US Capitol... another beautiful building in my hometown


ABC: Date Stamp
"I get sales talk from sales assistants"

worse than that...
I get Cop Speak from Cops!

this was an interesting encounter...
I was rolling around town and thought I would snap a shot of the US Capitol in all of its architectural splendor
so I stalled for a second on the bike with my camera slung around my neck

in a matter of seconds my lens was extended, the lens cap was off, and I had all but pushed the button to activate the electronic shutter when this female police officer started barking at me

in a gruff less than polite tone she told me not to obstruct the path of traffic
so I obliged... I was on the road, but there was a double yellow line on the road at my feet that marked off a small pocket of no man's land
so.. I lifted my bike and moved 8 inches to my right
thus... responding to the officer's demand and moving myself out of the path of moving traffic
traffic that at this moment was no where in site

the area was blocked off
it looked like some political dignitary was about to load or unload
I just wanted to take my photo and get on with my day
this Capitol Hill Police officer kept barking at me even after I moved out of the way of the yet to be visible approaching traffic

she was not satisfied... she continued with her barking

I told her that I would be done already and on my way
that her talking to me had kept me here longer than I had intended
needless to say... in the police to citizen conversation... there is not meant to be a conversation
the police officer likes to talk more than they like to listen
I get this... this is nothing new to me

but I beg the question...
did this Capitol Hill Police officer treat me differently because I am on a bicycle than she would have if I were in a car?

if I were a tourist in my car and I stopped to take a photo would she come on as strong?
would there be an "excuse me sir..." tagged onto the front of her approach?
do police officers treat people differently on bike than they do to people in cars?
I think that they do... and I do not like it

I think there is something about the bicycle that makes people think that you are either a child or a second class citizen
not sure why... but this is something I have come to experience

and you...
do you feel that police treat you differently on the bike than when you are in the car?

needless to say... I snapped my photo and then got on my way
I had enough with her conversation
and I did not want things to escalate any further than they already had