hotbike

I find this hard to believe, but cyclists were ticketed during a fundraiser for MS:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...061201539.html

If I was in a charity ride, I would expect officers to be at every intersection... But I would expect them to stop cars and direct traffic, NOT handing out tickets to the cyclists.

This is worse than entrapment. It is anti-humanitarian to ticket people who are raising money for a charitable cause.

I say it's absurd.

Quote:
"Last weekend during 'Bike MS: Beyond the Beltway,' a bicycling fundraiser for multiple sclerosis, several cyclists failed to come to complete stops at some intersections and were ticketed by a Loudoun County sheriff's deputy for running stop signs that day in the Lovettsville and Purcellville areas, authorities said..."

BUT the article goes on , as if this was any other day of the year, and it doesn't explain why the ticket blitz occurred during a charity ride. I think it's disgraceful, Ugh, I want to vomit.

Pscyclepath

These big ride events often teach and reinforce some bad riding habits. When we do these rides, we share the open roads with everyone else, so you need to obey all the applicable traffic laws... UNLESS there's a cop standing there actually controlling the intersection and waving you through.

If no cop, then stop...

dobber

I was unaware traffic laws were suspended during charity rides.

Wow.

Sailorman13

Cops love fishing in barrels.

Snowsurfer

I did one of those charity rides and was told explicitly that we were sharing the roads, and all regular laws must be observed and abided by, by ALL charity ride participants.

JimF22003

I was out on those same roads yesterday for the Capital Area Tour de Cure. Saw lots of LoCo sheriff's deputies parked at intersections not looking particularly helpful. They were looking for someone to nab apparently. They were only at one intersection helping bikers cross.

Febs

There is a thread about this here: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=550767

hotbike

I think the sheriffs department should forfeit the money from thhe tickets, and give the money to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, along with an apology.

If I was in an organized charity ride, and I saw cops at the next intersection, I would assume that the cops are escorting the bicyclists through, and stopping the cars.

Show me some video of a marathon, where the runners have to wait at a DONT WALK sign.

hnsq

At the pittsburgh MS ride two weeks ago there was a cop at every intersection (in towns) and non-law enforcement volunteers at every intersection outside of town limits to stop traffic.

Have you ever been a part of one of these things before?

chs4

Apples and oranges.

When a marathon (or bike race for that matter) is planned using public roads the organizers usually have to incur the expense of permitting for the closure of roads and hiring of police officers to direct traffic with preferential treatment given to those in the race. Based on what I'm reading the organizers of the MS ride did not do this, which is understandable as they are trying to keep expenses down and funnel as much money as possible to the charity.

Because it is a well publicized event (as opposed to a spur-of-the-moment group ride) the police are well aware of where this mass of cyclists will be and (rightfully so) place themselves in areas where a mass of cyclists could potentially cause traffic issues. Their sole function is to make sure that the event is safe and smooth for everyone...the cyclists participating in the ride as well as motorists and pedestrians going about their daily business.

While I'm a firm believer that a lot of tickets get issued as a revenue generator or to "meet quota", citing a mere 8 out of 700+ cyclists doesn't strike me as a money-grab. I'm more inclined to believe that the authorities went out of their way to be accommodating and probably nabbed only the most egregious offenders.

invisiblehand

More on this ...

Loudoun Sheriffs Explain Charity Ride Tickets
by Matt O'Toole on June 12, 2009

Yesterday we reported on Loudoun County sheriffs ticketing cyclists during a charity ride. While most cyclists agree they should obey the law at all times, many felt it was poor form to ticket charity event riders. Some felt that the event may have been targeted.

Today the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Dept. explains why these cyclists were ticketed; and answers several good questions about the rules of the road and how the law is enforced, with excerpts of the law regarding bicyclists. Kudos to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Dept. for addressing the issue, and to the Washington Post for covering it.

However…

I resent the Post pitting cyclists against motorists with its “kicking bikers to the curb” poll. It’s bad enough with Clear Channel shock-jocks encouraging actual violence against cyclists. Encouraging readers to go at each other like that isn’t much different. A little more light and a lot less heat on the subject please, as good journalists are supposed to provide.

Pat

I read the article, out of 700 cyclists involved in the ride, only 8 were cited. The police spokesperson said that those who were cited were "blatant" violations. Personally, I think it is appropriate to ticket cyclists who blow through stop signs at full speed. They may have only been giving tickets to these people. Of course, it may have also been that word got out among the cyclists really fast and they started to get very rigid in their compliance. I was not there.

gcottay

Not all law enforcement leadership is so clueless.

This Sunday, our Ride the River fundraiser here in Illinois and Iowa will have LEOs doing traffic control with cities making this an in-kind contribution.

limeylew

What is wrong with stopping at a STOP sign?

If you're not sufficiently competent to be able to stop, maybe you learn to do so BEFORE you get out on the roads.

dougmc

Really? That's a new one.

