Undercover bike cops would be neat, the question I have would be how would they pull cyclists over? They'd have to be in some pretty good shape to catch some of the folks on bikes - not to mention run the risk of incident trying to follow someone carving traffic or however they'd proceed. With nothing more than a description of their appearance a cruiser/beat-cop may never even see them to support the bike cop.

I agree that it would open a lot of eyes though, I've seen how motorists tend to treat uniformed officers and it's as if they're akin to royalty out there - would be nice for us regular folk to have at least some of that respect. It'd be nice to see those same cops adhere to the same traffic laws they should be enforcing too, they're not especially law-abiding as cyclists.

I don't have a problem with ticketing, but they don't ticket now - I've seen others and also myself clearly broken the law in front of cops before and they don't seem to care. It needs to be made a priority in their processes, both now and in any future events - if a cop sees someone doing something stupidly dangerous, they should be bothered enough to enforce rather than idly watch people do what they want. If the LEOs don't care, it's hard for others to take these things seriously.

The media here in the city bugs the hell out of me, I've also witnessed things first hand (the cruiser that smashed into the building at Queen/Sorauren most recently) that then get reported completely differently. Heck, even the same event between different outlets can have wildly varied reports.

In other news, I got this through in my e-mail.. it came from Derek at The Bike Joint:

Hello everyone I am running a competition. I want to come up with a
definition of what "Pulling a Bryant," is. Please pass the word to all of
the amazing talented people you all know and ask them what they think
"pulling a bryant," should be. This of course is just a example of what the
term could sound like. It could be "Pulling a Bryant", "Don't get all
Bryant on Me", basically to be used as an adjective, to be "Bryant like." I
want to do this is to counteract the crap Navigator, is pulling on the real
victim of this tragedy, Darcy Allan Sheppard. For those who do not know,
Navigator is the Public Relations firm that Micheal Bryant has hired to make
him look good and to make his victim look bad. So please spread the word to
friends, twitterers, blogs, message boards and anyone else you can think
of. Lets get some good ideas going around and then we can vote on the best
one. Won't you help me, help the world put a name to the despicable act
that Micheal Bryant preformed on September 1st 2009? Please send all
suggestions to pullabryant@gmail.com Please have them entered by September
21st. The winner will be announced at the fund raiser for Darcey Allen
Sheppard @ Sneaky Dee's on Saturday September 26th. Oh yes and there will
be a prize =)

Thank you.

Derek

Kinda interesting idea, I don't have any suggestions myself yet though.

Tomorrow I think I shall try something new. Involves fixed gear and a mtb. Should be fun.

Flash the badge and say pull over. I'm hoping they'd be using they're new wisdom to be pulling cars over mostly though. I loved the report I dl'd yesterday they basically said it was motorists that were responsible for 85% of the bike/car accidents on Toronto streets. Being able to see how drivers really interact with traffic I think would be beneficial to all road users. The bike cops would be so able to catch up to most car sin the core. They're radio net is pretty effective if you don't know you're being called in.

There are certainly undercover cops that ride bikes. The fact that undercover denotes a detective vs constable class of officer, you find them doing traditional undercover cop type stuff. Drug Dealers and Violent crime. I have known several cops who ride bikes avidly in the City as well as part of their duties as officers. They know whats its like.

Just another level of political and police action where a budgetary plan for bikes is needed. Sure there is a "Bicycle Division" in the Dept but they are used in crowd control and parking tickets more than anything. Pretty much the 2 duties that cops would prefer not to do. A dedicated bike division that deals with education and traffic enforcement is needed. Nothing would drive the point home to the legions of ignorant, selfish drivers more than a plain clothes officer pulling people over, explaining the rules, ticketing and most importantly letting the general public know that the next cyclist they decide to endanger might just be a cop.

i dunno... i just got threatened with a ticket by a bully cop (who pulled up inches away from me, and was all sleezy about my tattoo) for not being far enough to the right as i waited in the line of traffic on a narrow street...

As you were waiting? *sigh*

That's what gets me. There's such a complete lack of understanding about the laws. Seriously, point me to the Toronto by-laws on cyclists' use of the full lane and the laws on bike lanes (bikes are allowed in and out of them, cars are never allowed in unless it's a dashed line near an intersection, etc.). If anyone has that information I'd love to personally go over it again so I can memorize every line of it.

yup, waiting like the good little cyclist i am.

the sheer ignorance is what totally what gets me too! and that i think of a million better come-backs ten minutes too late. where's dr. bentley when you need him?

i feel like i'm damned if i do, and damned if i don't.

thanks for putting up with my ranting, y'all...

EDIT: i have a paper copy of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act: Bicycle Violations from the CAN-BIKE Skills Program Instructor Kit that i'd be more than happy to share if i/you can't find it online.

I've been given this contact info for getting, or at least seeing, a copy of by-law 32-92 which I think has all of the municipal variations on the ontario traffic act: Tony Masucci, Bylaw Clerk, Toronto Archives, at 416-392-5431. I will get around to it one day, but if anyone has a little free time right now maybe they could look into it.

Bikes got officially banned from my office today. d-oh

As in lock it up outside kinda banned?

exactly. But the outcry from the two people (out of sixty) who ride has meant we can now park our bikes in the buildings secure garage, but can't bring them in the office anymore. Not a bad compromise, though I enjoyed looking at my bike during the day

WIN salvaged from a lose! Nice one, that's what we do here at work., nice and safe underground.

We sold a bunch of bikes to undercover TPS cops.

TPS, I use to clean before I paint walls? What did these undercover bikes look like? Or is that TSP?

My bike just gets leaned up next to my desk. We give eacher love-eyes sometimes.

mm you got some sexy stays baby.

I want to slide my post in to your seat tube.

Headset, go!!!

Op Ed in The Star sounds like a PR piece

I wonder if the "journalist" gave Bryant a handjob as well? And for the record, in this case, "dis-engaging" is called leaving the scene of an accident.

I just found out that I know Bryant's PR person.

Oh god that's disgustingly awful. Shoot a ad about Bryant's evening with his wife because it was so idyllic? Is that a joke? Sarcasm??

We won't hold that against you

Thanks buddy!