaw and you might as well pay that ticket. If you park in a bike lane, you're an asshole.
hang in there man. its bound to happen. Its not a question of if but when. and when it happens, you can lament here, we will give you a shoulder to cry.....
> Bicyclists have both the rights and DUTIES of a motor vehicle driver. I feel that there are some mutual agreements between bikers and cars that might alter these rights and duties. For instance, on my bike, I don't take up an entire lane for myself by riding in the middle of one, even if I'm going a few miles an hour under the speed limit (ie 20mph in a 25 mph zone). As a vehicle, I should have the right to my own lane, but it's not something that happens in the real world. > I disagree with the cyclist who compares cycling to jogging and feels that by keeping far right cyclists earn special proviledges, like being allowed to run red lights. I treat cycling as exercise for me, so I do compare cycling to running. I don't bike for transportation or to get from point A to point B; I walk to school, work, and grocery stores and occasionally drive if it's too far of a walk.
baltimore needs 1. 3 feet distance law 2. elimination of the right turn on red 3. stricter penalties for drivers harassing cyclists 4. safety for cyclists from east baltimore punks (more cameras, patrols etc) 5. bike lanes before they can seriously expect us to follow traffic laws intended for cars.