Got my first bike ticket, I feel so validated

10+ years of commuting, and I finally got one! Stop sign at Haussen, which is just south of Belmont on Milwaukee. I did my usual Idaho Stop timing: check the crossing guard, watch the timing of the traffic, follow the car through going my way on my turn. Head up, checking both directions. He maintained that I didn't even slow, but I hate it when people at/close to an intersection are watching a moving vehicle and trying to say they can tell when it slows.

I've had this discussion before...at a mostly straight on angle, a slow of 3-5 mph means a good 5+ second difference on when you cross intersection, and that is imperceptible to a viewer at that angle, but whatever.

Also, officer and I had a nice discussion afterwards, so there was no animosity. But I thought I'd share the story.

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Permalink Reply by David P. on October 6, 2015 at 4:23am

I didn't see you roll through the intersection, but I was half a block away when I saw the officer pull out and pull you over. Can't say it's a surprise! :)

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Permalink Reply by Madopal (16.5 mi) on October 6, 2015 at 4:31am

Were you the one riding with panniers? Also, from your perspective, was I riding erratically/dangerously before that? I generally will coast into a stop and check, but I do probably keep a somewhat higher pace than others. And I'm not really one to just run a light, especially some of the bigger lights along Milwaukee.

He said he's there every morning, and that the parents/crossing guards have been complaining, so I don't know how many close calls they've had with cyclists. Again, to be fair to the officer, he says he gets about 400 cars a week at that intersection, and he claimed to be one of the top ticketers of motorists on cell phones.

Not complaining here, just sharing experience. By the letter of the law, I didn't stop, and it's his prerogative to stop me.

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Permalink Reply by David P. on October 6, 2015 at 8:43am

No, obviously that was Apie :) I live a few blocks away. I was on a blue Kogswell with a single pannier and big saddle bag. I usually leave for work later in the morning, and it is quite different when I leave that early, with all of the school traffic from parents driving their kids to school, and kids walking. I probably often slow down to the same speed that you did at that stop, so it is good for me to keep in mind. I do generally make a point of slowing nearly to a stop and always yield when needed, though.

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Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on October 6, 2015 at 6:39am

That was me with the panniers.

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Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on October 6, 2015 at 6:41am

I was going to tell you to make a full stop at the stop sign when we were at Belmont, but you had your earphones in so I thought aw forget it.

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Permalink Reply by Madopal (16.5 mi) on October 6, 2015 at 6:49am

I'll take my lumps, then. Clearly my scofflaw status is well deserved.

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Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on October 6, 2015 at 6:50am

Lol. I must say, I enjoyed your "good morning", nobody does that up in those parts. Made my day.

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Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on October 6, 2015 at 7:06am

You did get caught on the wrong side of that bus and had to ride in the center for min, was that N of Belmont? Could he of seen that? We've all been in that position..

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Permalink Reply by Madopal (16.5 mi) on October 6, 2015 at 7:11am

Yeah, I did, because there was a car cutting to make a turn, I forget whether on or off. And I've been pinned there a few times by drivers not paying attention, so I always like to look for the outlet. I really hated getting stuck in the middle, though, that was a first for me.

No, he just felt that I wantonly blew the stop. I had a long discussion afterwards with the officer that I was very aware of the crossing guard, that she was on the curb with no kids coming, and that I had slowed to match speed with the next car going through the stop sign. I had almost been hit twice on Byron heading over to Milwaukee already this morning. With that and getting stuck by the bus, I just wanted to get out of the congestion, so that might have made me a bit impatient, but I clearly made sure that I slowed enough to check the stop sign for cross traffic and pedestrians.

He didn't see it that way, but he at least listened to my pleading for more traffic enforcement on the NW side to cars.

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Permalink Reply by Madopal (16.5 mi) on October 6, 2015 at 7:07am

I try to acknowledge fellow cyclists who are riding in the less friendly areas. We're all trying to stay sane & ride when the cars seem to actively want to dissuade us from doing so. I keep thinking to myself that you know you're north of Logan Square on Milwaukee when cyclists nod or wave to each other again.