Cop yelled at me for taking the lane

[tzvia]

You are doing what you feel is right and safe and that cop is just plain wrong. In my neighborhood (in the Santa Monica Mtns) all the fun rides are on narrow hills where you can't see far around the turns. I always worry that some idiot will just barrel around the curves (and yes they do that) and not see me if I am off to the side. And frankly it's narrow so the side is not out of the lane so I always take the lane at stops. I don't care if people flip me off as I look carefully before crossing; I'm trying to save my behind here. A cop should know better. Vent away.

[OakLeaf]

Years ago when I commuted in urban traffic, there was a cop that yelled at me every single day for not being in the right side of the right-turn lane when I was going straight. Sorry to the cops here, but IME most of them are as clueless about the law - and about traffic safety for non-motorized vehicles - as your average layperson.

[Biciclista]

just because they are traffic cops doesn't mean they understand bike rules of safety even if it's in your driving manual. Sadly, that gives you a clue as to how clueless the general population might be if even the "experts" are confused.

[kenyonchris]

Years ago when I commuted in urban traffic, there was a cop that yelled at me every single day for not being in the right side of the right-turn lane when I was going straight. Sorry to the cops here, but IME most of them are as clueless about the law - and about traffic safety for non-motorized vehicles - as your average layperson.

Depends what city you are in, but you are in pretty dangerous water when you say "most of" anyone, then generalize like that.

There is a VERY easy way to deal with this particular officer. Complain. You don't have to be rude or nasty about it, just go up to the PD and speak with a supervisor. Tell him what happened. The supervisor's JOB is to handle stuff like this.

I PROMISE it will work out better for everyone, rather than handing out cards with information to them (that's funny) to officers, sitting around complaining about them, or whatever. Just get their name and point the issue out to the supervisor. I bet that puts an end to it.

Boy, there has been a lot of complaining about cops recently. Cops, just like everyone else, are far from perfect. There are a lot that abuse their authority, there are corrupt ones, there are stupid ones, arrogant ones. There are cops that are so sick of dealing with stupid people that they can't see that the majority of people are NOT stupid. People dwell on all this, but no one calls 911 and says, "Yeah, hey, someone with a large butcher knife is trying to break into my house. Yeah, yeah. He looks like Rambo. Oh, and by the way, could you send anyone but that guy who doesn't know the bike laws? Yeah. Anyone else would be good."