Thursday, April 12, 2007

Busted



Ticket_2




I found this little memento in one of the dark corners of my desk drawer last night.  It’s from my days of riding a fixed gear all over Seattle.  There’s not much of a story; I was waiting to turn left at a stoplight.  The light for the cross traffic turned red, so I crept into the intersection. 



I stalled, and stalled, and stalled, but my light never turned green.   I had crept out far enough into the intersection that I was now in danger, so I decided it was safer to run the red light.  As soon as I did I heard the sirens of a police car, the one that until then I didn’t know was waiting right behind me at the light. 



My first thought was that I could outrun the cops, I mean, I was on a bike and there was lots of traffic.  Seattle’s traffic congestion is second only to L.A.’s.  There was no way they could keep up with me if I weaved my way between the cars.  Then I remembered that this was the same neighborhood the police had recently shot and killed a man who had tried to outrun them.  I pulled over and owned up to my crime. 



Have you ever been a bicycle outlaw? 



1 comment:

  1. Somehow I've avoided getting caught up till now, but I suppose it's just a matter of time. I'll confess to running at least one red light every morning on my way to work. I leave early when nobody is on the road. Waiting at lights on my bike when there is no car in sight seems so pointless. I'll meke sure to try outrunning the po-po when the inevitable does happen, and I'll let you know how it goes (if I live to tell about it).

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