Busted: Pulled over for running a red light
Getting pulled over by park police for running a red light in New York City, near the West 82nd entrance to Central Park. I really felt sorry for this guy. I didn’t witness the awful crime, and I’m wondering how the park cop got the cyclist to stop. Or why did the biker even bother to pull over? Did the police dude brandish his stick?
I once had a policeman in Guangzhou step out in front of my bike and try to get me to stop on Dongfeng Road, which bikes aren’t allowed to use. I slowed down and pretended like I was going to pull over, but as I drew close to him, I started mashing the pedals and deeked around the guy, who started blowing a whistle and waving a flag at me. I viewed it as an act of civil disobedience. Bikes shouldn’t be banned on a major road. It would be like New York prohibiting cycling on Broadway. But trust me, I would never ever run a red light. Oh no.
Law and Order. Kinda miss that. I think the biggest bain of my bike riding existence in Beijing are the 3 wheeled carts for “disabled” people. The use their handicap license tag, if they have one at all, to ferry around passengers. Usually men over 50 who drive these carts with no regard for life or limb. Keeps things interesting though.
I’m LOL, Anthony. You’re living in a communist police state craving law and order! I know the feeling! It’s one of the biggest contradictions in China – the wild swings from control to chaos. This is a great theme. Peter Hessler visits it often in his wonderful writing about China.