[SDCBC] Harassed by the W

[trevorspoke at cox.net]

The best advice  for all such situations is to go up the supervisor chain.
Get the information from the situation (license plate, bus number, employee name, officer badge number, whatever) and speak to their manager. Don't threaten them or tell them you're going to, just do it. In most cases, they'll get a nice talking-to and you'll get a polite response from the manager thanking you for improving their image with the public for catching the problem.

-- Trevor

---- Eric Converse <econver at yahoo.com> wrote: 
> Speaking of bikes and the law.
> 
> I was lucky enough to get a summons to serve for jury duty this week (ha ha).  On my first day I didn't know where I should go so I attempted to park my bike near the North East corner of 421 West B Street (the location of "The W" hotel) when a hotel employee came up to me and asked me to move my bike after I was nearly finished locking two locks.  I responded by asking, "why."  He said it was ugly in front of their building.  I responded by saying that it was a public sidewalk and I was not obstructing people's path so I shouldn't have to move it.  I also told him I thought it was a beautiful bike and far more beautiful than the rusty construction truck parked right in front of me.  He then said he'd contact the city to see if he could have the locks cut and the bike forcibly removed.  I was shocked and wasn't sure where I stood legally, so after a bit of grumbling I unlocked my bike and moved it.  
> 
> Does anyone know what the law says about bikes parked on sidewalks?  There was no designated bicycle parking within a block, that I could see, and I was locking the bicycle to a lamp post.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Eric
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Mary Winn <mary.e.winn at gmail.com>
> To: JonIsaacs at aol.com; Sdcbc <sdcbc at bikesandiego.org>
> Sent: Thursday, April 3, 2008 10:10:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [SDCBC] Pulled over for "taking the lane"
> 
> I should mention that I was not ticketed, merely informed about proper bicycle riding "according to the law".
> 
> 
>  Mary E. Winn
> 
> 
> Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program
> University of California, San Diego 
> La Jolla, CA 92093-0685 
> (734) 323-5417 
> mewinn at ucsd.edu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> On Apr 3, 2008, at 10:01 AM, JonIsaacs at aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 4/3/2008 9:56:54 AM Pacific Daylight Time, mary.e.winn at gmail.com writes:
>  
>  This morning, I was pulled over by a motorcycle police officer at the corner of University and Idaho (I should mention he was polite and friendly).  He informed me and my partner that it is against the law to take over the lane and that we must ride as far to the right as possible, even if this means there is a chance of getting hit by a car door.
>  
>  I think you need to go to court with that officer and discuss it with the judge.  The word is "practicable".  
>  
>  Riding in the door zone is not "practicable."  I am sure Jim and Kathy will respond with some help.
>  
>  Jon
> 
> 
> **************
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