Police and Bikes

The title of this post is a juxtaposition (I think that's the word) because anyone who knows me knows that I love bicycles and I abhore the police. One provides me with freedom and the other disgusts me with its attempt at controlling me. This morning I was walking to school when I realized I forgot something at home. I turned around and went back home and then when I was home I decided to ride my bike to school. I went to OB-GYN and then left to come home. On my way back home I left the "campus" of school via a pedestrian tunnel that leads to the center of town. When I emerged from the tunnel I walked up a flight of stairs with my bike and at the top of the tunnel I was at a kind of cul de sac of a street that was one way and I couldn't pedal down the street, so I mounted my bicycle and rode on the sidewalk on the very edge of it so much so that I could have easily fallen into the street. The funny thing about this is that this street in particular has very wide sidewalks which is very uncharacteristic of this city. I almost never ride on the sidewalk because they are narrow and there are too many people on them, specifically tourists who don't know where they're going. Anyway, I don't even get a hundred feet and a cop stands in front of me. I almost don't even need to stop because I was going so slow that all I needed to do was put my foot down to stand up. Anyway, he asks me for my passport and asks if I know why he stopped me....I say I don't because I feel like if I do say I know why he stopped me I can't plead ignorance. Anyway, he tells me that it's a 2000 crown fine for riding on the sidewalk and that the sidewalk is only for pedestrians and the street is for cars and bikes. Now anyone who knows prague knows that this is bullshit. I'll get to that in a second. Now even though I hate the police and I abhore control and I especially am disgusted by the fact that of all the things going on this city a medical student on a bike on a sidewalk warrants a good going up and down I will say that the cop wasn't that much of an asshole and he gave me my passport, called me Mr. Kameny and told me that next time I shouldn't do that. He gave me the little shame on you finger sign it was kind of funny. I walked my bike to the intersection, got on and peddled away on the street. Now I almost never ride on the sidewalk and the only time I really do that is when it's absolutely unsafe otherwise. Riding a bike in this city is the fastest way anywhere because the sidewalks are the slowest. So that's it, never again, now I know bikes only belong in the street so now I will always be on the street on my bike taking as much space as I deem necessary. However just yesterday a car clipped me while riding in the street and often when crossing streets in the crosswalk cars blow through the crosswalk narrowly missing me. I'm not a violent guy but the closest I get to violence is daily when I'm on my bike in this city. The calousness that drivers have towards anyone not in an automobile is staggering. I have a twenty pound krytponite chain lock which has almost been employed in self defense on a few occasions.
Bicycling is my preferred method of transport for many reasons. I don't try to be elitist about it or scoff at others for not following suit but I do get annoyed when people who drive cars list my alternatives as though because I'm not good enough to own a car I have now limited my options to bus, train, or tram because god forbid I infringe on their roadways at all.
One of the big reasons I don't want to return to America is the return to the car culture. I like not owning a car. I sold my car back in '01 and it's been one of the best things I've ever done. The amount of money I spend on a bike is miniscule in comparison. The bike I have now was bought for me by my sister (Thanks Janice) about 1.5 years ago and it was $300. It's going to be done for soon and I'm thinking about buying a real deal bike in the range of 700-800$. i think that that's a lot of money but when I think about how a quality frame and fixed or single speed bike of that price will last me forever in the city I think it would be money well spent. With the price of gas being what it is back in America I think bikes are the smartest thing going in terms of transport, the only problem is that back in America the infrastructure is not set up for it and if you live in a city and bike there the problem is that you don't have the possibility of getting out of the city quick. For me to live in a small rural town is impractical. I have this idea that on my return to America I will have to live in a big city because that's probably my best shot at getting a job I only hope I can find a liveable, green city.