Monday, November 22, 2010
News Unicyclist Suing NYPD for $3 Million (For Sidewalk Ticket)
Posted by Jonny Diamond on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 11:59 AM
I've been pretty clear about my dislike of unicyclists (look, I know some actual people who unicycle, and they are very nice, but still...). So it was with great some interest that I read of the story of Kyle Peterson, a circus unicyclist who is suing the NYPD for $3 million after he was given a citation for riding his unit on a Bed-Stuy sidewalk in 2007. Mr. Peterson suffered the unfathomable indignities of waiting outside while the ticket was being written, and of hearing the cops sing circus music to him (heh).
Admittedly, cops were in the wrong here: according to the law (which seems dumb), unicycles aren't considered transportation, so it's technically legal to ride them on the sidewalk (which is a terrifying thought for someone with dogs). But is this really worth $3 million of the city's and, by default, our tax money? Does (light) mockery constitute police brutality? I respect Mr. Peterson's right to redress police error, but $3 million just seems like rank opportunism.
Also, it should be illegal to ride a unicycle on the sidewalk (though Peterson recently got a ticket for "disorderly conduct" while unicycling on the sidewalk...).
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