whoops

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Cyclist arrested for ignoring police order to stop

Thought this was interesting, considering the recent discussions about increased police enforcement. Has anyone else seen the police stop/warn riders being naughty? I've only ridden through Somerville twice recently and haven't really noticed anything (though I follow the rules of the road).

Comments

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I don't like doing this myself, but in non-commercial/business districts it is legal to bike on the sidewalk in Massachusetts. Not sure if specific towns are allowed to ban the practice.

[xuth.livejournal.com]

In MA, the specific towns set the business districts where sidewalk riding is not allowed. I don't know if it's required but Cambridge has those districts explicitly enumerated in the city code but they must be well marked and defined. I don't know whether riding on the sidewalk would invoke the do not enter sign since it clearly doesn't apply to pedestrians on the sidewalk but does apply to vehicles on the road. Walking your bike on the sidewalk as a pedestrian puts you clearly on the bright line of not having that sign apply. Which is exactly what I'd have done for just long enough to get past that sign had I encountered a police officer telling me I couldn't ride through it.

[squirrelitude]

For all that, you can also just *walk* the bike for 50 feet on the sidewalk. :-)

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Stop using sense. We're talking about cycling here!