A ticket at Hains Point

I’d be willing to bet that the cost of the infraction is less than the marginal cost of having the officer issue the ticket.

The overly-zealous NPP enforcement at HP has made me much less likely to ride there lately.

@Bill on Capitol Hill 82913 wrote:

Around 10 Friday night, at a stop sign that doesn’t control any traffic at that point (cross street is closed after dark), a Park Police officer decided to make an example of a middle-aged guy on a Bikeshare bike. He ignored a pickup truck that rolled through, then pulled me over as I, in slow Bikeshare-bike fashion, passed right behind (and even had fled to the sidewalk because I heard an engine behind me).

Even lectured me for not signaling my only-turn-one-could-possibly-make turn to the non-traffic.

Watch the video from my helmet cam here.

A friend of mine got a ticket (for speeding and failing to signal) on HP last year. The ticket itself was legally deficient (cited the wrong places in the DC code, charged the wrong fine: oh, right, you’re not required by law to signal on a bike). In his case, my friend did not violate any laws (his Garmin was on, and he was going 19mph). But he didn’t even have to argue the facts, since the ticket was deficient on its face, it was thrown out.

Thanks for letting us know it happened. Shows what a waste this silly Street Smart campaign is. Sorry it had to happen to you though.

@Tim Kelley 82949 wrote:

Just to clarify–I don’t think Parks is part of the Street Smart, that’s more of a local thing. See the members section at the bottom: http://bestreetsmart.net/index2.php

But if you do think that Street Smart is ineffective and a waste, please let them the Council of Governments know. Perhaps something along the lines of the PAL Campaign would better serve the area?

Good point. Though I think something along the lines of “if you choose to operate a multi-ton vehicle with a powerful motor, you have a heightened responsibility to operate such vehicle in a responsible safe way.”

I am really sick of the whole “everyone has an equal role to play here”. We don’t. Drivers of cars are augmenting the power they have on their own, and with that comes more responsibility. Similarly, I think cyclists are augmenting their own power, so should be more responsible than pedestrians. Though the gap in power between cyclists and pedestrians is nothing compared to the chasm between drivers and the rest of us. Moreover, those in cars surround themselves in lots of safety equipment, decreasing their personal incentive to play safely with others. The law should work to put a thumb on this great imbalance by favoring the vulnerable road user.

I’ve always wondered what would happen if I told the officer I had no ID? After all, one does not need a license to ride a bike, nor are citizens required to carry credentials with them as they go about their business. It is not illegal for me to walk or bike down my street without my wallet.

Has anyone had this experience: being stopped by a police officer without identification? What happens?

@Steve O 83057 wrote:

Has anyone had this experience: being stopped by a police officer without identification? What happens?

They will ask who you are, and then run your name and address to confirm your identity and for any further info they want until they are satisfied you aren’t lying to them.

/ex-skateboarder.

(I also once witnessed a few cops put a 13 year old friend in the hospital for refusing to ID himself to them).

I’m rather alarmed the cop thinks cyclists are required to signal which I always presumed was not the case. I try to signal whenever possible but sometimes I need to keep both hands on the bars or brakes so signalling just isn’t feasible.

And why didn’t he go after the truck?! That is a far greater menace to society.

The NPS police should be enforcing the speed limits where there are crosswalks on the GW Parkway. Now there is some real danger. 😡