I thought some of you would be interested in this.
http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/fitcity/entries/2010/06/17/unicyclist_runs_red_light_gets.html?cxntfid=blogs_fit_city
Aj
You go, AJ. This is the Holy Grail of unicycling bad-boy bragging rights. I’ve been trying for years to get a speeding ticket but I’m too careful around stop signs and traffic signals for the irrational fear that I may be ticketed. There was another (non-native) Texan who was a ballet dancer who received the only other traffic citation I know of. Who was the guy? I can’t remember his name but JC or John Foss will.
Looks like he might be wearing a Gilby made shirt:
http://www.gilby.com/t-shirts/et.html
If so way to represent AJ!
I’d be interested in seeing how the citation was written up. I’d be even more interested in seeing this citation challenged in front of a judge. I can’t imagine how the proceedings would go.
I’ve been pulled over for running a red light when there was no traffic in sight (even the cop was hidden). The cop spent 15 minutes yelling at me and making fun of my silly bike shorts and my silly bright colored jersey and my silly helmet and just about everything else, then got in his car and left without writing me up.
I think he was just pissed that he didn’t know how to fit me into the check boxes on his citation form.
Huh?
Isn’t that like saying you’re trying to gain weight but you’re afraid of eating too much?
Ergo the irrational part.
Under NY State Law, a bicycle is a vehicle with 2 or more wheels.
Know law, no tickets.
No law, know tickets.
Billy
In Texas (where the ticket was given) a unicycle isn’t considered a bicycle…
But if you are a sucker and pay your ticket, the officer gets off with thinking he did the right thing, and most people who hear about it get the wrong idea about traffic laws vs unicycles.
Don’t pay ridiculous tickets if you don’t want more of them!
Ride through red lights when it is safe and there is a green pedestrian go sign! You can’t be forced to pay money for safely crossing in court, and you can’t expect Police to know what they are talking about when enforcing unicycle laws.
My cases didn’t make any headlines because the Police didn’t win. I’ve gotten off two Red light tickets, one with a no right turn charge added. A unicycle is not yet a vehicle in NZ. I hope it stays that way for safety’s sake. I don’t want to idle where heavier traffic builds up.
I think Joe Merrill got off a ticket in NYC, and another unicyclist riding with Critical Mass got off a “no sound device/bell/horn” ticket.
Know law. No ticket.
No law. Know ticket.
Billy
A.J. you’re an animal! I love how the article suggests that you tried to run from the cops, but I guess you meant you decided to run the light?
How is this possible? I don’t think there can be a green pedestrian go sign with the red light for traffic going in the same direction. This sounds a bit suicidal 
It happens a lot in cities where there are a lot of pedestrians. It is actually the SAFE way to install and program crosswalks - all lights are red except the green walk sign for the crosswalks. I absolutely hate how there can be an active cross walk with the green walk sign, and still have cars turning right or left on green into the active walk. By law they have to yield to the pedestrians, but this is where peds and bikes in crosswalks get hit - cars don’t always think to look for peds when their light is green. No one should have a green light when a pedestrian crosswalk is on, but this makes traffic intersections take longer and builds up more car traffic so most places, especially suburbs do not do crosswalks this way and it creates an unsafe pedestrian/bicycle environment.
tl;dr: Suburbs are unsafe for peds.
Harper,
That unicyclists name is Eddie Moffett. The last I heard about him was he moved to Indianapolis to help his family and teach ballet. He got married and had a kid and from what I know he still rides. Most beautiful pirouettes I’ve ever seen. Still trying to get as smooth as he is. We all can’t have the grace of a ballet dancer.
Aj