So this morning I was pulled over by the police. At 9:30am. In Kerrisdale (the retirement area). My crime, I was riding a bicycle and they were doing a community safety check. So I had to have a helmet (check), bike in working condition (check), white front light and red back light (check, even at 9:30am - but were they working? (check - we tested)). Problem - no bell. I was warned it was a $109 fine.
We looked up bicycles in the rule book, and found lights, helmet, how to ride on the road (both hands on the handlebars, seat in the saddle and no passenger (check)). Nothing about a bell. Well, ok then he said it was in the motor vehicles act. At this point I think both of us were tired of the exercise.
I didn't have to pay the fine but since they were randomly pulling over bicycles I was warned I could be stopped again. Since I was pulled over near the community policing centre and I cycle by it every weekend I just went out and bought a bell.
Since I'm now a completely legal vehicle on the road does this mean cars won't honk and gesture angrily at me for not being on the sidewalk (which BTW is illegal - we checked).
3 comments:
Are you serious??!? Stopping cyclists for a vehicle check? Clearly they were revenue raising.
Wow,
Now I know that I’m taking this the wrong way, but the picture you paint is terribly idyllic and wholesome and makes me miss Canada. Yes, I know you got hassled by THE MAN, but if this is the worst thing that Vancouver cops have to worry about, I’m moving back tomorrow!
Let’s do a test by scanning the Vancouver news headlines…
Hmmm. Good feeling gone. Sarcasm returning:
Two small boys killed in a horrible car crash.
Glad to see the cops are right on top of the bicycle bell problem then…
-Bryan
Well, I wanted to ask him if there were some gang war shootouts going down tonight that he should be concerned about. But then I felt kinda bad - how could he *not* feel this was a tremendous waste of time and resources.
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