[flame suit on]

I never really did understand the self-righteousness surrounding charity rides. You're not raising money -- you're riding your bike. OK, earlier, you asked people to pledge money to the cause in question if you successfully rode your bike, but ultimately, they're the ones donating, not you.

OK, you paid some money to register for the event. Good, you made a donation to the cause. Granted, much of that money goes to helping pay so you can ride your bike -- you get your jersey, there's some food, SAG wagons, etc. -- but if you really wanted to support the cause, wouldn't it be more cost-effective to just write them a check rather than ride? OK, you spent money on your bike, your hotel, on gas to drive to the city hosting the event ... but if your goal is to raise money for charity, wouldn't it be more effective to just write them a check?

But you're raising awareness! Well, OK ... MS is indeed horrible, and I'm all for it being cured or new treatments being devised, but I don't really see how a bunch of people riding really helps raise that much awareness.

Not that I have a problem with these rides, I've even done them myself. But consider why you're riding -- if you're really riding because you want to support the cause, consider that you could probably provide even more support to the cause by just writing them a check, getting your friends to write them a check rather than sponsoring you, etc. [Now, if you're a celebrity of some sort, this isn't so certain. But most of us aren't celebrities.] If you're riding because you like riding, nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't make you superior to somebody else who gave at the office. (If you're riding and you hate riding, then you're just dumb. )

In general, charity rides (or any big ride or parade or whatever) is done with the approval of the police. A part of this approval may include having roads closed or certain traffic laws suspended -- but certainly not always. The sponsors of the ride should have made it clear if any traffic laws weren't in effect, and if they didn't, the riders should assume that they are without other indications (having a cop waving you through an intersection, for example.)

Meals on Wheels ... if somebody is delivering meals, they're not exactly earning money for charity -- they're providing (or delivering) charity themselves. Should they get to run red lights? Would it matter if they were in a car or a bike?

Personally, I think it's bad form ticketing anybody (car or bike) for not coming to a complete stop in an intersection -- there's no real safety issue there as long as they yield appropriately when needed. But police don't usually ask for my thoughts before doing their job, so ...

Ajenkins

I refuse to ride or contribute to most charity rides. Most of the money is spent on organizing, promoting, and supporting the ride; even for normal charity standards, little goes toward the actual thing being donated to.

And why on earth do pharmaceutical companies, some of the richest companies on earth, need my money to help them develop a drug which, if successful, will make them even wealthier?

Pfft.

hotbike

Well, I just think the Sheriff should forfeit the money from the tickets, and give it to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, along with an apology.

Rides like this bring out riders who don't ride very much often. Anyone can pull a bicycle out of a garage, if it's for a charity ride.

I think there was a breakdown of communication.

If I may make a comparison, here in New York, the Police COMPLETELY CLOSE the roads for events like the Five Boro Bike Tour, and the New York City Marathon, and others.

Show me a video of runners in a marathon stopping for DONT WALK signs.

Maybe I'm just used to things here in New York, and I can't figure out what goes on in Hick Towns, like the suburbs of D.C.

Luddite

I find it absurd they don't shut down roads/streets in your town/city when large events like these are being held. I ran the Sun Run twice and they shut down a ton of downtown streets for that.

uke

It's sort of like how we're asked to give money to charities that serve functions that are provided by the government in most civilized countries (e.g., healthcare, childcare, education, etc). In fully functional societies, the citizens don't need to bake cookies, wash cars, or beg for donations to ensure basic societal safety nets are in place.

apacherider

That would be pretty funny at a marathon if some cop started issuing tickets for jaywalking. Same "spirit of the law" thing we have here in this thread. Following the letter of the law is the only thing law enforcement hides behind. They start enforcing certain laws, certain ways and they scurry for cover behind the way a law is written. Idiots.

I would assume at an intersection, during a permit-issued ride, with a police officer standing outside his vehicle, that the stop sign can be blown. At least that's how it works here in civilized parts of the country.

Good grief.

alhedges

I have been to rides with intersections blocked off, but most of the charity rides I've been to aren't like that at all. You pay your money, get a map/cue sheet, a tee-shirt, and refreshments at various locations along the route. But that's it; other than the unusual number of bikers, the roads work as usual.

Dchiefransom

Most organized cycling events don't get all the permits to close the roads and pay for all the law enforcement like the marathons do. The cyclists are expected to ride in accordance with the law. This is why a club or bike shop ride with 30 riders doesn't have to pay to get a permit to ride on a normal Saturday ride. A few years back I stopped for a red light at a busy intersection on a Tour De Cure and was rear ended by another cyclist, then cussed out for stopping.

StrangeWill

I voted to ban cycling because I love trolling polls.

StrangeWill

Because they're doing their job?

I know you're anti-cop and all, but you look beyond that here, you look just plain dumb.

chs4

Apparently you missed the previous posts that address this. The police close the roads for the events you mentioned because they are paid to do so. They aren't doing it out of any sense of moral obligation or goodwill. The MS Society does not pay them to close the roads and have police details available, so it's a completely different situation.

The only communication breakdown here is with the cyclists who failed to understand the the nature of the ride.