State Police Reviewing Videotaped Interaction Between Trooper And Cyclist
BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts State Police said they are aware of a video posted online by a bicycle rider that appears to show a trooper being dismissive after the cyclist brought forward a safety complaint.
YouTube user "Me You" posted a video he says was shot while bicycling to work on Tuesday.
In the video, the man rides over the Longfellow Bridge from Cambridge into Boston and sees a police cruiser parked in the bicycle lane.
The man continues on, and stops at the end of the bridge to mention the situation to a second state trooper.
"Remember when you were a kid and you could ride your bike anywhere you wanted like on the sidewalk?," the second trooper responds to the cyclist.
In the video, the trooper can be heard telling the man "We don't really care about these bike lanes."
"I'm trying to maybe help out a better scenario because obviously someone is going to get hurt," the cyclist responds. "It's just a dangerous scenario. I'm not trying to be argumentative. I'm just pointing out something that is dangerous and maybe you could help out?"
The officer simply responds by saying "No." The bicyclist thanks the officer and rides away.
A Massachusetts State Police spokesman said in a statement the department is aware of the incident, and invited the cyclist to contact police to discuss the interaction.
After reviewing the videotaped interaction between a bicyclist and a state trooper that occurred Tuesday on the Longfellow Bridge, it is clear that the trooper's statements regarding bike lanes and cyclists are wrong. Contrary to the tone and content of those statements, the State Police are concerned with, and have a responsibility to protect, the safety of bicyclists. As such, we have a duty to ensure safe conditions along any open bike lanes on roads under our jurisdiction. Earlier this year the Department issued a training bulletin reminding troopers of the rights and responsibilities of cyclists. That bulletin was re-issued this morning. Furthermore, the Department will reiterate to those troopers on the bridge Tuesday our responsibilities to bicyclists, and will counsel the trooper who spoke to the cyclist about the proper way to respond to concerns raised by members of the public.
Watch the Cyclist's Interaction With the State Trooper