NewYorkMantle

it's pretty common knowledge that cops go easy on working bicyclists because there's a level of respect they have for us and what we need to do to ultimately sustain ourselves. that's why mentioning the fact that i was coming off work was completely relevant to the story, since i'm sure the cops realized that and didn't mind me getting away (they didn't exactly make a strong effort to chase me). =

by the way, please lighten up and stop comparing people you have not and will not ever meet to people who beat you up in high school.

J A Holman

I've always considered the yearly "crackdowns" or what have you to be a test of sorts. I'd never warn anyone about them, if they get caught you have another measure of that person's observation skill. If you didn't see the trap you weren't paying attention to what you were doing.

bradenCBC

I think the argument has missed the point... I think what they are getting at is that if you consider running red lights part of your job then accept the consequences. No one disputes that working as a messenger is a difficult, dangerous, underpaid, and ****ty job. Any commission based job has some big downsides and one where you are outside regardless of weather is a double whammy. That being said even if you feel your bike skills are like no other, when you blow lights and pull crazy **** you appear reckless no matter how in control you feel and it is that perception by outsiders that will bite you in the ass. So if you want to hustle take your lumps when it goes south or get another job. There are always other jobs out there with low pay, no benefits, and dangerous work environments out there.

NewYorkMantle

thank you braden. that's a well written post i enjoyed reading, although i don't personally abide by part of it. - i don't understand why some people think being a complete jerk is necessary to get a point across... oh, wait, this is bike forums.

ndnyc212

you got warrants on you yo ?

jacobpriest

dylan, you just made fun of him for working in an office. and until your accident you were a messenger of sorts!!

dylandom

haha u know i don't work in an office. please.
how is the elephant

iwegian

this got me thinkin, would it be easy to out run cops on a bike if you were in a place like and nyc or sf or a busy downtown area if you knew the area well? i would think that the police would likely be in cars so you could go places they couldn't.

not that i plan on doing this. i'd first have to be confident enough to run red lights when there's traffic going through it, and not be a surrender monkey(even though i'm not french)

dylandom

you can outrun them. i've heard stories. i haven't. i don't have the energy to do so.

jodypolk

edgy!

Negative Force

I love all the people from 3,000 miles away and more discussing their well-laid plans on becoming a more sensible messenger.


Thanks guys, I can say with confidence that messengers across New York City will sit down and really talk about your ideas.

andrewro

I thought scrabulous got shut down fo'real.

dylandom

ohh no, scrabulous has its own website. google it.

i'd love to work in an office. i could finally catch up on my myspace and facebook comments.

johnprolly

Skinheads? Dutret, you're really losing your mind lately. Ease up there dun.

ch0mb0

had a motorcycle cop follow me today on the west side.
I was stopped at a light, waiting to go. I turned my head and saw him, patiently waiting a few feet behind.

he was trailing and waiting for me to slip up. he rode his motorcycle in the bicycle lane.
when he saw that I had noticed him, he left.

ZiP0082

haha, nice!

on a related note, people with their vespas and crap in the bike lane isn't cool.

Jabba Degrassi

but roads are scurry!!!

nycwtorres

ha no s#!t... I've already blockaded SEVERAL in downtown Manhattan and made they get out of the bike lane. I did this safely of course, not interested in broken bones, or causing a crash. I just stand about a block away and wave them off. I'm willing to deal with the tude if they offer. I just play the total unpredictable nutjob role. No one wants to mess with a nutjob.. hehe Especially it they want to get off their vespa.. I can just knock it over and I know i can run faster than them.. or bike if I happen to be on mine.

Back on topic.. the police in the 6th precinct already told me they don't really have any incentive to ticket people for stopping and idling their cars in the bike lanes. So they don't. He told me that if they get out of the car and "park" it, then they can ticket. Otherwise they just sit there and watch bikers cheat death as they swerve around the cars into a traffic.

mastershake916

Yeah, three people I know just got $400 tickets, each, at the same time.

chris wielk

i can understand stopping at red lights, i generally slow down or treat them like stop signs more or less for safety's sake, but there's no way in hell i'm waiting at a light with no traffic or pedestrians in my way. i haven't heard of this trap at the bridge yet but i'll look out, i commute over it everyday. they've been really cracking down in williamsburg lately, i've been really careful to check for cops before i run anything. my unluckiest roommate got one or two tickets for running reds and two more for being on his bike on a sidewalk.

NewYorkMantle

you'd think they would crack down at the start of the casual bike season, rather than toward the end.

lyledriver

So far no trouble in the 26th, 30th, 33rd, or 34th precinct! ... and I ride like an idiot \m/

bad news hughes

has no one else been ticketed there? or even seen the cops staking out Delancey

I'm not even sure the cops are still doing this.. I have been taking Stanton instead of Delancey to avoid the situation entirely.

ZiP0082

Nice - keep up the good work.

Guvna

Saw a cop there this morning and it made me nervous, so I obeyed and moved my ass over to Stanton. Will probably keep doing this, because one ticket will make the entire financial advantage of bike commuting evaporate.