new york's finest revenue generation scheme

You know what's awesome? I got a $150 dollar ticket this morning for running a red light on my bicycle. That's awesome.

Yes, I ran the red light. Just like I run every red light. Just like every single cyclist in New York City runs every red light. The same way that every god damn fucking pedestrian in the city walks red light, j-walks, crosses on don't walk signs, etc. etc. As the cop was writing me the ticket, I watched 20 pedestrians j-walk from across the street right in front of me. One guy looked at me dumbfounded, he was as dumbfounded as I that they were actually citing me for this violation.

OK, I broke the law. Fine, write me a fucking ticket. But the cop was dumb enough to try to convince me as she was writing the ticket that she was keeping me safe. Fuck you. You want to keep me safe on a bike? Cite the 4 fucking cabs that cut me off on the rest of my commute to work. Cite the idiot who opened his cab door into my bike lane (which I kindly closed for him). Cite the 86 delivery trucks parked in the bike lane every block. Cite the city for giant pot holes all the way down Broadway. Cite the fucking judge who parked in the bike lane in front of the court house, where he parks every morning. That's what makes it dangerous to be a cyclist in this city.

Ok, enough venting. Time to go listen to some Ice Cube. Today is not a good day.