A cyclist's frustrating encounter with law enforcement reflects ongoing tensions between drivers and people who choose cleaner transportation options.
The incident, shared on Reddit's anti-car community, involved a police officer stopping a cyclist for riding two abreast with another rider.
This practice is legal in many states, yet the officer insisted otherwise.
"Cop stopped me on my bike because we were riding two abreast," the cyclist wrote. "I told him the law explicitly says it's allowed. First he said that that wasn't true, then he said it doesn't matter and that it's unsafe."
The officer took the cyclist's ID and returned 10 minutes later, backtracking on his initial claims. He then lectured the rider about slowing down motorists, "just on their way home from a long day," and cited irrelevant bike light laws despite the incident occurring in broad daylight.
Most concerning was the officer's veiled threat: "Literally said 'someone could get road rage and try to hit you' in a tone which tooooootally told me he was projecting."
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This type of harassment discourages people from choosing bicycles over cars. Every bike ride instead of a car trip keeps pollution out of the air and reduces traffic congestion. When police officers incorrectly enforce non-existent rules or make cyclists feel unsafe for following the law, they're effectively pushing people back into their vehicles.
The environmental cost is real. Transportation comprises the largest share of U.S. pollution, and personal vehicles make up the bulk of that. Bikes produce no direct pollution and require fewer resources to manufacture and maintain than vehicles.
This cyclist's experience isn't isolated. One commenter described repeated similar incidents, writing, "I've had this happen several times. It has always ended up with a threat of arrest for not following a lawful order." The commenter's friend, an attorney, successfully fought charges after police ticketed over 10 cyclists for legal riding behavior.
Another person shared, "Was riding on a main road at 1 am in Mississippi to get some McDonald's and a cop behind me flashed his lights and pulled me over. Dude gave me a spiel about minimum speed limit, wearing a helmet, riding at night without reflective gear, etc as basically said he was gonna issue me a ticket but never gave me anything."
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These stories reflect a pattern of intimidation that undermines efforts to reduce transportation pollution through cycling.
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