I apologize in advance for the incoherence of this story, but I'm getting it third hand:

My wife heard of a friend of a friend who recently got a ticket for speeding on a bike trail in Hopkins. My wife was told it was on the Greenway, but that doesn't add up with the Hopkins location. The officer clocked her at 14 mph with a radar gun, and pulled her over for "speeding." He apparently hassled her for not having a driver's license and proof of insurance, too.

Anyway, the upshot is she was given a choice of a "Park Board" ticket, which was cheaper, or a moving violation, which would be more expensive and apprently would go on her driving record, so she choose the Park Board ticket.

The problem is, she wants to fight it but apparently she can't contest this ticket and is out $65. The ticket is supposed to be paid to Hennepin County.

I remember hearing about officers on the Greenway with radar guns last year, but nothing recently.

Does anyone know anything about this? Does anything about this story make sense?

No.

I was ticketed by the Mpls Park Police for speeding around Lake Harriet. Really. It was November. It was midweek and evening. There was no one else around. I was going 16 mph in a 10 mph zone. I was aghast at the stupidity of the situation.

Speeding, no. There is no posted speed limit on these trails unlike the ones around the lake.

Running stop signs, yes.

My wife recently witnessed Three Rivers Park police staking out the stop sign on Cedar Lake Trail between 36th street in SLP and Aquilla park. They had a vehicle by the intersection and a cop with a walkie talkie and a bike up the trail. I have seen them at this intersection in the past. I also saw a Three-Rivers cop in a vehicle under 169 at the intersection of the trail and 2nd Street just north of the Depot.

Hardly anyone stops at these intersections despite the fact that you are required to by law. So if you aren't going to stop (and I'm not saying I'm without sin here), at least look around real good because they don't exactly hide in the bushes. You WILL get a ticket. A couple of years ago after the fellow was killed by a car at the Beltline intersection, I recall that a BikeLover got a ticket for blowing the stop sign where the trail zig-zags across the railroad tracks just east of there. Personally I have only ever stopped there for a train, but again, the law says you have to stop.

Yeah, I didn't think so.

There must be a communication breakdown.

I always wondered about this since you're not required to have a speedometer on your bike how can you be held accountable for how fast you're going? I'm pretty sure I can run faster than 10 mph...for maybe 2 seconds

Did you end up paying?

word on the street is that the popo is ticketing people for running stops at beltline and wooddale today.

check you self.

yup i saw a car parked there and stared them down hard, should have rode in circles around them.

I saw them at Beltline on Tuesday, probably around 1:30.

I do slow way down for that zig-zag railroad crossing, figuring that they may be watching.

This.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekeKAN9MuvQ

If you need a speed limit sign for a bike trail maybe you put the bike trail in the wrong place.


The only place that cars have to go 10mph is in alleys.

I'm an attorney and I am offering free legal advice and representation for people getting bike tickets. I was going to PM this but I want to make sure the offer is broadcast.

PM me if you want.

I would like to hear some follow up on the original story... if possible.

I don't have a huge issue with enforcing the law, HOWEVER;

The officers NEED to enforce bike-supporting laws with equal attention as the bust the 'bad' bikers. I don't see any cars getting pulled over for passing me too close (cops have been there to see it). I don't see tickets issued to drivers that fail to yield to a bike. Frankly, I don't think they even to know to look for these infractions. Moreover, I would LOVE to see the police give some attention to the cars the fail to stop at stop signs.

Also, get rid of the STUPID stop signs all over the bike trail systems. Example, I bike the Dakota trail frequently (great for weekend rides with the family). There is a series of stops signs in Minnetonka Beach, a stop sign for EVERY house's driveway. Therefore, legally, I need to stop 6-8 times in a 1/2 mile for all these rarely used driveways. Bikers NEVER stops, what a waste! How about a yield sign?!?!? Or better still, tell the home-owner to stop and check for traffic, just like the road at the end of the driveway (you never see a stop sign on the road because of a driveway!)

I truly love what Minneapolis did for the Greenway at 5th Ave! Cars yield to the bikes ! How do we get more of these around town?

How is a park board ticket not fightable? Innocent until proven guilty last I remembered unless by accepting that type of ticket, you are saying I am guilty.

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