arrested for cycling on the sidewalk: NY

[Biciclista]

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories..._scofflaw.html

He’s arrested for riding on sidewalk!
By Mike McLaughlin
The Brooklyn Paper


Is this Clinton Hill biker an unrepentant menace or a cautious father protecting his child from maniac drivers?

Well, on the mean streets of Brooklyn, he’s both.


Steven Walcott spent a night in jail last Friday after an officer ticketed him for cycling on the sidewalk near the corner of Classon and Greene avenues — and then discovered that the two-wheeling dad had an outstanding warrant for the same offense dating back several years.

“I told the officer I have to ride on the sidewalk because people drive like animals in the streets. They’re going to kill me or my son,” Walcott told The Brooklyn Paper.

At the time of his arrest, Walcott was alone on his bike and en route to pick up his son from school.

According to his account, Walcott spent several hours at the 88th Precinct stationhouse before being remanded to the infamous Tombs in Manhattan.

He didn’t appear before a judge until Saturday afternoon.

Walcott said the judge dismissed both citations against him as long as he doesn’t run afoul of the law in the next 60 days.

He vowed that he would do just that.

“I’m not going to stop,” the recalcitrant cyclist said. “What am I supposed to do? Duel it out with those maniacs and the trucks?”

His experience puts him in the crosshairs in the battle for the control of the city’s streets and sidewalks. It’s common to see scofflaws like him pedaling illegally on sidewalks with children strapped into kid seats.

Even though the first ticket did not discourage him from biking on walkways. Walcott could have spared himself the ordeal of a night in the slammer by simply paying the fine, an option that didn’t appeal to him either.

“I know you’re supposed to go to court, but you get scheduled for a whole day. I didn’t have the time,” he groused.

“Besides, people shouldn’t get summonses for this.”

[Cataboo]

I like the video that the article linked to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVzY6MtAAkQ

[tulip]

I got stopped for riding on the sidewalk in Paris last year. I put on my worst American accent (when I speak French, I hardly have an accent so I'm told) and showed my American passport and acted clueless. They let me off with a warning. If they had known I was French, they'd have fined my several hundred euros, no doubt. But I don't think they would have put me in jail!

[Tuckervill]

I like the video that the article linked to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVzY6MtAAkQ

What the heck!? It knew how to work the throttle!!! And wait for traffic!! How cool is that?

I was a little freaked out by the traffic going in both directions in the same lane! lol.

Karen

[Zen]

That monkey feels the need for speed
Gotta love a monkey.

But Mr. Busyman? Not so much.

[tctrek]

I like the video that the article linked to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVzY6MtAAkQ

That monkey rocks! He's a little Evil Kinevil.