Cops ticketing bikers (Page 2)

Piermont, NY:  Local Ordinance for "Bicycling and Skating on Public Streets"

190-43  Bicycling and skating on public streets.   [Added 10-21-1997by L.L. No. 5-1997]

Notwithstanding the provisions of Subdivision (b) of § 1234 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York, persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon any public street within the Village of Piermont shall not ride more than one abreast and shall ride, skate or glide near the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway or upon a usable right-hand shoulder in such a manner as to prevent undue interference with the flow of traffic except when preparing for a left-hand turn or when necessary to avoid conditions that would make it unsafe to continue along near the right-hand curb or edge. This section shall supersede any provision of the Vehicle and Traffic Law that is inconsistent herewith. All other provisions of such law shall remain in full force and effect.

EDIT: copied from recent email from the New York Cycle Club.  I'm not a lawyer or expert on the laws of Piermont.

While this is common sense, I'd recommend checking your local laws if you're concerned.

I know from riding my moped (which follows some motorized vehicle rules, some bicycle rules) that the tricky situation of being caught at a sensor light is a lose-lose. If you ultimately go through the light, after determining there are no other possibilities, you CAN still get a ticket.  There's no provision for this.  I am sure you could fight the ticket, but that's how it is where I am anyway.   

If there's really no one around, you can go through the light and no big deal.

If there are people around, I move as far forward as possible and beg drivers to pull up behind me to trigger it.

You could also get off your bike and cross like a pedestrian.  This is fool-proof.

A big thing cops look for around here is stopping, indicated by actually putting a foot down.  I always do this when I see a copy anywhere near by, even if they don't appear to have set up a trap.

Yeah... I personally am a "rule follower" and stop behind stop signs, too   I prefer to read these things more black and white, since "everyone was doing it" isn't a good defense in court.

The foot down move is another local thing perhaps.  That's how a person on two wheels indicates they have fully stopped.   But, I'm pretty sure we are all governed by local (city) ordinances for the rules that apply to us, so this might not be necessary for all. 

I was just reading the Minnesota Statute about bike laws and thought this was funny: