Veloquacity

The Cambridge Police are really great guys. They get you the care you need when you fall for unknown reasons. They have your bike ready and waiting when you come to pick it up from the property room. They’re even really personable when they’re giving you a ticket.

Yes, on my first commute since taking my fall, I managed to get a citation from the Cambridge Police. Mind you, it was only a warning, but I now have a copy of official paperwork in my bag accusing me of breaking the law.

The funny thing is that I almost always obey the law, after all I’m a pretty big proponent of Vehicular Cycling. Today was the exception, and I got caught.

I came down Mass. Ave. towards Boston, eventually arriving at the big M.I.T. crosswalk. Pedestrians obviously get deference, no matter where they are, and I lived up to that, performing a pretty good trackstand at the edge of the crosswalk. I didn’t live up to the letter of the law, though, and once I ensured that everyone was done crossing, I proceeded slowly through the crosswalk on a red . . . directly towards a Cambridge Police officer who promptly waved me over.

He was a really nice guy; we talked for a couple of minutes before he got to business, and wished one another a good day when we parted. It was acutally a pretty pleasant experience. Had I not stopped and waited – something that the officer explictly noted – I probably would not have received a mere warning.

I guess what I’m trying to say is twofold: first, be wary of the Cambridge Police, as they seem to be on the lookout for cyclists breaking the rules (a good thing, if perhaps inconvenient); and second, if you do have the occasion to interact with them, be nice, as they’re perfectly willing to do the same.