Former pro Phil Gaimon filmed a strange encounter he recently had while riding in California. He was pulled over by a police officer for riding two-abreast with someone else.
Gaimon began by saying he didn’t want to have to film the encounter and post it on YouTube, but the whole experience left him frustrated with the officer’s ignorance of road laws.
The American has been known for advocating cyclists’ rights, and this video is another example of his advocacy.
A sherriff who doesn’t know the law?
Gaimon commented, “So, what hope do we have if the police don’t even know the laws about cycling? He’s on his motorcycle next to me saying that it’s against the law to ride side by side. And I tell him, ‘I’m sorry officer, but that’s not the law.’”
The two sat on the roadside for a long time while the officer googled the highway traffic act and came up with a bizarre interpretation of the law. He claimed that cyclists need to be as close as possible to the side of the road, so the rider on the left was violating this supposed rule, even though no rule specifically forbids riding two-abreast.
Why ride two abreast?
Riding two-abreast has several advantages. It’s often safer and more social, making it easier to converse and ensuring cars can pass more safely. On narrow roads, where drivers must move into oncoming traffic to pass, riding two-abreast takes up less road space, allowing for quicker and safer overtaking when the road is clear.
“I appreciate the police in general. It’s a sacred thing to put yourself in harm’s way to protect other people,” Gaimon said. “And I don’t want to be that guy who pulls out a camera when a cop stops him. I don’t want to deal with this. I don’t want a ticket. And I don’t want to go to court.”
He added that he wasn’t looking to get “the rage clicks this video’s going to get,” but mentioned that a lot of strange things were said.
Gaimon expressed reluctance to embarrass a public servant but felt compelled to address the issue. He noted that during the seven-minute stop, only two vehicles passed. He criticized the stop as unnecessary for such a minor inconvenience. Although the officer eventually found the relevant code, he chose an unusual interpretation to justify his actions.
Gaimon would later consult with his lawyer and go to court two months later. Despite the officer being quite firm that he would attend, he ultimately was a no-show.
“Yeah, congratulations to me,…
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