If it
hasn't sunk in yet,
Wisconsin and
Oregon would consider this little tyke a
lawbreaker.
At the start of the trial it was clear that neither the Judge nor the Officer understood just what a fixed-gear bicycle was. To help them visualize, Ginsberg likened a fixie to a child’s Big Wheel. Once everyone was clear and the cop was finished with his opening testimony, Ginsberg began his cross-examination:
Ginsberg (to Officer Barnum):
“When you approached the rider did she stop?”
Officer Barnum:
“Yes.”
Ginsberg:
“How’d she stop the bike?”
Officer Barnum:
“I don’t know.”
Ginsberg:
“The gear itself stopped the bike.”
Officer Barnum:
“But the gear is not a brake.”
...
Now it was time for Officer Barnum to ask questions. He asked Holland,
“What would you do if your chain broke?”
Holland:
“I would use my feet.”
Officer Barnum:
“What if your leg muscles had a spasm?”
Holland:
“I’m not sure…these are emergency situations.”
Ginsberg interjected with a question for Holland:
“Did any of these situations happen on the day you were stopped?”
Holland:
“No.”