Los Angeles police in the San Fernando Valley are leveling up their tactics catching drivers using cell phones, they’re sneaking up on unsuspecting violators on regular police-issued bicycles.
Distracted driving thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones is such a problem that police are resorting to uncommon methods to catch as many people as possible. One of the most effective ways, according to @818_1320 in a series of posts on Instagram earlier yesterday (Mar. 12, 2019) is deploying a squad of bicycle cops to areas, this one in Sylmar, where drivers are stuck at an intersection for long periods of time and the draw of their cellphones is that much easier to answer to. Check out their posts below.
View this post on Instagram
Bicycle Cops on Hubbard/Foothill in Sylmar #Sylmar #91342 Thanks @sid_photos and @mmmmhdndnej
Although @818_1320 is mostly a page that posts about sideshows, “racing in Mexico” and the like, they do, from time to time, post about unusual police activity like this one.
With more than a dozen lanes of traffic going in all directions and so close to the 210, this is a hotspot for catching drivers on their phones. Camped out at a gas station, these bicycle cops can not only get a closer look at a driver and what they’re doing with their hands, they can take advantage of a stopped light to pull them over into a safe spot, in this case, a gas station.
Here’s the intersection they got tips about via Google Maps below.
California is like a lot of states in that any smartphone use for texting, calling, or any other app use is prohibited. The first offense is just $20 with the second and subsequent offense $50. But, with all the fees tacked on, you’re looking at a total of $150, chump change for some but a solid two days of work if you pull minimum wage.
It’s noteworthy that you can still make phone calls but you have to either mount your cellphone like a GPS or use voice commands.
I personally am annoyed by distracted drivers. Everyone’s number one priority on the road is the same, driving, that’s it.
Hopefully, the message spreads throughout the San Fernando Valley that if you want to touch your smartphone behind the wheel, not only do you have to look out for police cars and motorcycles, but guys on bikes now, too.
What do you think about these bicycle cops and their sneaky tactics? Let me know in the comments below.
