Is $270 A Reasonable Fine For Bicycling Through Red Light?

[PamNY]

It's sad there is so much hate. We didn't even have that towards the truck that crushed a woman cyclist here this week.

It's not sad if you think of it as part of the transition from cycling being a renegade, slightly outlaw culture to a part of normal, everyday life.

Cyclists have to grow up. It's time to stop whining about being singled out, and time to stop pointing out something a driver did every time the subject of safe cycling comes up.

When New York's stringent anti-smoking laws came into effect, a lot of smokers pointed out that it's ridiculous to forbid smoking when we are all being choked by fumes from cars, and anti-idling laws are never enforced . I wonder how many cyclists would agree with that logic?

As far as Central Park, which was the original subject of this thread, everyone who uses the park feels picked on by any form of law enforcement. There is outrage over tripods being forbidden on the lawns, over euthanasia of rabid raccoons, over the hawks' favorite tree being cut down due to disease. It's always something.

One of our bird photographers zealously documents illegal drug use in Central Park. It's quite funny. I wonder what Holden Caulfield would make of the whole thing.

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