Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
Because the policeman told me to
I snuck away from office email tonight and rode south on the strand away from here. Every month, or so, I use this course as my fitness test. Close to the turn around point with fitness test results on my mind I rode across the base of a local pier – passing signs and flashing lights reducing riders to walkers for safety reasons. As I approached the center of the no cycling zone I spied a local Policeman. He promptly waved me to a stop. I was caught in cycling shorts.
He asked if I had seen the signs – only later to mention that I had passed 16 of them. He was quite firm but also right. He asked for my information and I complied. One problem, I did not have ID – I never carry ID. I will now, as I learned from Mr. Policeman, if I had a driver’s license with an old address and gave him my new address – he would have no choice but to arrest me for the discrepancy – which is potentially a lie. Keying his mike he confirmed all my information to be true. One final time he told me how unwise it was to ride through that zone, there’s lots of foot traffic, and in response I told him that as a local lifeguard I couldn’t agree anymore. I was totally wrong. And then he got excited. “Who are you a guard with?” he asked. I replied, “The County”. “Why didn’t you tell me before?” “Because I was totally wrong and I am not looking for a favor.” “Well you should have told me, you were about to get a ticket for $126.” Sputtering I said, “OK and thank you”.
With that I was free. But not before he said, “Tell your cycling community not to ride in the walking zone.” Done. I walked quickly through the zone and rode even harder. I didn’t have a cycling light and the sun was quickly setting. I couldn’t afford another run-in. Before I reached home I stopped at all four stop signs and one red light.
Matt Smart
outsideallday.com Contributor
on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm:
So glad you didn’t get a ticket…fun story to read!
on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 7:07 pm:
THAT IS SO WEIRD. I WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING. IT MUST BE TWIN THING_- MATT WHERE AER THE EUROPE POSTS I NEED TO SEE PICS.
ALISON