The NYPD have had a few high-profile clashes with cyclists in recent years.

One of the issues cyclists have been having with the police is in regard to riding in the bike lane. Some officers are ticketing cyclists for not riding in the bike lane — something that is not illegal in New York City.

As this video shows, there are plenty of valid reasons for cyclists to leave the bike lane from time to time.

Hopefully, the NYPD can better educate its officers on rules about cycling. They would be wise to follow in the footsteps of the San Francisco Police Department, which produced this video to educate officers about the rights and responsibilities of cyclists.

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Tagged: bicycling, bike lanes, new york, nypd, police, public safety, san francisco, video

Matt Johnson has lived in the Washington area since 2007. He has a Master’s in Planning from the University of Maryland and a BS in Public Policy from Georgia Tech. He lives in Dupont Circle. He’s a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and is an employee of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. His views are his own and do not represent those of his employer.