In the past couple of months the Santa Monica Police Department has cracked down on the monthly Critical Mass rides assigning at least a dozen officers every month to follow cyclists and basically harass them with nuisance tickets.  Oftentimes, these tickets are dismissed, and the extra effort costs the SMPD about $3,000 a month.

Well Critical Mass cyclists, you’re in good company.  KTLA and The Times reports that the SMPD is now ticketing an equally pernicious group of lawbreakers, fitness buffs who meet in traffic mediums to stretch before runs.  If you’re caught excercising in a medium, you can expect to get ticketed for $158.  Just as they do with Critical Mass, the SMPD actually stations officers who watch people work out everynight.  The cleary disbelieving reporter with KTLA ends his report by doing a couple of pushups and mock imploring his viewers not to tell anyone.

The video above catches the story, but if you can’t watch video at work and are dieing to read about another way the SMPD wastes money to preserve their streets for cars and to protect the delicate sensibilities of homeowners, you can read the Times article here.

The City Council will take up the issue at their November 11 meeting.