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Letter: I was fined for riding a bike through a stop sign

Saturday, September 13, 2008

I realize at 9:50 a.m. on a Thursday morning there might not be too much for the ever-so-busy University police officers to be doing. However, while most students are still recovering from dollar night, I was riding my bicycle to class. With the “Lollipop” remix bumpin’ on my iPod, I cruised down Jayhawk Boulevard on the 26-inch rims … of my bicycle.

Midway though the second flow of rhymes from Lil Wayne, I hear the sound of a cop car. Are you kidding me?

Yes, I got pulled over on my bike. If you were on campus and witnessed this, please laugh it up. Although I thought it was hilarious, the officer did not. He informed me that I was indeed endangering lives by “failing to yield at a stop sign.”

Students: please learn from my $130 mistake. The University obviously doesn’t have enough money. Now it seems like we are in the middle of a war between the University police department and the KU Parking Department to see which can give out the most ridiculous tickets.

—Max Kozak is a junior from Anchorage, Alaska.

(See the Kansan's news story about ticketing cyclists from Friday here.)

Comments

Letter: I was fined for riding a bike through a stop sign

If you want cars to treat bicycles as equal passengers, you'd better be prepared to equally follow the laws of the road.

Letter: I was fined for riding a bike through a stop sign

Cyclists for their own safety and the safety of cars around them must adhere to the laws of traffic when riding on the street. You're lucky you didn't get hit by a car instead. Be smart and use this warning to change your attitude and your riding habits before you hurt yourself or some one else.
I'll be sure to thank the next KU cop I see in general for ticketing cyclists like you.

Letter: I was fined for riding a bike through a stop sign

If you are on the sidewalk, you are a pedestrian, if you are in the road, you are a vehicle. If you have a motor, you have no choice and if don't have wheels you don't have a choice. You, on the bicycle, make the choice to be in the road and be a vehicle. So you follow the rules. Same as those idiots riding their scooters on the sidewalk instead of walking them to the bike rack like they're supposed to. I want to see some tickets for that.

Letter: I was fined for riding a bike through a stop sign

I will be the first to admit that there are idiots who ride bikes. I am not one of them. I would like to think KU cops or anyone for that matter would have the common sense to know this. ( But I can tell by your responses that the world lacks some form of common sense) These idiots are the people who fly thru stop signs, and in and out of traffic with total disregard to you all. I say you all because i can tell by the tone of all your responses A. none of you ride a bike on a regular basis and B. some time in you life a cyclist has caused you a 2.5 minute delay some time in your life while you were driving somewhere. Did you know that it is not illegal for me to ride my bike on the campus side walks? Would you prefer me to ride my bike on the side walk in and out of all the people? If you dont want me on "your" ride then I guess if i dont want to walk ill have to ride on the side walk. I am pretty sure you will still bitch about that too. Also I dont want to put my self or anyone else in danger. I would rather ride on the road. I ask you to ride a bike to class one day, well maybe that might be a bit much physical activity for you... drive to campus with your bike and ride to class one day. Tell me if you think a simple yield at a completely empty intersection will suffice, but be careful doing this because my simple yielding to a completely empty intersection got me a $130 dollar ticket. I will not change my attitude in that matter the same as I expect you to not change yours, and the next time you get a parking ticket for parking your vehicle somewhere you shouldn't dont be angry because you deserve it. (Oh and for the record i was wearing my helmet... dont forget your seat belt next time you drive.)

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