Downtown Denver Police Alert

[xsv4crob]

Be careful riding downtown Denver - I went to ride after work yesterday and on my way driving into downtown I see a couple bicycle cops writing tickets to a group of bicyclists (road / messenger types) with one guy on his knees in hand cuffs (no idea why).

I'm riding around for a while and work my way over to the Denver Post area and see another pair coming my way from over a block away, so I stop and wait at the traffic light. They ride up behind me and thanked me for obeying the traffic laws because they have a new initiative to hand out $60 tickets to bicyclists violating traffic laws like running red lights / improper crossing. Glad I saw them coming or I would have darted across the street like I usual and been out $60.

[hopsalot]

Don't you know Rob that Trials riders in Denver are way cooler that Hipster roadies and what you saw was the fashion police making a bust on pants being to tight and pointless tattoos.

Thanks for the heads up, like all cities Denver is hurting for revenue and they are taking it out on their citizens. Denver Police have probably used up all the speed traps in the city and have moved on to harrasing cyclists.

[BansheeRune]

Go Figure...the economy is shot & they are out to tax us for playing with bicycles...

[handiman]

i got a written warning once in central Illinois for running a light. i kept it, since under vehicle type it says "mens 10 speed." at least i had a valid excuse for being late to class.

oh, and this was by a cop in a car. full on pulled me over, lights and siren and everything.

[siraerich1]

I hope they do not uphold all of the laws coz we will all get busted for not having a seat!!!

Sec. 54-568. Riding on permanent seat.
It shall be unlawful for any person propelling or riding upon a bicycle or motorized bicycles an electrical assisted bicycle to ride other than astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto.

Sec. 54-576. Riding on sidewalks.
(a) Riding bicycles upon or along sidewalks, whether on public property or private property opened for use by the general public, shall be unlawful except when the operator or rider thereof is a uniformed city employee riding a bicycle or a police officer riding a bicycle is a marked or unmarked official police bicycle while engaged in the discharge of his or her official duties, or when the operator or rider thereof is engaged in the delivery of newspapers or where the sidewalk is part of a designated bicycleroute. Bicyclists shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on the sidewalks, and shall leave the sidewalk or dismount if necessary to yield such right-of-way.
(b) Riding motorized bicycles upon or along sidewalks shall be unlawful.
(Code 1950, §§ 522.19-1, 522.19-2, 852.5; Ord. No. 464-02, § 1, 6-17-02)


I think confluence is a designated bike route so that should be safe...


see the rest of the laws here:

http://www.denvergov.org/Bicycle_Program/BicycleLaws/tabid/378654/Default.aspx

[literocola]

I was arrested once for bombing the 16th street esclators and my bike was impounded.

Brian aka Monster Truck (Marks favorite rider lol) was arrested for just riding on 16th and tried to run from the 5'oh's but wasent fast enough. He was arrested spent a day in city jail and his bike was impounded.

I have been harrassed by the bike cops a few times. Once I was riding the fountains in Denver and they messed with me told me to leave and not come back.

Also remember that they are writing tickets for people riding Colfax on the sidewalks. They will chase you down write you a ticket and tell you to ride 16th; before the mall, then you have to move to 15th, 17th, or 18th. They wrote Jbone a ticket a couple years back- he took the cop to court and beat the case. According to the law somewhere if you are "delivering" anything to anywhere you are allowed to ride the sidewalk. You dont have to work for Denver/Boulder or Speedy or whereever, just say your a private courier and you can get off the hook just have to make sure you have some papers on ya..

[literocola]

I was with my buddy Gnomer years ago and we managed to convince one of the bike cops to ride his bike down the bridge stairs at the end of the mall. He almost ate shit and we found it pretty funny.. .good times.. good times.

[tra la log]

Originally Posted by handiman

oh, and this was by a cop in a car. full on pulled me over, lights and siren and everything.

i had that happen once, the cop drove up onto the sidewalk to stop me. i got away but some dick construction worker jumped out and grabbed me

[alexzero13]

I got a ticket for carrying my bike up an escalator because the elevator was out of service, and there was too much traffic for a bike on stairs

[Sam.S]

Originally Posted by alexzero13

I got a ticket for carrying my bike up an escalator because the elevator was out of service, and there was too much traffic for a bike on stairs

WHAT?? I do that all the time though

I should be more careful from now on.

[alexzero13]

Originally Posted by Sam.S

WHAT?? I do that all the time though

I should be more careful from now on.

Yeah it was actually in Vancouver City Centre Station, there was afternoon work traffic coming down the stairs so I took the escalator and the skytrain cop wrote me a HUGE ticket.

[xsv4crob]

Just curious...... what did he write you the ticket for?

[alexzero13]

Originally Posted by xsv4crob

Just curious...... what did he write you the ticket for?

It was like endangerment to public or something gay like that

I blame myself though, they have tons of signs saying no bikes on escalators