Thanks for the reply, I appreciate the thoughtful reply, perspectives and understand the scope of this blog. Commute Orlando more directly address the question and compliments this blog reply.

In quoting the question the word “SAFE” was dropped, below is the whole question: “What should a knowledgeable cyclist do in the case of being told by law enforcement to do something which is not required [ride on the sidewalk], SAFE and finally threaten “[I'll] write you a citation, get off the road now.”

Judging what is SAFE is a difficult question and I think this where “Enforcement of Imaginary Laws” also useful. Thanks again!

http://floridabicycle.org/resources/pdfs/PEGLEG_2009.pdf

1. If the officer lets you go, do not ride away from the officer if you can help it. This will give the officer another opportunity to scrutinize you and find fault with your technique. Let the officer leave first. You might have to walk to someplace that is a comfortable distance away but where you can still see the officer and wait awhile.

2. In both of the encounters in West Springfield that I describe in my writing, the officers attempted to manipulate me into committing to a future action. Making such a commitment would have involved either relinquishing my legal rights, inviting arrest, or lying, none of which I was willing to do (although in the last encounter I was arrested anyway). I am not willing to make such a commitment in future encounters either. Depending on your priorities you might or might not want make such a commitment. However, a police officer cannot legally force you to make it and cannot legally hold you to it if you do make it.

My writing on my recent problems with police officers in Hadley and West Springfield Massachusetts can be found in my Facebook note “my legal troubles” or at (click on “The Eli Damon Saga.txt”). Keri Caffrey mentions both the above article and my story, in addition to other, similar stories in her article “The Enforcement of Imaginary Laws” ().