Western Canada - The Calgary Cops stopped me to tell me I was wrong *rant*

I had taken one lane of 53rd between varsity and dalhousie. I make a left turn onto dalhousie dr, which has 4 lanes and relatively light traffic, so I usually take one of the center lanes as to not block traffic going straight or turning left (then I take the left lane when I get near the top of the hill). They told me I wasn't allowed to be in the middle of the road, and when I told them that wasn't the law they really started to argue. They told me that I thought that I was superior to everybody else, that I didn't care about my life and if they ever responded to me being hit that they would tell anyone else that showed up not to help me. This went on for five or ten minutes.

When I asked them how I should approach a left turn they told me I should hug the curb, get off on the sidewalk, wait for the light, walk across the intersection, wait for the next light, walk across the intersection and get back on. I have a 12km commute already (which is a 1/2 hour the way I was going), I'd never get home.

This was at about 8:15 so it was dark. They told me they couldn't see me from behind, I was using a Dinotte 140L on the high setting.

Not everyone may agree with VC, but I really found this ridiculous.

You should post this at bikecalgary.org

Oh but you need to get these wheels for the next encounter.
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2008/04/this-just-in-deep-section-rims-provide.html

You should post this at bikecalgary.org

Maybe, but ranting usually isn't my style so once in a day is enough.

Those are pretty sweet wheels.

Based on personal experience, I know without a doubt that many law officers don't necessarily know anything about the rules of the road for cars let alone bikes.

If I were told to get off the bike and go to the curb, I'd be awful tempted to tell them to kiss my ass. I guess they could give me a ticket for that though eh? :o

Wow, that's a whole lotta ignorant crap...

If I were told to get off the bike and go to the curb, I'd be awful tempted to tell them to kiss my ass. I guess they could give me a ticket for that though eh? :o

Nah, they'd Taze you for that ;)

Nah, they'd Taze you for that ;)

then I'd be tempted to retaliate with my grizzly strength pepper spray. Would I get arrested then? ;)

Wow, cops that don't know the law, who'd a thunk it?

That sucks, if this happens again, make a note of their number, make notes on the conversation, try to get definitive statements from them on your "offense" research the law, then go make a report.

I'm going to that part of town in the next half hour, will look for opportunities to "educate" the local constabulary...

1. Carry the Alberta Operator's Licence Information booklet with chapter 6 "sharing the road" dog-eared so you can find it quickly. Hi-lite the paragraph "Cyclists are entitled to make left turns in the same manner as motorists. Since they are exposed on left turns, they will need extra consideration especially on multi-lane roads."
2. Carry a pencil and paper with you and ask for the officer's name and the name of his immediate supervisor.
3. Be as polite as you can, use "please" and "thank you" as much as possible. Call him "officer" or "sir" (not "copper" or "cop" etc)
4. Write a letter to him and to his supervisor quoting the handbook and asking for a clarification. If you are acting as a pedestrian (by riding on the sidewalk), you must walk your bike across the intersection; but if you are acting as a vehicle, you are supposed to ride your bike.

classic...i'm not sure about Calgary Police anymore they seem pretty wierd lately.

I was leaving the downtown area (Calgary) heading west on Bow trail. A cop
pulls up behind me with his flashing lights on. I see him in my rear view and
pull over and stop just as he hits the siren. It turns out he doesn't like me on
the street when there is a bike trail running parallel to it at that point. I had
actually been thinking of taking it for a change, and I'm not much at arguing,
so I just agreed and hopped over on it.

It did cross my mind to get the 4 digit unit number of the car. With the time
of day they will know who was using it, and you wouldn't even need the
badge #. But I am busy and do have much better things to do than report
the poor IQ challenged guy.

Is there a 'mandatory side-path' law in Calgary? I not, then I suggest it's your coice where you ride.

