[*BCM*] Cambridge po-po sighting

[Lisa Williams]

This is a great post, and describes what I believe in a nutshell.  And 
enforcement does play a part in it.  I believe that motor vehicle 
operators wouldn't obey as much of the traffic law as they do if there 
were no threat of enforcement. 

The reason bike riders don't obey traffic law is because there is little 
or no enforcement.  Enforcement is the most effective form of education.

Lisa W.


turtle wrote:

>If you want to be respected on the roads, then you yourself have to ride
>respectably.  Running a red light is illegal and obnoxious, so why
>shouldn't you get a ticket for it?   And the cops certainly do give
>tickets to car drivers all the time for running red lights. (Cambridge
>is even pushing the state to allow them to use cameras to identify all
>the cars running red lights, like they do in England - whether or not
>you like the idea, is still shows that they take it seriously.)
>
>As a bicyclist, you can't have it both ways. Either you are considered a
>legal vehicle operator, or you aren't!  If you are, you have the same
>right to use the roads as other vehicle operators, but with those
>rights come responsibility to drive your vehicle within the same
>regulations as everyone else.  If you don't believe that you should be
>considered a legal vehicle operator, and instead some sort of "toy"
>owner, then you may drive how ever you want, but you won't have any
>legal protection when you get hit or hit someone else.  
>
>The law says you are a legal vehicle operator, with equal rights to the
>road.  And I think that it's a good idea, so I choose to take my place
>in traffic as an equal member, and I respect the traffic laws even when
>I'm in a hurry, or think that I can "get away with it".  I do this
>because I value my rights to use the road (especially when some folks
>don't want me there at all!).
>
>-Turtle
>Who's Streets?  Everyone's streets!
>
>HANDY TIP: if you want to use a pedestrian signal to cross a street with
>a bike, you need to dismount and WALK your bike across.  This is legal,
>and socially acceptable, and it shows how incredibly adaptable bicycles
>are, compared to motor vehicles!
>_______________________________________________
>Boston Critical Mass mailing list
>list at bostoncriticalmass.org
>http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
>  
>