Taxi cuts off biker in bike lane and is pulled over
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIEsskx-ecU

Here's a youtube video showing a taxi cutting off a biker in bike lane and getting pulled over. I think it's in DC.

yeah, i'm pretty sure that's DC. i was trucking up 22nd in the west end and a cabbie tried to take a right almost on top of me, at ward. then he laid on the horn as i squirted past!! flew the bird at him for a quarter block then made my right on O. the cabbies here are dangerously awful drivers. i've been debating whether i should buy a kubaton to ride with.

probably due to the (doubly) illegal u-turn as much as anything. I can't imagine a cop ignoring that turn.

How would a kubaton do anything other than get you in more trouble? It's not gonna stop you getting hit...

Yeah,that's the Pennsylvania Ave cycletrack in downtown DC. We've been having serious issues with drivers making illegal U turns across it. There used to be bollards,but they were removed for the inauguration,and they've been slow to be put back because one of the local groups doesn't want to ruin the scenery of the avenue. :rolleyes:

not solely based upon the incident with the cabbie. several times i've been harassed by drivers in this area. it's DC, dude. i accept the best, expect the worst.

Boy, that was about as blatant as it gets.

Not surprising. I was there a couple days after the 4th of July just as a pedestrian. Since a friend of mine from Poland was here. I kept seeing driver after driver, think pedestrians were 'speed bumps', instead of people.

DC drivers are the worst, based on my cycle commuting there for 2 years vs my overall 31 years of cycle commuting.

That cabbie was so dumb, he did it with the cop right behind him. No one must have taught him about rear view mirrors.

To me, it looks like all the cars (and the cyclist) were stopped/stopping for a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Taxi decides to make an expedient, albeit illicit, U turn. He either didn't see the cyclist or assumed he was slowing enough for the stop to allow the U turn. Probably didn't see the cop. I found the cyclist's hissy fit amusing.

A kubaton is a 6 inch toy for fan boys who think they're bad. In NY, if you use it on someone, it is a "dangerous weapon" (PL 265). In the unlikely case that you use it successfully to defend yourself you will probably get yourself in trouble. DC is even tougher on self defense than NY.

i'm aware of it's usage and design. i've had a couple people try to run me off the road during my nightly commute and start to exit their vehicle. the sound of a baton extending usually makes people think twice about actually approaching you, so i may not even get the kubaton; as it is, i don't have a keychain attached to me. i'm really tired of people thinking they have more of a right to the road than i do.

also, most of my ride is in VA. i ride through the arlington/clarendon or old town areas. lots of bars which, in turn, means plenty of drunk drivers later in the night. in VA they look at self defense a bit differently...

i guess "fan boy" is your attempt at an insult. thanks. much appreciated that bit of constructive criticism.

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In that case, please carry an expandable baton. In DC. That's gonna work out great for you.

DC isn't VA,I'd do a thorough check of our laws before carrying anything that is specifically designed as a weapon.

I carry a metal baton that's shaped kind of like the letter D,only with a elongated loop. As an added bonus,it can be separated into two parts with a key,and can actually be used to secure my bike to something. No one ever suspects what it's really for. :p

And, if you ever gt in a fight with a bad guy, that's gonna be a lot more effective than a silly kubaton. Smart thinking.

I agree the cab driver was a jerk, but it didn't seem like the bicyclist was endangered because of the slow speed he was going - after all the cab did it at a red light. I would have yelled too, but not been horribly upset for more than 10 seconds.

I agree with those who say the cop chased the cab simply because of the illegal U turn. I don't think the cop was any more concerned about the bicyclist than (s)he would have been concerned about a car that had to brake hard because of the stupid cab maneuver.

I think the cop stopping him was probably overdetermined: (1) the U-turn was illegal; (2) he (at least potentially) endangered another user (although in practice the biker saw what was happening); (3) he did the u-turn right in front of the No U-Turn sign; and (4) he was right in front of the cop when he did the U-Turn.