who watches the watchmen
Thread started by
tortuga_veloce at 05.14.10 - 11:09 am
This Glendale manslaughter case has me all fired up. if the police don't know cycling law, then every motorist that kills a cyclist is going to get off the hook! nevermind the near-misses that we experience every day, which falls on deaf ears when it's reported!
Police officers regularly misinterpret bicycle law because they're only trained to enforce motor vehicle law.
For instance:
1. you have every right to the lane that a slow moving vehicle has (cvc 21202).
2. local municipalities can write laws regarding bikes on the sidewalk (cvc 21100, not 21663)
try this: on your way home, stop by your local police station and ask the desk officer what rights and responsibilities a bicycle has in the roadway. i have never gotten a right answer this way.
I know it's not as sexy as "paint on the streets" or "sharrows by may," but even with chief beck's promises, there is still a long way to go before the average beat cop has a clue. on top of that, there are a lot of municipalities such as glendale, santa monica and culver city where cops feel it is their job to keep the roads clear for motorists, not to make them safe for cyclists. and that attitude comes straight from the top!
What are we going to do about the fact that police officers all over LA County don't know what they're talking about?
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Ridazz Roulette!
