Connecticut Avenue underpass at Dupont Circle

[planetmike]

Is this portion of the road legal to bicyclists? I was stopped by a MPD cop, on my morning commute, who said his reason was that it was illegal for cyclists to ride this section of the road (no signs say this) and it was for my own safety. He then took my driver’s license probably for a violation check. Since I don’t own a car, he found no “joy” in that intimidating act. I have been riding this underpass for nearly 10 years and never had this issue. My guess is this IS legal for cyclists and the cop was abusing his authority. A photo of the cruiser is attached.

Next cops will be stopping us for not wearing seat belts! I am always amazed how our society has come to let the low aptitude peeps from grade school carry a gun and look after our safety?

M.

Topic

[planetmike]

Again with the emotive attacks. On the contrary, I conclude you are the one with the attitude.

@MCL1981 10664 wrote:

Ok. You never make mistakes. I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was having a conversation with the living breathing version of perfection. No wonder you hate the police so much. Your so arrogant, you feel that you are a professional simply by definition and you never make mistakes because of that. Therefore any interaction with the police MUST be automatically wrong since you are obviously always right. In fact, the arrogance of this is doubled since not only do you feel this way, but you actually come right out and say it!

You have no right to tell me to keep my comments to myself on your arrogant jerk attitude towards police. You made that matter the primary focus of your very first post. If you didn’t want to hear other people’s opinion on the matter, don’t spew your own on it.

[Terpfan]

After my dealing with the DC police, my suspicion is that their knowledge of cycle laws is limited to their experiences with bicycling. The knowlegable officers are very familair with the process of quick stopping/sliding forward off seat, following crosswalks indicators for cycletracks, etc, but those officers who don’t cycle have a very limited knowledge and tend to only see things from a vehicular perspective. I suppose that makes sense.

I have a pet peeve against pulling people over during rush hour–cyclist, vehicle or otherwise unless there is a serious need to pull them over because it inevitably seems to delay traffic for everyone else. Once upon a time an MSP Trooper told me they had an unofficial policy against pulling people over during rush hour in the rush hour direction to avoid backups. As for the specific law, I would be surprised if a cyclist was not allowed to traverse in a short tunnel that was not a highway tunnel (aka I doubt 12th St Tunnel would be permissible). Part of me wonders why the cop even cared.

[MCL1981]

That situation would apply when the officer(s) are controlling traffic. A police officers orders take precedence over established traffic control devices when the police officer and/or temporary traffic control devices are there directing traffic. Once the officer or temporary devices ceases directing traffic, the road goes back to the established traffic control patterns.

For example, the police have a section of road closed for a parade. On any other day, it would be legal to ride there. The officer says no, road closed, stay out. But once the road is reopened after the parade, it is back to normal.

@planetmike 10688 wrote:

Again with the emotive attacks. On the contrary, I conclude you are the one with the attitude.

Says the guy who’s original post that started this thread was an emotive attack. Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.

[planetmike]

Getting back on topic. I would also point out that, at that moment, cars were accelerating past me over the limit of 35 mph and none were stopped by the over zealous cop.

Getting off-topic, regarding the concept of professional mistakes, would it be acceptable for an airline pilot to make a mistake?

Again, while I very much agree that law enforcement is necessary, please don’t diminish the accomplishments of doctors, lawyers, scientists, and other true professionals by comparing them to the police.

[dasgeh]

@MCL1981 10675 wrote:

I didn’t think I was crossing the line given he posted that he is by default a professional and does not make mistakes. I agree with your assessment of this forum’s decorum and I don’t want to change that. However I am having difficulty finding a more appropriate description of this individual’s apparent attitude toward the world. I could probably have done without it. But for the discussion in general, he opened the door to this by creating a post about it.

Thanks for writing back. From your other posts, you seem like a good cyclist. I just thought the leap from “I disagree with what planetmike wrote about a police officer in this particular interaction” to “planetmike is so arrogant” was a step too far. You disagree with the point, fine. Just don’t attack the person.

Additionally, you seem to be reading an attitude into statements posted on a forum, which is dangerous territory.

FWIW, I didn’t read what planetmike wrote as “I never make mistakes”. I thought he (I’m assuming that he’s a guy) was trying to say (1) there’s a specific definition of a “profession” and police officer doesn’t count; and (2) he confers with others before he acts in a way that impacts others in his job, while this officer seemed to have pull him over without consulting a colleague or the books. I don’t agree with everything planetmike has written here, but I think he’s correct on (1) (though what public servant needs less respect these days) and it does seem like the police officer abused his authority in that he was wrong on the law.

[MCL1981]

I was referring to post #8 regarding mistakes made at work where he says “I do not make such mistakes“. Right after explaining how only certain people are allowed to be considered professionals. It just blows my mind that he keeps talking about it in this thread and at the same demands that I not to talk about it. I’m sure if I agreed with him, he would have no problem with my alleged “ad hominem off topic replies”.

Of course, by his own hollier than thou definition of “professional”, the police certainly meet his definition word for word. So his most recent smearing of anyone that isn’t a doctor, lawyer, or scientists is probably the most absurd thing he’s posted yet. Though I will give him this much… his screen name is appropriate.

[Joe Chapline]

I will be closing this thread soon. If anyone has anything to post that has something to do with bicycling, please post it, leaving out insults.

[DismalScientist]

I’m a professional. I screw up all the time. Including this post. Sorry, my bad.

[Author]

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