No citations for 3 years for Columbia ordinance

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Columbia police have not issued a single citation for harassing bicyclists in the three years since the city council made it a misdemeanor crime.

The ordinance makes it a misdemeanor to harass bicyclists, pedestrians and people in wheelchairs. When it was passed, the city was using a federal grant to urge people to use non-motorized transportation. Supporters said the ordinance was needed because of physical and verbal confrontations between cyclists and motorists.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/UiOScC ) police Lt. Eric Hughes says the ordinance is difficult to enforce because officers must prove the motorist intended to scare or injure the bicyclist.

Even though no citations have been issued, supporters say the discussion about the ordinance raised awareness among motorists that they need to share the road with others.

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Information from: Columbia Daily Tribune, http://www.columbiatribune.com