I'm semi handicapped because my ankle is crippled from an old sports injury and arthritis but since I can only walk poorly and slowly I ride a bicycle. Nobody is really aware of my handicap.

Anyway, I recently received a expensive $109 ticket for riding the bicycle on the sidewalk. I paid the fine.

I had made the decision to ride on the sidewalk because I was trying to avoid cutting across the path of a Harley Davidson which I could hear on my right side The HD turned out to be a female cop who wrote the ticket.

I wonder what other cyclists think about that because I'm not the only one to sometimes avoid difficult traffic situations by riding on the sidewalk. The cop said I should be walking the bicycle.

@Ivan

You make a good point. A bicycle is not just another form of transportation, it can provide basic mobility for those who walking is challenging. You likely could have challenged the ticket with a note from a doctor.

I have had leg injuries at times where walking is very difficult and cycling is much easier to get around. I also have a condition where walking long distances is not a particularly good idea which will likely get worse as I get older.

In cases where people are using a bicycle for basic mobility, they should be treated similar to wheelchairs and other personal mobility devices and be allow to ride them on sidewalks at walking speeds while yielding to pedestrians. Also another reason to build more separated bike lanes.

I look forward to the City creating more bike corrals on the street, similar to the space in front of JJ Bean on Commerical Drive. If the City does not want people to ride their bikes on the sidewalk or lock to parking meters, I would suggest they put bicycle parking on the street with the other vehicles.

It's great that the current GM of Engineering Services has a pragmatic and accommodating approach toward locking bicycles to parking meters. However, the problem with codifying the illegality of this practice is that it gives whoever is in charge in the future the power to confiscate bikes on a whim, should they be so inclined. There is no shortage of people who have a hate on for cyclists and bicycles, so I would not be surprised if Mr. Judd's successor turns all anti-bike. Rather, the laws should be worded such that locking bikes to meters in a safe manner is legal, however the city has the right to remove neglected/abandoned bikes.

Hey, if it's OK to lock bicycles to a meter, can I lock my truck to a meter and not get fined or towed too?

It's only fair, a bike is a vehicle and judging by the cycle-nazis here, we all want the same rights!

This story has much deeper implications. Justice is being applied arbitrarily and unfairly, depending on the convenience of those who control and run Vancouver City Hall. This is the tip of the iceberg to people who know. In this article a public servant even admits publicly to breaking the law, repeatedly. Our current elected officials have violated election regulatory violations much more serious than these violations, in 2008 and 2011. Certain major players in the development industry as well are breaking rules. But those cases are consistently ignored by City enforcement systems. City staff appear compliant to pressure from their employers, especially in the face of high-profile staff firings. And the Mayor is the chair of the Vancouver Police Department -- a conflict of interest if enforcement is required of violations by our elected officials. Meanwhile a dog off leash means a minimum $250 fine. A dog tied up outside Starbucks means a $250 fine. Mr Judd, general manager of city engineering services, has publicly admitted that he broke the law. There is no excuse. The minimum fine is $250, under Section 103 of the street and traffic bylaw. Mayor Robertson, fine him. That would be a first step to avoid losing public respect in City Hall.

Locking a bicycle to a parking meter seems innocuous enough. If the law is silly, or the fine too high, they should be changed, after a sincere review of regulations, the situation, and public input. That's the job of lawmakers. The NPA boosted the dog off-leash minimum fine in 2005 from $25 to $250. That's arbitrary. A lot of laws are arbitrary. But as the law now stands, how can Vancouver City Hall play favourites, especially with a manager in a senior position -- a position of authority and example.

I lock my bike to a parking meter if I can't find anyplace else to park it. This means either there aren't bike racks around, or they're full. Either way, the use of parking meters for bicycle parking points only to the need for more bicycle parking. The parking meter is my last choice.

There aren't enough bike racks in certain parts of the city, such as Commercial Drive and Main Street. The parking meters and sign posts are used to lock up bikes due to this shortage. The city should also study other cities on how to properly design bike lock-ups; the designs used in Vancouver leaves a lot to be desired. Btw, the by-law is ridiculous and seriously needs to be repealed.

While crimes are illegal, not every breaking of a law (or in this case bylaw) is a crime. The writer and editor should know the difference.