After having his day in court, Utah bicyclist Curtis B. Adams, 27 years old from Parowan, Utah, is now $45 poorer. According to the Herald Journal, Adams contested a ticket he received while he was riding his bike and went to the front of the line where cars had stopped for a red light. He was just parallel with the first car in line. Incidently, this really is a common maneuver that bicyclists (myself included) make upon approaching a backed-up intersection. I think we have all seen this. And it turns out that it is actually a violation of Utah law.
It appears that Adams defense was that everyone does it. This was a no bueno for Judge Cheryl A. Russell, who scolded Adams by telling him that this maneuver was both illegal as well as unsafe. She found him guilty and fined him $45. (By the way, this defense is almost always a loser.)
Generally, traffic laws are designed to help make our roads a safer place to drive. This includes the rule that says we shouldn’t pass a stopped car on the right. We all do it, though, when a car has stopped on a two-way road, effectively blocking traffic, and we drive on the shoulder to get around. This makes for good efficiency, but really is not safe if we think about it.
Based on the over 400 comments on KSL, I think this news story has been a good education about this traffic rule and the need to follow it. Who knows but that Mr. Adams could be helping to prevent a very serious Utah bicycle or auto accident by the press that his ticket received. If that is the case, then it will have been worth the embarrassment.
Ron Kramer is a bicycle accident and injury lawyer with offices in Utah, Salt Lake and Weber Counties.