I get the impression Calgary suffers a schizophrenia when it comes to bicycles. On the one hand, there is a large, vibrant & active cycling community with many commiting to the bicycle as their main (or only) source of transport. Calgary has an urbane civic administration that has professed & acted upon a belief that cycling is a desirable alternative to motor vehicles. And then you hear stories like Godwin's or Closed Office's. The fact those police officers felt free to put their own spin on the law should be disturbing to everyone, not just the cycling community, but their focus on bicycles indicates to me that the upper level of the police heiarchy has a strong bias against non-motorized transport. Also I was astounded to hear first of all that Calgary has a 20kmh speed limit on the bike trails & second that each spring Calgary Police deem it a wise use of resources to run a radar program to enforce the limit. Hardly an attitude that encourages more bike use. Calgarians need to find out who, as a group or individual, has the hate on for bikes and get it changed.

1. Carry the Alberta Operator's Licence Information booklet with chapter 6 "sharing the road" dog-eared so you can find it quickly. Hi-lite the paragraph "Cyclists are entitled to make left turns in the same manner as motorists. Since they are exposed on left turns, they will need extra consideration especially on multi-lane roads."
2. Carry a pencil and paper with you and ask for the officer's name and the name of his immediate supervisor.
3. Be as polite as you can, use "please" and "thank you" as much as possible. Call him "officer" or "sir" (not "copper" or "cop" etc)
4. Write a letter to him and to his supervisor quoting the handbook and asking for a clarification. If you are acting as a pedestrian (by riding on the sidewalk), you must walk your bike across the intersection; but if you are acting as a vehicle, you are supposed to ride your bike.
Get badge numbers, not names.

Aight. So to settle this all the answer is c - stick it up their ass.

http://www.yourdailymedia.com/media/1160738339/Ali_G_-_Who_Wants_To_Win_An_Ounce

Well, this is an old posting but I thought I'd reply anyway. First, be nice to police, they are after all people as well and have bad days like the rest of us. You don't know what they've just been through (seen someone on a bicycle run over for example). We all know that while they may "think" they are helping us out they just aren't in these cases.

Calgary is NOT bicycle friendly from a motorist perspective. I ride my bicycle and motorbikes in traffic and unfortunately the "car is king" in Calgary. Calgary drivers are so scared that you may get ahead of them that they'll move way over in their lane to block you. Interestingly enough, by law, cars have to travel in the middle of the lane and can be ticketed for travelling on one side or the other. Motorcycles aren't subject to this and Bicycles are to "travel to the right as far as it is safe to do so".

Oh and when I ride my bicycle, I ride as a "vehicle", when I have to turn left I use the left turn lane and I share the road, I let the cars go by me in the same lane and when I approach a red light I ride up besied them (and if they have deliberately blocked me I get a chance to hop a curb and go by) :)

BC Don.

^^True on the police being people, they are just trying to do a job the best they can with the parameters they've been given. Keep us informed on life, BCDon, as a VC in Calgary.

their focus on bicycles indicates to me that the upper level of the police heiarchy has a strong bias against non-motorized transport.

Oh I don't take it all that hard. I put up an interesting quotes page (see simple sig site)
that includes "Never assume malice when ignorance is sufficient explanation."

Oh I don't take it all that hard. I put up an interesting quotes page (see simple sig site)
that includes "Never assume malice when ignorance is sufficient explanation."

Fair enough. But in Calgary, there seems to be a fair bit of systemic bias against cyclists that I don't see here in Edmonton, which I find odd considering the strength of the cycling community in the city. Call me paranoid.

I wonder how the police or the courts can enforce a 20 km/hr speed limit on bike paths when bike speedometers are not mandatory.

I wonder how the police or the courts can enforce a 20 km/hr speed limit on bike paths when bike speedometers are not mandatory.

You know I had never even thought of that. Sounds like an unattackable defense to me. And by the way, I know a hitman who is looking for a good legal mind. (No, I'm not serious, but it is nice to meet someone who thinks for him/er self.)