National team rider Noah Ramsay was riding in High Park in Toronto on Tuesday on a snowy day, when he received not one, but two tickets from Toronto Police.
According to David Shellnutt, the Biking Lawyer, the authorities ticketed the cyclist even though the park was deserted. “TPS Constable Hall spent valuable time and resources ticketing cyclists for safe yields, Idaho Stops,” the lawyer said.
Riding in the park seemed safer
The reason he was riding in the park was for safety.
“In 2022, Noah was training near Port Credit when a motorist furious at him for being on the road became so irate, he pulled a gun on Noah. With that experience in mind and seeing the weather forecast, Noah decided to cycle in High Park. He feels safe from motorists there and he knew with snow in the air pedestrians would be scarce,” Shellnutt added.
Well @TorontoPolice 11 Division are at it again. Sitting in a snowy park ticketing cyclists trying to be safe. Read our letter to @TPSMyronDemkiw, @McKelvieTO et al: https://t.co/m9V2kvNypz pic.twitter.com/APWSa4xgKa
— The Biking Lawyer (Dave Shellnutt) (@TheBikingLawyer) April 20, 2023
According to Ramsay, he went to the park because he figured it would not be busy due to the inclement weather.
Park was empty
“I had to work out with a few cadence and short sprints planned so I wanted to do it, or I would have to deal with less cars and things of that sort. I stopped for a moment at the top of Colborne lodge, and as continued with my ride, a cop was driving up the hill and saw me. They followed me towards the north gates, but as they saw, I was just doing laps of the park, he said.”
The officer decided to wait for him at the north end of the park to do another lap, the road, ‘cross and MTB rider said.
“As I came by him he pulled out from behind me, but there were two cars in front of me at the stop sign, the first car went, and as the second car rolled up to the stop I saw he didn’t signal, so I slowly rolled next to him, and slowly rolled a left-hand turn then continued on, and the officer followed me south, and turned on his lights and pulled me over. And he gave me my first ticket.”
Toronto cyclists took over High Park to protest police ticketing
Ramsay says he continued on riding, but then noticed the officer apparently switched sides of the road when he came through again, as he headed to the north gate after that, he saw that he drove his car facing oncoming traffic, and waited in a parking…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…