CommuterRun

Good luck on the appeal Joejack.

From what I'm reading on this thread Joejack is completely legal, and completely in the right in the interest of his own safety, in taking the lane in this situation according to the statute quoted in the OP.

I'm also reading a lot of people showing a bad case of cyclist inferiority syndrome.

Using a right turn only lane as a straight ahead lane isn't too bright. Particularly in heavier traffic when the chances of a right hook increase.

On a road with two same direction lanes motorists can change lanes to pass. It doesn't hurt them. If traffic is heavy, they can slow until they can change lanes.

joejack951

I don't have the official paper work in my hands yet but as of this morning, my case was dismissed. The prosecutor initially offered the option of having me pay the original fine of $25 and dismissing the charges but my lawyer said that was not an option. After going over a few more details about the case though, she immediately changed her tune and dismissed the charges completely right there.

If you see a guy cycling around the DE/PA border today with a big *****-eating grin on his face, say hello

jefferee

I-Like-To-Bike

I take it then that you consider your victory worth a year of anxiety and lawyer fees?

mconlonx

Can't we just be excited about a small moral victory? Albeit a fairly Pyrrhic one?

fordfasterr

awesome !!

bikesafer

Congratulations,
Way to stand your ground and fight for what's right. Hopefully that cop and others like him will be talked to by the prosecutor, and you or other like minded cyclists won't have to go through this type of thing again.
Bikesafer
Jeff

invisiblehand

Considering how much I ride, I would consider it worth it.

Congratulations Joe.

I-Like-To-Bike

I wasn't aware that Joe ever stopped riding, or even changed where or how he rode his bicycle. How does the dismissal of a ticket in a single traffic court change anything for either Joe or anyone else?

joejack951

ILTB, what good would paying the fine have done?

cerewa

Would've gotten ILTB off your back?

I-Like-To-Bike

For you - avoiding lawyer fees and a year of anxiety, some of which I believe was caused by listening to the simplistic advice from some BF "legal" experts about the potential "good" that would/could come from the right outcome in traffic court.

For any/everybody else - nothing; which would be about the same amount of "good" that resulted from not paying.

AlmostTrick

Good job joejack. I applaud your effort in fighting this undeserved ticket, and would have done the same thing, since no laws were being broken at the time of your ticketing. It may be a small one, but this is still a win for cyclist rights.

Have you had any more incidents (or better yet, non-incidents) were officers watched you ride in the lane since?

HoustonB

Congratulations. You have a done a service for the common good of cyclists. In my dreams the officer that gave you the ticket in error and his colleagues will be on the receiving end of some 'corrective' training.

randya

crhilton

I'm impressed he was willing to admit he was wrong. Although I'm shocked that he could admit to being wrong and then write you a ticket for ... nothing.

Edit: Holy crap this thread is a year old, I need to read dates.

crhilton

That scares drivers in the right turn only lane, and they slow down for you. And it should scare them, what if some dick comes screaming by you on the left and gives you three inches? It's quite possible you might adjust your position right into their lane.

Taking the lane isn't dangerous, I don't know why you say he has a death wish. Do drivers in your area carry fire arms and regularly use them during bouts of road rage? Or do they just drive with their eyes completely closed?

genec

The wheels of justice do not always move quickly.

While the thread is old, the final result is new.

Bikepacker67

Ya, but you'd think by their reactions, that you were pulling out their molars with a rusty pair of vice-grips.

Bekologist

getting a ticket thrown out of court does nothing for precedent; joe was approaching this as if it were a landmark case

how much did it cost you, joejack? factor in the hours of lost wages, cost of lawyer, etc....

mconlonx

Lost wages: $XXX
Lawyer fees: $X,XXX
Stickin' it to The Man: Priceless

-or-

When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eINqvPAKXBE

Wu-Tang!

Allister

Well I got a fair bit of entertainment value out of this thread.

HoustonB

The man has principles and a spine. You appear to have neither. Either give kudos where it is undeniably due or zip it up. Urinating on other peoples parades does not look smart or constructive.

I-Like-To-Bike

Bek observed, correctly, that a victory "parade" is hardly warranted by a ticket dismissal that will have no effect on anyone else, anywhere, despite the best wishful thinking and kudos of a few BF legal dreamers.

But who needs a reason to party, eh? Let's celebrate!

invisiblehand

I don't think that he changed his behavior.

I recall that this occurred on a regular route. My understanding is that traffic officers often patrol the same areas. So in a direct way, beyond what Joe received in arguing the matter on principle, the dismissal should be helpful. More generally, I think that there will be a local effect. That is, LEOs talk to LEOs and cyclists talk to cyclists -- once in a while, LEOs converse with cyclists -- such that cases like this do have some impact on future behavior. Anecdotally, a similar event resulted in such discussion here. Of course, whether it results in any true changes is difficult if not impossible to assess.

EDIT: Sorry about the delay in response. Posting on A&S resulted in errors that I was unable to fix.