Important Advisory to all Bikers
August 31, 2008 Filed under Advisory Report
photo illustration
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 approximately 9:30pm:A young bochur riding his bicycle on Albany Avenue near Empire Blvd was stopped by a Police Officer due to the fact that he was riding on the sidewalk. The bochur, who does not speak English, did not understand why he was stopped and when the Officer asked him for identification he did not understand what the Officer wanted from him. The Officer responded by threatening to arrest him. A passerby noticed what was transpiring attempted to explain to the bochur to show some identification. The Officer was ungrateful for this and threatened the passerby that if she continued to interfere she would be arrested for Obstructing Governmental Administration. The passerby called Shmira and Shmira members responded. The members on scene explained to the bochur what was occurring and the bochur furnished his identification. The officer wrote the summons and was on his way.
It seems that due to apparent pressure to produce income for the city, the police have been giving out all types of nonsense summonses like the one the bochur got in the story above for riding his bicycle on the sidewalk. This is not the first such incident this week. On Monday a cyclist was riding his bicycle on the street and only made the short trip from the street to the banks’ entrance and was slapped with a summons. If you do ride your bicycle on the sidewalk and an Officer sees you, chances are YOU WILL BE TICKETED.
We are asking all community residents NOT to ride their bicycles on the sidewalks, even for one foot, just walk it.
If you do happen to get stopped for any reason and a police officer asks you for your identification DO NOT argue with him, even if he is 100% wrong, just be respectful and give him your ID, this way you will have a better chance of not receiving a summons and staying out jail. DO NOT admit guilt, that is for court. You may attempt to argue your case in a respectful manner if you feel that you are innocent, only after you have given the police officer your ID. It just does not pay to get all upset and angry when you WILL end up losing.
If you feel that the police officer was unreasonable or acted unprofessional, you can call 311 and file a complaint. You may also file a CCRB (Civilian Complaint Review Board) complaint at http://www.nyc.gov/html/ccrb/home.html or at your local precinct, (“which will always remain on the officers record”). You should also file a complaint with The Jewish Leadership Council via their website: www.nyjlc.org or call them at: 718-467-5500.
Have all your facts ready and clear before you call and please double check all the details.
Follow
Member just have respect to the officer and don’t be “chuzpidik” to the officer and just try to dive in the street and be safe.
Larry
I saw a group of six AAs across the street but the Officer decided it was more important to stop the one jewish kid.
Easier bait i guess. why not?
Whats up with this balooney?????
Why are they harrasing the residents of this community with such BS tickets
Can they not spend their time busting the real criminals????
Pitty how this community feels about the incident that has happened..Yes unfortunatly someone got a summons, and I thank Shmira for putting this on the website and informing our community. The reason why NYC has put into effect a law of No riding a bicycle on a public sidewalk is for people over the age of 15 ( 16 years and older). It is the same reason why your not allowed to make a right turn on red here in NYC…..TO MANY PEDESTRIANS. If you were walking up Kingston ave with your stroller, and kids and either an A.A. or Bochur was cutting in and out on the sidewalk on his or her bicycle and clips you or your children, you would be extremly upset and yell. The police are here to inforce to law to keep everyone safe not just one community. Ofcourse fellow community members arent going to agree with my comment/reply but unfortunatly you are going to have to understand why the city has made this law. Most of you may say give the Bochur a break….Why? are the police suppose to give the jewish community a break…I have noticed a lot of breaks given out to this community but we all seem to forget those times.. Well be safe and no riding your bicycle on the sidewalk.
It’s all nice and dandy except that at the same time that the bochur was riding his bike on one side of the street SIX AAs were riding on the other side.
Now, we won’t get into why 6 is a bigger danger on the sidewalk or why 1 might b a bigger danger on the street.
I personally saw, two days after this story an AA driving his bike on the sidewalk and a passing officer simply asked him to ride on the street and that was it.
Just because there is a law against it doesn’t mean the Officer must automatically give a summons.
Will Officers start giving tickets for J-walking as well?????
I got hit by a car riding in the street.
If there are no bike lanes I definitely am riding on the sidewalk.
Why would it bother anyone on Albany Avenue?????
And espacially at 9:30 at night! that street is empty
Granted 6 is a larger number……but how can you say…I have noticed not only you but this entire community goes with the idea that “The officer saw and didn’t do anything” how can you say what he saw. Also police officers have something what is called discretion. Also you said it was across the street well unfortunetly he stopped the person who was closer to him..Like when a cop pulls you over he isnt going to pull everyone over at the same time thats on the other side of the street going in the opposite direction.
The reason why this is a sensative topic cause my uncle was struck by a bicyclist in Manhattan on a public sidewalk and fell and hit his head on the….he did not make it. now you have to enforce this law everywhere..If you feel as there are not enough bike lanes you can call 311 and request one after x amount of requests they will place ones on Albany and Brooklyn most likely.
J-walking don’t be surprised if they do…If there are a lot of car accidents involving pedestrians j-walking how do you stop that the police could issue summons for j-walking so people would stop
As you can see a simple summons can save someone unfortunatly it may also hurt someone such as the one receiving the ticket
This article was posted 2 Months ago on http://www.Chabad.info
This past Erev Shabbos, moments before shabbos began, several Temimim were arrested by NYPD officers from the 71st precinct, for j – walking across Eastern Parkway. Thankfully, after the officers jotted down their personal information the bochurim were released with a stern warning.
And that incident was not the first of it’s kind involving Crown Heights residents crossing the parkway without using the crosswalk. Readers, please use caution when crossing Eastern Parkway! IT’S FOR YOUR SAFETY.
This should go up on all the Lubavitch sites, so people will know this Law.
Who still rides bikes? With the gas prices this high you would have to be insane.
Put the article from http://www.CrownHeights.CH
Shmira Patrolling In Crown Heights During Labor Day on this website, it’s a good article for http://www.CHShmira.org
First I want to say is that person deserved to be summons with riding bicycle on the sidewalk.
Besides only looking on this website you can see that many people who look diferent even if he does look jewish(not a racist thing)….people in bike find it easier to steal things and that’s why its good for him to be summoned