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Cyclist Ticketed 3 Times In 6th Avenue Bike Lane Sting
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 14, 2011
Modified Sep 14, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 14, 2011
Modified Sep 14, 2011
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Now that the terror threat from the tenth anniversary of 9/11 has subsided, the NYPD can return to its duty of making the city's streets safe for cars. You know what we really hate when we're encased in our massive metal box, hurtling down the street at high speeds? When cyclists refuse to stay in their lanes. Thankfully, a tipster informed us that the NYPD ticketed him for not staying in the bike lane at a cyclist trap at 13th Street and 6th Ave.
After turning onto 6th Ave from 9th Street on the way to work, the cyclist was forced to make an unscheduled stop while he was on his way to drown a sack of puppies (or "work," if you prefer):
I was stopped by a cop at 13th and 6th Ave and ticketed for not riding in the bike lane. The cop that stopped me was on the east side of the avenue and three other cops were stationed next to the bike lane stopping other cyclists.
I stuck around the block for a bit and took pictures and warned oncoming riders of the trap. As I was leaving the cop who had stopped me made a point to shout to me "have a nice day."
Wow, now that's "CPR!" But another NYPD officer knew that the cyclist, being a unrepentant vulgarian who cannot resist breaking the law, followed him and was rewarded for his vigilance.
I continued up 6th Ave and as I approached the street I work on I turned down the wrong way on a one way street (this one is on me). I was unaware I was being trailed by another cop on a bike who stopped me again and gave me two additional tickets. One for running a red light (the light was green) and the other for wrong way down a one way street.
Those department-wide screenings of Minority Report are paying off! Regarding the bike-lane violation, here is the letter of the law:
34 RCNY § 4-12(p) Bicycles.
(1) Bicycle riders to use bicycle lanes. Whenever a usable path or lane for bicycles has been provided, bicycle riders shall use such path or lane only except under any of the following situations: (i) When preparing for a turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. (ii) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, pushcarts, animals, surface hazards) that make it unsafe to continue within such bicycle path or lane.
Even if you've had a few beers and feel that crossing four lanes of Manhattan morning rush hour traffic is "reasonable" within a few blocks, the law also states, "Bicyclists may ride on either side of one-way roadways that are at least 40 feet wide." 6th Avenue, with four lanes of traffic and two parking lanes, seems to qualify.
For the bike lane ticket, the reader tells us that the officer noted the fine would be $50 (although we've seen them go as high as $130). Running a red light is $270, and ignoring the one-way is another $130. The reader plans on fighting the bike lane and red light tickets, but is SOL on the one-way, as the sign was most likely visible.
Tagged
6th Avenue
bike lane citations
bike lanes
checkpoints
cold-blooded criminals
cycling
cycling backlash
cyclist crackdown
dot
nypd
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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