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

[PamNY]

According to the NY Post, a cyclist was ticketed for riding with a tote bag on her handlebars.

I hope we eventually get a breakdown of infractions for which cyclists are being cited. It's predictable that a certain amount of silly tickets are being written, and that those are getting publicity. Right now, I have only anecdotal information so there's no way to know how many cyclists who should be ticketed -- like wrong-way riders -- are being cited.

[PamNY]

Robin Williams was stopped for cycling on the sidewalk, but got off with a warning.

Back to the original topic, I was surprised to see quite a few cyclists going through red lights in Central Park yesterday afternoon. I waited through several light changes at 81 St. (west side) and no one stopped.

It was a mixed group of "types" of cyclists -- a few were on marked rental bikes, but most of them weren't.

[ccnyc]

Riverside Drive is the main cycling route to/from the GWB/Manhattan.
From a member of my cycle club:
"I was approaching 165 on Riverside about to turn right to climb the hill when I noticed a police car on the triangle there where the parallel road comes into a v at the light. I slowed way down, looked all around, no cars, green light...so I proceeded thru the light, turning right and began climbing the hill all the way on the right hand side... Half way I up was pulled over. What on earth could be the proble ??? Failure to signal a right hand turn! $130. Honestly! I kid u not! I will be fighting this on principal!"
http://www.nycc.org/message-board/ti...d-signal/51052

[ny biker]

Cops park in bike lane while eating Papa John's pizza.

http://bit.ly/jg697L

More important: Papa John's pizza in NYC? Now *that* should be illegal.

[PamNY]

More important: Papa John's pizza in NYC? Now *that* should be illegal.

Seriously. I had a friend who almost moved out when his roommate ordered from Domino's.

In other news, a scooter cop was parked at Chambers St. and the greenway yesterday. Based on his location, I would guess he was watching cyclists, not cars.

It was especially comical given how cars behave at the West Side Highway crossings. Maybe not as much of a travesty as the Central Park transverses, but close.

[PamNY]

NYPD eases up on cyclists in Central Park. I hope they continue to ticket cyclists who buzz pedestrians.

http://www.dnainfo.com/20110518/uppe...ver-say-police