[*BCM*] Just got "pulled over" for running a red on Mass. Ave.

[Lee Peters]

So, have any of you attempted to REMIND Cambridge 5-0 about the list of infractions by motorists?  what is the result of that during a bike traffic stop?

I figure I couldn't hold back on what Rob listed - including the 9000 factors, to identify the lack of parity in treatment of motorists and bicyclists.




  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rob Arnold 
  To: Boston Critical Mass 
  Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 10:23 AM
  Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Just got "pulled over" for running a red on Mass. Ave.


  You are, actually, required by law to produce an ID. I've had success contesting these kinds of tickets, but it's definitely easiest to just pay the twenty bucks. Consider it a speed tax. And the moral of the story is don't run red lights in front of Cambridge cops; you'll get a ticket most times. Now if they only were that reliable about ticketing people parked in the bike lane, or double parked cars in general, or jaywalkers, or people who run lights late, or speeders, or buses that don't give enough room when they pass, or the nine thousand other factors that contribute to the axis of chaos that Mass Ave in Cambridge is.


  On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 10:11 AM, Wolfe, Anne <Anne.Wolfe at theaa.com> wrote:

    What does having a car, insurance or a license have to do with it?  It
    is a government issued ticket, and if you don't pay they can take action
    against you to ensure payment. The production of ID was so that they had
    someone (and preferably an address) to track you down if you don't pay.
    And if it goes to court, etc, then you get to pay court costs as well.

    As someone else said the moral of the story is obey the traffic lights.
    Bikes are traffic, bikes obey traffic lights.


    -----Original Message-----
    From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
    [mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org] On Behalf Of
    Gondaba
    Sent: 06 March 2008 14:30
    To: Boston Critical Mass
    Subject: [*BCM*] Just got "pulled over" for running a red on Mass. Ave.

    Ridiculous. I was in Cambridge on Mass Ave, right in front of the large
    MIT crosswalk. The crosswalk had a red light, sure, but it was pretty
    clear and I was in no danger of hitting the poor little pedestrians. A
    Cambridge Cop standing next to his motorcycle flags three of us down
    after the crosswalk and tells us to stay put. He proceeds to ask for our

    IDs and issue each one of us a $20 fine.

    The ticket itself seems to be some kind of civil violation; there was a
    nice little place for "Bicycle / Red Light" that he checked off, amongst

    a host of other bicycle violations and, for example, "Improper disposal
    of dog feces," which is a $25 fine.

    Has this happened to anyone else before?
    And, because I don't have a car, insurance, or even a license, do I
    really have to pay this fine? What're they going to do?

    Be wary, fellow red-light runners...

    Chris
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