caltrain arrest
Man, this is outrageous. Crossposted from this bikeforums thread, check out this google video, poor SOB got arrested for arguing with the conductor about riding the train with his bike.
My take?
1. That completely sucks for the guy. The charge? DELAYING THE TRAIN.
2. The bombardier cars are a nightmare for bikes on board. Caltrain need to admit they f'd up on them and rip out the rest of the seats on the bottom level of the bom bike cars , so they get up to parity with the gallery cars' capacity.
3. All summer the conductors have been getting surlier and the bikers more frustrated..it's escalated to the point where I've seen the engineer storm out of the cab car to yell at a cyclist, and now somebody got arrested through no real fault of his own. (Other than trying to argue with the cops, which never works -- it's not the time, guy, just take the ticket and tell it to the judge) Could fights in the queues be far off? How about some hothead assaults a conductor -- which is a Federal crime BTW -- and they use it as pretext to just stop bike service entirely? It's not unthinkable.
I have a Go pass from my employer and ride tamien or diridon to cal ave. I used to be in the bike car five times a week but except for rare one-offs., nowadays I either bike the whole way, get a ride in the car, or take the train as a ped. Someone else can have my bike slot. It's just not worth the stress.
2. The bombardier cars are a nightmare for bikes on board. Caltrain need to admit they f'd up on them and rip out the rest of the seats on the bottom level of the bom bike cars , so they get up to parity with the gallery cars' capacity.
3. All summer the conductors have been getting surlier and the bikers more frustrated..it's escalated to the point where I've seen the engineer storm out of the cab car to yell at a cyclist, and now somebody got arrested through no real fault of his own. (Other than trying to argue with the cops, which never works -- it's not the time, guy, just take the ticket and tell it to the judge) Could fights in the queues be far off? How about some hothead assaults a conductor -- which is a Federal crime BTW -- and they use it as pretext to just stop bike service entirely? It's not unthinkable.
I have a Go pass from my employer and ride tamien or diridon to cal ave. I used to be in the bike car five times a week but except for rare one-offs., nowadays I either bike the whole way, get a ride in the car, or take the train as a ped. Someone else can have my bike slot. It's just not worth the stress.
Comments
It’s so funny that people feel like rules apply to everyone else but not them. I’ve been riding the train for years and have never had a problem, but I respect rules and laws and never question the job someone else has to do. I don't feel sorry for the guy that was arrested I do feel sorry for the conductors because they have to deal with above the law riders everyday.