The incident occurred on March 1 of this year on State Route 62, a busy, winding road with one narrow lane in either direction. The bicyclist, Scott Jenney, was followed by an off-duty Wilmington police officer and later stopped by a uniformed officer. The police officer reportedly told him he should be no further left then a few inches away from the side of the road. Although Jenney admittedly ran two red lights, he was not charged with any traffic violation. However, after the incident, Jenney received a notice in the mail of the Disorderly Person complaint against him.
Bicyclists have the same right to use the road as motorists.
If a bicyclist violates a traffic rule, he should be given a traffic ticket. But it is not a crime to ride your bike. MassBike supports a bill in the Massachusetts legislature, the Bicyclists' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, which, if passed, will require that police officers receive instruction in the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists. Traffic rules minimize both danger and delay. That is why bicyclists and motorists must both follow these rules.