Barbara Ross is a dear friend of mine. She is a staunch advocate for cyclists and cares passionately about making cycling safe for New Yorkers. The NYPD has not been friendly to cyclists, that is just a fact, look it up!  She made this video to illustrate the irony of the police unnecessarily blocking the bike lane to harass a cyclist. I get that that the intended message didn't really resonate for a lot of you! Oh well. I am not trying to argue the central points. I think the cyclists who think they need more rights and less death and less harrassment are not going to change their minds, and those who are annoyed by cyclists are not going to change their minds, either.  I am here only to say this is a reallly lovely (in all ways) person who was doing what she believes in, in the context of all she knows of the history of the NYPD and cyclists over the last 10 years. I am totally sorry that her behavior doesn't seem reasonable to you in the narrow band of this video where she may have come off as uncharacteristically verbose and aggressive, but the people saying such nasty things about her just really have gone too far. There have been some truly low blows here. So I want to say my truth that Barbara is a wonderful, fun person, and an amazing asset to the cycling community. I am so saddened that that video doesn't show that to someone who doesn't have the full picture. But she is awesome.  She doesn't have any cats. The fact that she even took this video and let it go around is a testament to the fact that she cares about her cause so much and really doesn't ever stop to think of herself or how things reflect on her. She made herself vulnerable, as someone else said, and really got internet pooped on.  Do I expect to convince you? Not everyone. Internet haters gonna hate. But I needed to say, (so someone says it) that this video and many of the reactions don't paint an accurate picture of a very cool human being. 

This woman is an idiot who clearly doesn't understand that cops can park where they like. It looks like she just has a vendetta that he DARE give any cyclist a ticket that she decided to be a loudmouth. Dislike.

How educational-- Latinos and black Americans need to look out for cops who might unload several mags of ammunition on them just for walking down the street with a 3 Musketeers bar, but privileged white people have to worry about cops parking in their bike lane.  

Unfortunately, a lot of bikers are self-righteous, self-important busybodies.  

The argument that cops can't break the law to uphold it is RIDICULOUS. Can they speed to catch-up with a drunk-driver or to pursue a felon? Can they run through red-lights (with sirens and flashers blazing of course, in as safe a manner possible of course) when they need to get to a 911 call quickly? (save the rape-cop jokes, they're old)  Her voice was annoying too.

We know for a fact that there are some corrupt, dishonest, immature cops out there. But out of 30,000+ NYPD officers, the numbers are probably similar to that of any profession or institution. I think he maintained as much professionalism as anyone could be expected to, despite being heckled and challenged while trying to do his job and finish his shift. Let the cyclist that got pulled over fight her own battle, that's what courtrooms are for, if she thinks she was cited unlawfully, by all means, raise the issue, but this tactic makes them look ridiculous.

Saying that all cops are corrupt or a-holes would be like saying all cyclists are unsafe and reckless. Surely we've all been almost mowed down by a bike while crossing a street, either a helmet-less messenger or a take-out food delivery boy, but most cyclists do a decent job of following traffic and minding their business.

Listen, if you want to debate the motives for writing a ticket on a cyclist in the first place (actual safety vs. generating revenue) I could certainly listen to all arguments, and I think that cyclists are definitely being targeted...but distracting someone while they're at work (the actual cop, who is really just a cog in a HUGE MACHINE) is not the way to fight this battle.

She is both stupid and lucky.

He should have have just thrown her in the squad car for harassing an officer on duty.

The guy has more important things to worry about - like keeping self-righteous undeserving primadonna's safe like this fascist

So is she down going to go on a rampage - harassing EMPs if an ambulance is pulled in a bike lane?

What about when a cop care has to stop on a bridge or in the middle of a road to pursue a suspect?

She better be there!

Firetrucks

Those thoughtless (in her mind) heroes (in everyone else's mind) take up so much room when fighting a blaze

I guess they need a talking to by this person too.

