Bike ‘sting’ is stuck on a quiet corner

Okay, so when I hear about “a sting” I instantly think of one thing: the movie. Paul Newman and Robert Redford in all their silver screen gorgeousity setting up a corrupt Irishman and taking all his money.

What I wouldn’t immediately think of is a couple of police officers posted up at the somewhat sleepy corner of Octavia and Grove Streets trying to ticket bicyclists.

SFStreetsblog writer Aaron Bialick spoke with reader Sean Rea, who first noticed members of SFPD perched at the four-way crossing on — wait for it — Bike To Work Day. Streetsblog readers have confirmed that SFPD are begrudgingly stationed at the corner to ticket cyclists at the cross streets forming a “blind corner.”

However, there are no reported injuries at the street corner, and there are certainly much more dangerous corners in The City that could use an extra set of police eyes. Rea even went so far as to talk to the on-duty cops, who he said were “friendly” but “more interested in doing it where it might matter …”

As someone who has been hit by a cyclist in a crosswalk, I’m all for the SF police issuing tickets. California state law requires cyclists to come to a complete stop at all signs and crosswalks just as a vehicle would.

But wouldn’t this practice be more beneficial at a busier corner?

As Bialick notes, a cyclist was badly injured in a crash this Tuesday at the corner of Franklin and Oak. Just a few stop signs away from the “sting post” on Grove and Octavia.