Modern Vespa

I got a ticket on my ride to work this this morning for running a stop sign at 12th & T NW. I didn't blast through it, just did the ol' rolling stop (bummer...haven't had a moving violation in 10+ years).

I'm not posting to whine, though (I'm guilty as charged), but to give a heads up because it seemed that DC cops this morning may have been on a ticket-writing push.

After giving me the ticket the cop drove 100 feet to the corner (12th & S), and made a right on S St. I did the same behind him. At first he just got in the line of cars at the light at 13th, but then he put his lights on and drove in the opposite lane up to the light and motioned to a scooterist to make a right and pull over.

She was sitting at the light in a position that suggested she had split lanes to get there. Because she had done this when the cop and I were still around the corner, he could not possibly have actually seen her do the lane splitting (but it was pretty obvious that she had).

As I continued on to work I saw -- in about 10 or 12 blocks -- four more occupied cop cars sitting in parking spots right next to intersections.

I might have just been hyper-aware at that point, but there might be a traffic enforcement initiative going on in DC. And while it could have been coincidence that he pulled over two scooters in a row, could a scooter crackdown be underway?

Any DC riders notice anything different today or this week?

Kevin

NO Kidding! oh that's no good. I ride down 13th St from TP every day and do the good ole rolling stop all.the.time. Thanks so much for the heads up. I did see 3 or 4 cop cars this am on my way in. yikes.

You guys keep them busy,
that way they won't see me breaking a few of the other rules....

do you park your scooter on the side walk? I read a post in another thread about NYC riders whose scoots were towed for parking on the side walk. thus far i haven't had any problems. i hope that madness doesn't start happening here.

ride it like you stole it!!!

I park downtown on the sidewalk every day (well out of the way of pedestrian traffic), removing the plate with the old velcro trick. I did get ticketed in G'town once before doing that -- $100!

I'll continue unless or until that starts happening in DC (hopefully I'll hear secondhand and not through personal experience).

I've heard the NYC cops got wise to the velcro trick and started towing scooters in the sidewalk with or without tags.

DC should wise up and starting providing more motorcycle/scooter parking.

I wonder how long I can go without putting on my new license plate. Took delivery of my bike in early August and received the plate about a month later. Since I have a personalized plate on order, I didn't bother installing the generic numbered plate, hoping the personalized plate would come "any time soon".

I suppose that as long as I keep the bike clean and shiny along with a clean engine, everybody would think it is brand new. One of the advantages of digital odometers. Unless switched on, nobody can tell how many miles are on the thing.

I used to remove mine when I parked on the side walk in front of my office downtown, but forgot a few times and didn't have any problems so haven't done it recently. let's hope that holds!

I went to a City Planning meeting tonite, along with 75 bicyclist...The bicyclist wanted their own bicycle lanes, where scooters are not allowed...
I was informed we were not allowed to park in bicycle racks, or on the sidewalk, that bicycles are allowed....that we had to park in car spots, and oh, when we get around to it, we will have Motorcycle/Scooter parking in city lots, but none planned on the street parking....
Guess we don't rate....
Remember, the bird that chirps the loudest, gets the worm!
I think we should have a nationwide protest, and get every Scooter to park on the Street for one day, feed the meters, and just hang out with posters and banners, and hog all the car parking spots...get the media involved...etc
Then, I bet we would get our own parking!