NP: Deftones, White Pony

I had seen this headline as I was leaving for San Diego, but didn't read the story until yesterday. My initial reaction was that, between the efforts to "crack down" on cyclists with a cavalier disregard of traffic laws (what are you looking at?), and now this, I may singlehandedly be able to fund the entire city of Chicago.

As an aside, I was scolded a few weeks ago by a police officer for my cycling. What annoyed the hell out of me was that I wasn't actually doing anything wrong, just giving myself a little bit of a headstart on a light that was about to change. To be sure, there are instances where I'm clearly doing things the new efforts aren't going to like, but this wasn't one of them, and felt like it bordered on harassment.

I still don't agree with the new vigilance, the original and most simple premise being that Chicago law enforcement doesn't crack down on jaywalking, and anything I do on a bike, traffic-wise, is exactly the same as I'd do as a pedestrian.

Of course, now that becomes problematic. I still have a rationale for biking the way I do, but it's more complicated. Plus, the pedestrian "restrictions" appear to be more about actually holding up traffic -- the spirit of the law over the letter. People who cross when there's a left-turn signal, and that sort of thing, and it's only proposed during rush hours in the central part of the city. If the city's green ghoulies aren't around, it doesn't sound like something a beat cop is responsible for anyway.

I'm still taking bets on how long it will take for yours truly to get some sort of ticket or citation. These comments don't write themselves, you know.