We all know that just like many other drivers, some police officers regularly park in bike lanes and other no-stopping zones. But the picture and an almost throwaway aside in this story from the Star illustrate that some officers don’t just have a rather liberal interpretation of the proper use of bike lanes, but they also seem a little confused about who has the right of way on those little ribbons of steel that crisscross the city. Surely even the most hubristic officer should realize that parking in the train lane is a losing proposition.
Also, top marks to the Star for using the fine phrase “stuck in the wigwags.” Although the term “wigwag” (yes, I had to look it up) is not technically applicable to the drop-down barrier that the cruiser is stuck in, I’m still filing it away at the very top of my “gotta-say-it-myself-someday” notebook.
Another one who managed to avoid the bike lane:
http://www.thestar.com/Crime/article/577210
It was a rough weekend to be a police car. I love the neighbour’s quote from the story: “I haven’t seen a car in a house in a long time.”
any word on what the householder will be charged with? obstructing police business?
Driving into the living room wasn’t enough for this guy. He decided to go for a higher calling:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7851012.stm
You’ve got to admire the skill and determination it takes to make a landing like that.
Just want to mention, reading your articles, and loving them. Nice site!
As for the wig-wags, those are actually the lights at the crossing, and not the barriers themselves. Wig-wags, ironically, are also the name for the lights on the front and back of the police car. They are called this because they appear to “wag” back and forth kind of like a dog’s tail. Nowadays, most cruisers use strobes that flash in a certain sequence, and not back and forth like the old style lights, but are still referred to as wig-wags.
http://www.chicouniform.com/Law%20Enforcment/Leather/Cop_car_wig_wags.gif