The Sanctity of Bike Lanes?

And I quote “The police here thing we have to respect them because they are police no matter what they do. They do nothing to earn that respect”

Nothing Huh? I’m not sure of the ignorance behind this statement but as the original post is about bike lanes(and all the dubious illegal parking that comes with it)..this surprise attack on police (and mothers unloading kids) of all people makes me wonder where all this anger is really coming from.

The reason police officers and handicapped individuals have those passes to park, is more so obvious for the handicapped and perhaps not so for the police officers.

Some precincts simply do not have parking lots thus the upwards of a 1000 officers working in larger precincts at any given hour are allotted passes to park in locations usually not legally designated for other vehicles. These officers are allowed to park in no standing, no parking and sometimes yes’ bike lanes(usually within the immediate limits of that precinct). Finding parking can be all but impossible in many communities throughout the boroughs; officers do not have the ability to park somewhere temporarily, double park in front of others or move their vehicles later on, when the majority work miles away from there precincts. It should go without mentioning the absolute need for an officer to keep their vehicle(and personal effects) and themselves safe by parking as close to the precinct as possible. Most of you have probably not thought of the dangers of an officer having themselves and there property targeted by those like 1:50 who have no respect or simply dislike the police. Surely this one block area out of the dozens surrounding it cannot justify such resentment for the police as a whole.

Despite what you have seen, an officers private vehicle must follow certain guidelines when parking at work; those are: to not create a potential hazard, block traffic, fire hydrants(believe it or not) and the like. Unmarked police vehicles(some of which are indistinguishable from ordinary vehicles) may at times block those aforementioned areas at times of necessity. Marked police vehicles again, may at times block the abovementioned areas for various reasons. That said I do not believe these actions are always warranted and there is abuse(as with anything in this world); but I doubt anyone would actually have the audacity to make the statement that the few parking privileges given to officers is not earned nor deserved for those who would serve the city in such a selfless capacity.

I do not imagine that most of us would call 911 and expect the officers who arrive to find suitable parking prior to investigating the call…with the exception of course of, 1:50. So to Mr./Mrs. 1:50: I suggest you pay your tickets, stop illegally parking or sell your car and thank whomever you pray(or not) to everyday, for giving you a comparably safe city with thirty-five thousand or so courageous officers who keep it safe on a daily basis.

Shame on you Mr. Brownstoner, for posting a pic of a marked police vehicle stopped on a bike lane. Do you know why or even suggest what that vehicle is doing there? Are the police in a local subway, building or other wise doing there job, stopping a crime, writing a ticket or god forbid grabbing a meal. The implications of the picture go without saying and thus only further incite animosity for those who enforce the law. Surely you could have found a pic(as the Villagevoice did) of any number of other items, people or vehicles blocking a bike lane. Shame shame shame… But I WILL keep coming back…

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I can’t speak for ‘all the people’, but I wouldn’t mind if bicyclists got more tickets for running red lights+ or and for going the wrong way on a one-way street, if this meant some sturdy metal poles between the bike lanes and car lanes and more ticketing for double parking (which would help me as a driver and a cyclist). The metal poles would need to be bright reflective yellow, so I don’t run into them when parking in the rain, but sturdy enough to cause cosmetic damage to a car running into it above 5mph.

+The range of comfortable speeds on a bike is 10-40 mph, this is perfect for catching lights on streets at the lower speeds and catching lights on avenues at the higher speeds. Catching a light on a bicycle means getting there in the middle of the green cycle, at the start and end of the green it is way to dangerous unless you take the lane. This is why you don’t see a lot of bikes stopped at red lights.

I realize there are bikers who follow the laws. But there are bikers who continue to argue that they shouldn’t have to follow the law while complaining that others don’t.

As to what my tailpipe is littering into the atmosphere, the answer is nothing. I don’t own a car. I use a Zip Car sometimes but it isn’t even once a month.

Are all the people that want to be able to get people who double park in a bike lane ticketed willing to allow me to get them ticketed every time I see them run a red light or go the wrong way on a one-way street?

3.57 i’d like to slap a sticker over your keyboard

Great idea Dr Awesome. Like the illegal bike rally, you bikers are not fit to live in a civil society that has laws and enforcement as opposed to taking the law in your own hands. Double parkers get ticketed sometimes. As a private citizen you are not entitled to enforce the law.