Tim Panagis was ticketed for ‘impeding traffic’ in June when he was pulled over by a Michigan State Trooper, a ticket in which he would later fight, and win, The Detroit Free Press reported. A video surfaced online after the incident showing Panagis riding just to the left of the outer white line, being pulled over, and telling the officer that he did nothing wrong, getting ticketed, and being told to ‘tell it to the judge,’ which he eventually did. The Livingston County Circuit found in favor of the biker, explaining that the rules of the road are that bikers are not forced to ride on the shoulder, just close to the edge of the road, which Panagis was doing. The case shows that as a biker, and a driver, you need to know the laws of the road and that our police officers are not incapable of making mistakes.
Ann Arbor, Michigan is a very "bike friendly" city. According to A2.gov, Ann Arbor was designated a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly City by the League of American Bicyclists since 2005, has been recognized as a Gold-Status community by the Promoting Active Communities Assessment, an initiative run by the state of Michigan in which promotes active living in Michigan communities, and added over four bicycle lane miles in 2012, increasing their total to over 71 lane miles.
With so many bikers on the road it is very important for drivers and bikers to constantly be cautious on the road and share lanes with bicyclists. By using caution the chances of injuring or killing a cyclist is far less. Also, it is important for both cyclists and drivers to know their rights, who has the right of way, and where they are allowed to ride and drive.
If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident while riding a bicycle, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our attorneys are highly experienced in handling auto accidents including bicycle collisions. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.