Run-in with plainclothes cop

I had an unsettling encounter with a plainclothes officer recently and wanted a place to share my experience and invite opinions on the circumstances involved. First, the details:

I was biking home late Wednesday night, heading north on the Dearborn bike lane out of downtown, not loving the freezing rain but dealing with it. I was approaching Wacker Drive just as the lights started to change and pressed ahead, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stop before reaching the street (I was traveling too fast and the rainwater would have prolonged my brake time). I entered the intersection as the light for bike traffic turned red and the light for left-turning car traffic turned green. The driver in the first vehicle waiting for this light turns sharply into me, stops, and slams on his horn. I ignore him and proceed across the intersection. As I continue pedaling, I hear shouting behind me: "Stop your bike! Stop your bike!!!" Then I see the blue lights. I brake, but apparently not fast enough for the driver, who keeps screaming at me to stop and dismount. I look over to see a fat, red-faced cop leaning out of the window of an unmarked SUV, still bellowing angrily despite the fact that I was barely 4 feet away. "You shouldn't have crossed there!! Didn't you see the light?! Get yourself killed that way!! Better not see you do that again!!!" The abuse went on for about a minute. I responded with an instinctive, "Yes sir...No sir...Yes sir," and then he drove off and I continued on my way, part shocked, part angry, and part amused (the latter no doubt a means of coping with the shock and anger).

Now, my rant: I think it's outrageous that an officer of the law would single out a cyclist in this way (and pretend to be concerned about my welfare no less) when untold numbers of drivers get away with a wide range of infractions that impact my safety and that of other cyclists literally every second: talking and texting on their phones, throwing open their doors without looking, turning into us at intersections, drifting into bike lanes, double-parking in bike lanes, running reds, and on and on. Surely there are better ways to spend his time, if not more worthwhile targets over which to exert his authority? I suspect that this particular individual has some kind of grudge against cyclists, or was indulging an impromptu power trip, or needed someone on whom to unleash his fury after a bad day on the job, but whatever the case, he was seething with rage and if it weren't for those blue lights, I might have forgotten that I was being verbally assaulted by a policeman instead of some disgruntled asshat in an SUV. Not only was this behavior completely inappropriate for a law enforcement officer, but in my mind, it perfectly encapsulated the total disrespect with which cyclists are treated in this city, whether directly through infractions like those listed above (not to mention outright harassment) or indirectly through a traffic infrastructure that effectively marginalizes us.

Chainlink chums, I ask you: has anyone else had a similar (or otherwise) encounter with law enforcement while biking? How did you deal with it? Should I consider myself lucky that I didn't get ticketed? Is anyone as exasperated as I am by the marginalization of cyclists by our laws and infrastructure and the casual, everyday offenses of motorists that invariably go unpunished?

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Permalink Reply by haruspex on March 29, 2016 at 7:19am

A big thanks for this David. It's encouraging to hear about a cyclist being afforded the same treatment as drivers. That this particular officer was courteous and professional in your exchange with him is also very heartening.

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on March 30, 2016 at 3:05pm

I'm a big fan of the Idaho Stop. It just makes more sense and actually enhances safety: 

"The lone study, written in 2010 by Jason Meggs, then a researcher at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, found a 14.5 percent drop in bicycle injury collisions the year after the law took effect and no change in fatalities.

Meggs also compared bike-car accident rates in Boise and Sacramento, cities he considered similar, and found that Boise had 30 percent fewer collisions in which bicyclists were injured. He concluded that the Idaho Stop Law 'has been beneficial or has had no negative effect, encouraging additional states to follow.' "

A bunch of bicyclists in San Francisco got together and all agreed to come to a full stop at all stop signs/lights. Kinda like a critical mass from some inverted, parallel universe. The net effect was to bog down traffic flow dramatically, demonstrating their point. 

Legally, a bicycle on the public roads is considered a vehicle, bound to the same rules that apply to all vehicles. I think that's a mistake. But nuance is a hard concept to grasp.

Permalink Reply by haruspex on March 30, 2016 at 6:01pm

This would be a huge step in the right direction. Having (and expanding) sensible bike laws is the best way to foster a safer and more empowered cycling community in any given area.

It really is a mistake to hold bicycles and motor vehicles to exactly the same standards on our streets. We're entirely different beasts (or beauties, as the case may be). When we think of places with robust bike cultures - The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany - their integrated traffic laws revolve around this fundamental reality. Cyclists enjoy the right of way in almost every situation because they are, objectively, the more vulnerable participant in traffic.

There was a great piece in the Economist a while back that neatly explained Holland's liability laws as they might apply to a series of hypothetical situations involving a collision between a truck and a bicycle. In virtually every scenario, the driver is always assumed to be at fault because (effectively) he/she is operating a high-powered killing machine and the cyclist is operating...well...a bike. What this means in practice is more attentive drivers, fewer bike accidents, and a safer, more harmonious traffic system.

It's not impossible to imagine having something like that here, but we have to really believe we're worth it instead of shrinking to the rules and attitudes as they stand right now.

Sorry to get off topic, but, really, what good is any conversation about law enforcement without also addressing the laws?

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on March 31, 2016 at 1:28pm

The Dutch are light years ahead of us, in several areas, it seems. American culture (or lack thereof) is so car centric that I don't think we'll ever reach their level as far as laws that pertain to bicyclists. Thanks for the great article. Your original post generated a lot of good discussion, no apologies required.

Permalink Reply by Mark on March 29, 2016 at 6:14am

This is why I avoid the Dearborn PBL.  Green lights for bikes are cut 12 seconds short to allow for the left arrow for turning cars.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on March 29, 2016 at 12:50pm

I came down on him initially hard to. But closely reading his comments it seeemed that the cop was unnecessarily hostile.  Obviously bitching out Haruspex did not as he's more upset about the cop than his own driving.  I learned this in management too :) - you are much better explaining to someone what they did wrong that nailing them to the ground.  It is one thing to be stern with somebody...it is another to rip them a new one, which it sounds like this cop did.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on March 30, 2016 at 3:10am

"He"?? I understand that gender is now a "construct" but I read Haruspex self-identification as "female."

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on March 30, 2016 at 3:14am

I must have missed that sorry.  I assumed he was male..probably because males are more reckless drivers/bikers (sweeping generalization, yes...and I'm male btw).

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on March 30, 2016 at 3:16am

Right you are..I had never checked the profile.  Apologies to Haruspex.

Permalink Reply by haruspex on March 30, 2016 at 7:29am

All good Josh. Not a big deal. I didn't really want this discussion to be about me, or my specific experience, but I accept the blame for this because of the way the original post was written. I might have doomed this thread to an early grave for this mistake...

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 30, 2016 at 7:36am
haruspex, keep on posting! It can get better!
Permalink Reply by Josh L. on March 30, 2016 at 7:37am

I don't think the crowd will be happy until you are tarred and feathered.  

I actually think you articulated it well.  People are focusing so much on your acknowledged biking error that they ignoring the disproportional response by the cop (running a light does not justify screaming @somebody).

And yes, my position evolved after rereading your message.

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