[*BCM*] Cyclists "shall be subject to the traffic laws andregulations of the Commonwealth"

[Rob Arnold]

Bike tickets in Cambridge are $20. I've gotten ticketed in Central Square
for the same thing. Generally, Cambridge police are more aggressive about
ticketing cyclists, it seems.

On 5/10/06, Tripp Hyde <henrythehorrible at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Haha.  How much was the ticket?  Not the same amount as if you were
> driving a car I hope?  They didn't ask for your license number did
> they (if you have one)?
>
> On 5/10/06, Jess <novelbound at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > But everyday I see cyclists blow through a red light when a cop is
> >  > overlooking the street traffic and they don't seem to mind.
> >
> >  I thought this too for the longest time -- indeed, when I "learned" to
> bike
> > in city traffic by watching other bikers, running reds when traffic was
> > clear was one of the things I picked up on.
> >
> >  Then last month I got ticketed for running a red near Porter Square!
> (Noo!)
> >  Yup, an official two-wheeled traffic violation.  After I got over my
> shock
> > at getting ticketed on a BIKE, it was funny.
> >
> >  I guess cars give me an equally hard time for running and for *not*
> running
> > reds (i.e. being in their way come the green light), so I might as well
> obey
> > that particular traffic law.  At least, on Mass Ave near Porter.
> >
> >  -Jess
> >  (briefly delurking)
> >
> >
> > On 5/8/06, Justin Wong <lilwong at bu.edu> wrote:
> > > I always wondered about #3. Technically CM would be breaking the
> law...
> > > But everyday I see cyclists blow through a red light when a cop is
> > > overlooking the street traffic and they don't seem to mind.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > > [mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > ] On Behalf Of
> > > turtle
> > > Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2006 10:10 AM
> > > To: Boston Critical Mass
> > > Subject: [*BCM*] Cyclists "shall be subject to the traffic laws
> > > andregulations of the Commonwealth"
> > >
> > > Indeed, in Massachusetts, bicyclists must follow all state traffic
> laws,
> > > signs, and signals, including those that apply to "motor vehicles".
> > > According to state law (Chapter 85, section 11B, see:
> > > http://massbike.org/bikelaw/ ), the only three traffic law differences
> for
> > > bicyclists are:
> > >
> > > 1. Bicyclists are permitted to pass on the right (though it's not very
> > > safe).
> > > 2. Bicyclists are NOT permitted to ride next to eachother in the same
> lane
> > > (a stupid law that would be changed with the passage of the Bicyclists
> > Bill
> > > of Rights and Responsibilities).
> > > 3. Bicycles may be ridden on sidewalks outside business districts
> "when
> > > necessary for safety", as long as you yield to pedestrians.
> > >
> > > Other than those excecptions, bicyclists are required by state law to
> > follow
> > > all traffic laws.
> > >
> > > Obviously, lots of people don't know this, and many others don't give
> a
> > > shit.  But reality is that you can get cited and prosecuted for
> violating
> > > traffic laws on your bike as you would in an automobile.
> > >
> > > Note, we're not talking about equipment laws here, just traffic laws.
> > > Obviously, different types of vehicles have different equipment laws.
> > > For example, bikes are required to have a white, front headlight at
> night,
> > > but aren't required to have any rear lights at all (though they are
> > > definitely an excellent idea).
> > >
> > > -Turtle
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > On Apr 30, 2006, at 6:27 PM, Anarchist Judaism wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > The regulation does specify motor vehicle, though.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > I think it's established elsewhere that bicyclists must follow all
> > > > motor vehicular traffic laws except where noted.
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------
> > > "One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal
> we
> > > seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal.  We must
> > > pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means." - Martin Luther King Jr.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > > To unsubscribe email
> > list-unsubscribe at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > > To unsubscribe email
> > list-unsubscribe at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > To unsubscribe email
> > list-unsubscribe at bostoncriticalmass.org
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> -=t
> http://dumbbox.dyndns.org:81
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> To unsubscribe email list-unsubscribe at bostoncriticalmass.org
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.bostoncoop.net/pipermail/bostoncriticalmass/attachments/20060510/88b5605d/attachment-0001.htm