Call

Blog

Law
02

Blog

2017 Charlotte Law Enforcement Bicycle Ride to DC

Yesterday, Bike Law Cycle Club members Julia Engel and Garet Johnson joined Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department bicyclists and other riders from the community on the first leg of CMPD’s Annual Law Enforcement Bicycle Ride to Washington D.C.

Charlotte Law Enforcement Bicycle Ride to DC

Every year, during National Police Week, officers from all over the country gather in Washington D.C. at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor officers who have died in the line of duty. In May 1997, the Police Unity Tour was organized by a New Jersey officer to bring awareness and to raise money for a memorial fund. The first ride consisted of 18 riders pedaling from New Jersey to the National Capitol. 

The NC Law Enforcement Bicycle Ride to DC

The CMPD ride started in 2007 and consisted of four Charlotte-based officers who made the 370-mile journey to honor two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers, Jeff Shelton and Sean Clark, who lost their lives in the line of duty. Since then, the event has grown significantly. Other departments that have joined the CMPD ride include the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, Davidson Police Department, Kannapolis Police Department, Mooresville Police Department, Monroe Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Alexandria Police Department and the Bridgewater Police Department.

Charlotte Law Enforcement Bicycle Ride to DC

The Raleigh Police organize their own ride, and is joined by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol; the Cary Police Department; the Winston-Salem Police Department; the Greenville Police Department; the Wilson Police Department; the New Bern Police Department; the Elizabeth City Police Department; the Tarboro Police Department; the Stafford County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Department; the James City County (Virginia) Police Department; the North Carolina State University Police Department; the Mesa (Arizona) Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, and Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Charlotte Law Enforcement Bicycle Ride to DC

Support for the event has also grown throughout the community. Dozens of local riders every year join at least the first leg out of Charlotte to show their support for law enforcement. Julia reported the police escort out of town and scenes like a fire department with a giant American flag as a humbling experience and one that reinforced her respect for law enforcement.

This event is yet another way in which bicycling brings the community together.

Photo Credit: Chris Guella

Comments

Ann Groninger Jan 04, 2024

Many of our cycling clients find themselves having to interact with the criminal justice system. Typically, it’s because the driver who hits them (or their family member) is charged with a crime or traffic offense. Occasionally bicyclists themselves are charged with traffic offenses! Every state’s criminal laws are different, but there is a lot of […]

Read More
Bike Crash Road Defect Georgia
Peter Wilborn Jun 14, 2023

We recently shared the story of a trial victory from the State of Texas where a bicyclist was injured due to a defect in a road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. Texas Road Defect   We now can tell the story of another huge win in a road defect case, this time from […]

Read More
Road defect dangerous to cyclists
Charlie Thomas Mar 14, 2023

Recently, attorneys with the Bike Law network took a case to a trial against a titan of a defendant: the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT was represented by the Attorney General’s Office, one of Texas’ largest legal teams. We had a great client, but it was a tough case to prove. So tough, in fact, […]

Read More
bike path charlotte
Ann Groninger Jan 13, 2023

  2023 got off to a rough start for Charlotte, North Carolina, particularly in the context of road safety. Within about a week, we lost a young woman who was riding her bicycle, a pedestrian killed in the same area of town, and four people were killed in a car wreck on I-85 in the […]

Read More
North Carolina Bike Crash
Ann Groninger Dec 06, 2022

Unless you’re a very recent follower of ours, you’ve heard us talk before about “contributory negligence.” To recap: “pure contributory negligence” is the law in North Carolina and only 3 other states (Alabama, Virginia, Maryland). In pure contributory negligence states, if a person is injured by someone else’s fault and the injured person contributes even […]

Read More
Is It Illegal to Ride Your Bike on the Sidewalk bikelaw
Peter Wilborn Aug 01, 2022

The laws dictating whether you can ride your bike on the sidewalk differ depending where you live. Different states have different laws on this matter, and local ordinances also vary. Let’s take a look at the legal framework behind various state laws related to cycling on sidewalks. The laws of sidewalk-riding can be very complicated […]

Read More
Ebike crash
Bruce Hagen Apr 26, 2022

DRIVER ON METH KILLS 17 YEAR OLD BICYCLIST, BARROW COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY REFUSES TO CHARGE DRIVER WITH FELONY.   On August 23, 2020, at approximately 8:40pm, 17-year old Obianuju Osuegbu was on her way home from her summer job working at a grocery store. She had earned enough money that summer to buy herself a […]

Read More
Stop as Yield
Brian Weiss Apr 25, 2022

Finally, “Stop As Yield” (the much sought after common sense traffic law for bicyclists) is coming to Colorado in 2022, likely July 1st.   Stop as Yield, aka the “Safety Stop” After the Governor Polis signs the law and the Safety Stop becomes effective, anyone who rides a bicycle or scooter on public roads will […]

Read More
Contributory Negligence
Ann Groninger Apr 25, 2022

It took losing at trial and a long appellate process, but it ended in a blow to contributory negligence in North Carolina. We just won an appeal on a bicycle crash case that happened in 2016 and came to us in 2018. The case went to trial during the spring of 2021. Our client was […]

Read More
Load More