Weekend links: Laws police don’t enforce

Police assume cyclist at fault

A cyclist says that while he had a green light at 17th and New Hampshire, NW, a taxi driver turned into him and hit him. When he got out of the hospital, he discovered police had given him (the cyclist) a $150 ticket but never talked to any witnesses. (Struck in DC, TBD)

Police don’t punish their own

In July 2008, an off-duty Montgomery County police officer driving a police cruiser 26 mph over the speed limit struck a child. The boy is now a quadriplegic, suffering from permanent brain damage which requires him to receive 24-hour medical care. The driver’s punishment was a $185 ticket, and he’s back on patrol duty. (Examiner, Gavin)  (Tip: Gavin)

Barracks solution possible but complex

The Marines seem to have worked out some nice-looking concept sketches for how they could build a mixed-use new barracks without having to take the Virginia Avenue community garden. Enabling a public-private partnership, however, might require Congressional legislation. (JDLand, ANCNorm)

“This is a New Jersey-bound 7 train”?

As an alternative to the canceled ARC tunnel, New York’s Mayor Bloomberg has proposed extending the 7 subway line to the NJ Transit Secaucus transfer station. This would cost less than the ARC tunnel, but officials can’t simply reallocate the federal funds, and going through the process would take many years. Maybe the property owners who would greatly benefit should pay for much of the cost? (NYT, Crain’s New York Business, Market Urbanism, Eric Fidler)  (Tip: Eric Fidler)

Let them build roads, says Post

A Tuesday Post editorial argued that results of the midterm elections mean most voters don’t want better intercity rail service. This assumes that high-speed rail was the only issue voters in states like Ohio and Wisconsin voted on. The National Association of Railroad Passengers asks train supporters to write letters to the editor in response. (NARP Blog, Malcolm K)  (Tip: Malcolm K)

AJC unabashedly deserts city of Atlanta

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution isn’t even subtle about its suburban slant anymore, moving its headquarters to the northern suburbs, and banning the word “sprawl” from its pages. (Creative Loafing Atlanta)

And…

Tommy Wells has a pair of cufflinks made from old DC streetcar tokens. (Twitter) … An educational campaign teaches kids about urbanism using “Zozos,” mysterious creatures that seem to thrive on vibrant urban spaces. (OpenPlans) … Malmö, Sweden, is holding a contest to identify “ridiculous car trips” and amicably shame people into switching modes; the winners also receive a free bike. (Grist, jnb)