Oh and this is the same group that had a parade of people riding bikes holding or pulling their dogs!!

ASPCA is calling you fucking fascist scum

Totally support bike lanes in theory but the daily reality of self important Portland rejects ignoring traffic rules while self-righteously endangering pedestrians has induced a level of hipster hatred I didn't think I was capable of - Thanks for that trustafarian art school mediocrities!

If ever someone deserved a nice message with a rubber hose... Props to the cop for not breaking her pencil neck. Grow up and get a clue you self-important nitwits. If you can't hack life in the big city, go back to Waukesha.

...Move along; nothing to see here.  [ rolls eyes ]

That young lady has a severely [ & unwarranted ] inflated sense of self-worth/ethics/ego.

"Officer: "Ma'am, in order to affect a lawful stop, I had to park in the bike lane."

The word is effect, not affect. Though I wouldn't expect a site with an American Apparel ad to know basic English.

Indeed the police must do their job. It's clear though that the police officer in this vid parked directly in the bike lane, in such a way as to leave little room on either side, making it unsafe for bicyclists to operate (which is what he was writing a ticket for, a cyclist running a red light).  Bicyclist have only one lane, unlike cars, and are expected to use them...in fact, are given tickets when not using them.  There is an endemic disregard of the bike lanes by cars, and police cars.  This is part of a bigger issue of respecting bike lanes, the difficulty of using bike lanes (by cyclists), and the everyday heroism of calling out misbehavior of the police.  Keep up the good work!  and thank you Ms. Ross.

ps, it's clear this is one of many battles well chosen.

lol

How F#@%ing hard is it to go around a car temporarily parked in a bike lane? I ride everyday and find the bike lane absolutely useless. You can't go fast in them and there's more of a risk for injury while using one with the constant threat of left/right-hand turning cars.

These people need get a grip, get over themselves, and move on—this certainly isn't something anyone should get in a tizzy over.

Actually, it's pretty dangerous to swing into oncoming traffic from a bike lane.  Many drivers seem to be in a sleepwalking (sleepdriving) or zombie state and to have trouble guessing that something might pop into their path.

I don't disagree. But "swinging" is not what you should be doing. I have been riding the streets of this city for 18+ years and have been in only two accidents. One was of my doing, the other I was cut off.

However, if you choose to use any lane on the street, the proper way to ride is not "swing", but to cautiously merge. The reason god gave you a neck is to turn your head, use that method to look over your right or left shoulder and then proceed cautiously. I see, all of the time, too many cyclists ride with no care in the world—many these days are on  the phone (ear piece or hands free,) or listening to music with headphones.

I use the bike lane sometimes and if I see a car parked in it from afar, I merge into traffic and go around them. Of course i grumble obscenities to myself, but the bottom line is, I move over, move on and I'm on my way—big deal.

Screaming and yelling at the cops, truck drivers, etc isn't a solution—it's counter productive and a waste of time.

As for driver being bad drivers... that's the first thing you learn about driving, most drivers aren't paying attention. However, if you're a good driver, you can see warning signs of this and avoid bad drivers—use this same common sense when riding a bike.

their kids would be cyclops

funny she was bothering a Police Officer while he was trying to do his job i think thats called obstruction of govermantal administration, so instead of minding her business she had to butt in and bitch about it, please tell me the last time you got pulled over and the cop said i'll be right back parking on the side of the highway is illegal i have to find a legal parking space

I think that annoying voice was a punishment from GOD. The officer probably pitied her knowing she'll never get laid with that voice.
omigosh... cops are human!

This video shows what cyclists encounter every few blocks; vehicles which park in the bike lane needlessly forcing the law abiding cyclists into traffic. Thanks for posting a truly ironic example

(((PS - sorry you have to endure all the comments of people with more deeply rooted problems-- maybe some day they will actually actually care about something for real and learn what its like to stick their necks out / be vulnerable)))

but you're a spider, you don't need a bicycle, just shoot a web from your ass