Beware the US Park Police on Haines Point

[JorgeGortex]

This from a friend who received a warning from one yesterday:

“Yup, the Park Police are out again at Hains Point, giving tickets to cyclists who don’t stop at a particular stop sign. Knowing they were there, I approached the stop sign, deliberately stopped, watched another cyclist futz with his 1960s leather pedal straps, watched the double-car tour bus turn onto the street I was on, and went on my way. And the cop totally pulled me over. “You didn’t stop at the stop sign.” “I most certainly did.” Not a good idea to argue with even the Park Police. So he gave me a warning, which was a good thing… Then he’s making small talk while he takes down my info from my driver’s license and says to me, “At least you’re out here.” (Huh??) “Most women born in [my birth year] don’t even try to stay in shape.” TELL me you didn’t just say that!”

Protect and serve my derriere. Mind you friend is a very experience cyclist who rides daily and is also one of the most considerate people I know. Most police are unhelpful to cyclists (in my experience), but the PP are the worst when it comes to “customer service” period. Rude, arrogant, and bullying before being thoughtful, helpful, and considerate. So, beware if you frequent Haines Point for a ride. And yes, several of us advised her to file a complaint based on the inappropriate commentary.

JorgeGortex

[acc]

OMG!!! You mean I might finally be able to get a date!!! Totally kidding.

I am madder than hell that anyone would say something like that to you. There is no excuse for that kind of comment or observation about either your gender or your age.

FWIW, the cycling community itself has been consistently kind and courteous and friendly to me despite my advanced age and gender. I’ve never felt uncomfortable and as a result I consider myself a cyclist, not a woman cyclist, because my gender has not been an issue. My slowness and inexperience have been more of an obstacle.

I congratulate you for keeping an upbeat attitude towards this officer.

Again, so sorry it happened.

ann

[pfunkallstar]

I’ve had similar run-ins with the Park Police, albeit sans the ageism/sexism. With younger guys (I’m right around 30…that’s young right) they tend to just get real aggressive. My wife and I were at a drum show up in Dupont, which we had helped organize when a Park Police officer drove his car up through Dupont Circle, parking it between the crowd and the drum line…so he could check that we had a permit. The show went on but it was a pretty farcical encounter.

[KLizotte]

I got zinged yesterday at Hain’s Pt by a park police officer.

I had just come off Case Bridge and was making the right on to Buckeye Drive. I looked behind me and to my left at the intersection and it was completely clear so I slowed down and turned right. It was just at that moment that I realized that the truck in the right lane heading north on Buckeye was a park police car so I slowed way down. The officer stuck his head out the window and yelled for me to stop. I touched down my foot and he waved me on so I guess I’m lucky he didn’t pull me over.

I have no problem admitting that I broke the law by not technically stopping at the stop sign but I do have a major problem with the fact that the PP are *obsessed* with cyclists at Hain’s Pt even though the intersections are very safe and they do NOTHING about the cars that are speeding every day on the GW parkway, esp thru the crosswalks at Memorial Bridge. If the PP want to be truly useful and respected then they should concentrate their resources where they are most needed.

They seem to be going after the low hanging fruit.

[dasgeh]

A friend got a ticket for FAILING TO SIGNAL WHEN CHANGING LANES. My understanding of the story is this: he’s biking around the Point, near the point part, in the right lane, and a few pedestrians dart into his path. No one was in the left lane so he swerved into the left lane and kept going. $50 ticket. Apparently, DC law provides that ALL bike tickets are $5. So NPP – not so hot with law, physics or math.

Seriously, don’t we deserve better?

[PotomacCyclist]

Park Police cars are also known for speeding through East Potomac Park. I’ve seen some of them darting and weaving through the car and bike traffic even though there wasn’t an emergency. (I’m assuming there isn’t an emergency when the police car is headed to the police HQ and the sirens aren’t on.)

[JorgeGortex]

Here is a link to their classy website: http://www.nps.gov/uspp/tele.htm

Central Station (District One) – 960 Ohio Drive S.W.,Washington , D. C. 20020 (202) 426-6710

Maybe if people start calling the precinct and filing formal complaints… especially if people are treated rudely or endangered while riding, we can make a difference.

[brendan]

@dasgeh 17496 wrote:

A friend got a ticket for FAILING TO SIGNAL WHEN CHANGING LANES. My understanding of the story is this: he’s biking around the Point, near the point part, in the right lane, and a few pedestrians dart into his path. No one was in the left lane so he swerved into the left lane and kept going. $50 ticket. Apparently, DC law provides that ALL bike tickets are $5. So NPP – not so hot with law, physics or math.

Seriously, don’t we deserve better?

Sometimes it’s just not safe to signal by taking your hand off the steering/brakes. An emergency maneuver counts as one of those times. I’d fight that in court, not caring if I risked losing.

Brendan

[pfunkallstar]

@JorgeGortex 17511 wrote:

Here is a link to their classy website: http://www.nps.gov/uspp/tele.htm

Central Station (District One) – 960 Ohio Drive S.W.,Washington , D. C. 20020 (202) 426-6710

Maybe if people start calling the precinct and filing formal complaints… especially if people are treated rudely or endangered while riding, we can make a difference.

PRO TIP: Boot up Netscape Navigator to fully appreciate that website.

[JeffC]

@brendan 17518 wrote:

Sometimes it’s just not safe to signal by taking your hand off the steering/brakes. An emergency maneuver counts as one of those times. I’d fight that in court, not caring if I risked losing.

Brendan

Not sure about DC or park service lands, but in Virginia, you are definitely not required to signal while riding a bike if doing so means you will lose control of the bike. See this: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-849

[Rootchopper]

If a Park Police officer treats you with disrespect (regardless of whether you are in the right or wrong) get his/her identifying info. Name, badge number, vehicle number. Then call and report it.

[MCL1981]

@pfunkallstar 17542 wrote:

PRO TIP: Boot up Netscape Navigator to fully appreciate that website.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I might use this in the web development class I’m in as an example of W-T-F.

[KLizotte]

@MCL1981 17549 wrote:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I might use this in the web development class I’m in as an example of W-T-F.

For those of us that are IT challenged, can anyone post a screen shot? Very curious as to what I’m missing.

[off2ride]

PP issued tickets to us cyclists while inside HP = gas money for the department. Please heed the laws while inside the park. I would rather put that ga$ money in my own vehicle or energy bars or tubes or a new tire. I know 2 DC Cops that are hardcore cyclists and I wonder what happens to them when they get stopped by PP.

[MCL1981]

@KLizotte 17555 wrote:

For those of us that are IT challenged, can anyone post a screen shot? Very curious as to what I’m missing.

The implication is that the site appears to have been designed about 12 years ago (when Netscape Navigator was totally rad…) by a 12 year old using the MS Word HTML editor.

[Author]

Posts