To serve, protect and very nearly kill...

I don't know about anywhere else, but in Vienna there are a ton of one way streets and almost as many exceptions for cyclists. It's a stupid rule but it makes taking the bike much faster in the city.

So I went against one of those one way streets. It was super early and no cars were around. I was approaching a crossing and just as I put my finger on the brake a police car comes screaming round the corner almost running me over. I pulled the brakes and if my reaction time were worse, I'd be trying to find wifi in the hospital now.

And the best part is: The copper gets out of his car and starts yelling at me about how he could've killed me and that this is a one-way street (he probably meant a one-way street without bike exceptions) and that he wants my name and address and he's writing me a ticket for reckless driving.
At that moment, I was doubting myself. Is this really a bike exception road or did I not look at the signs? Was this really my fault? But as he starts taking out his notepad, I squint to see the road sign and it clearly states "one-way except bikes". So I start, very calmly, to tell the officer to stop writing because this was not my fault. He would've had to slow down and take the corner at a safer speed.
He starts yelling again about being defiant and what not and that I need to be careful or he will up the fine for defying an officer...etc.
So I tell him about the sign and that I'm well within my right to drive here and that it was his fault.
When he saw that I was right, he just got into his car and sped off without another word.

Isn't it heartwarming to know that our friends and helpers are doing such a great job at "protecting" us from harm...

Call/write the chief of police. That behavior is NOT ok, but I would bet he is the exception, not the rule.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by finnporter

Isn't it heartwarming to know that our friends and helpers are doing such a great job at "protecting" us from harm...

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Most of them are. One day while driving on a one way street I heard sirens behind me. It was a 3 lane street, I was in the left lane to take a left a few blocks ahead. Hearing the sirens I pulled over but signaled and pulled to the left. That being the closest curb.

The police man stopped his chase, pulled in back of me, strode up and while not yelling at me was quite firm. Regardless of where you are on the road they want you to signal and pull of to the right. "How do people pass? They pass on the left! So what direction do we pull over towards? You pull off to the right!" he sternly said.

I didn't disagree. I imagine with sirens blaring the adrenalin is running. Who knows what he's heading towards and to have a shock from a driver was not good.

Yes, it was right of you to point that out. In the heat of the moment he probably did not check that. And by your pointing out the exception that helps other riders and may make him more careful in the future. :)

Can't really report him, Blueberry, because I don't think they'll be able to identify him by "that one cop that was in that street at approximately that time on that day". I wasn't quick enough to catch his license plate.

And Trek, I can't believe the cop stopped mid pursuit, sirens and all, to tell you to pull over to the right! What sort of emergency call was he on? Cat in a tree? I mean, how does he have the time to stop when he clearly needs to be taking care of more urgent business elsewhere. Cops are crazy sometimes.

ok, it is a possible solution. From point of view and from signal processing, there is no difference, but the team is investigating this point... maybe more news in few weeks