A bicyclist is suing the city and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch for what he says is an NYPD practice to wrongfully ticket bikers that cross intersections at the same time as the white pedestrian walk sign is lit.
Oliver Casey Esparza argues in his class action lawsuit the NYPD is collectively overlooking a 2019 amendment to city traffic regulations, commonly referred to as the “Go With the Walk” Law. That change allowed bikers the right to move through an intersection when the walk signal lights up rather than waiting the extra seconds for a standard traffic light governing motor vehicle traffic turns green.
Casey Esparza says he knows from experience. In his lawsuit, he claims he was enroute to work by bicycle this past October when a police officer stopped him as he entered the intersection of 3rd Avenue and E. 42nd Street. When Casey Esparza asked why he was being stopped by the NYPD, he said the officer informed him the pedestrian signal was switched to white, or walk, resulting in an illegal cross because the traffic signal for cars was still red. Esparza claimed he was breaking no such law, but was issued a summons anyway…