Sometimes you have to destroy a bike lane in order to save a cyclist, or something, and nobody knows this sober truth better than NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, seen here blocking a bike lane alongside a vehicle that does not, at first glance, appear to be a bicycle. His SUV's door is unfurled into traffic like a police barricade, or that controversial part of the human hand used to express great disdain. Bike lanes are cute and all, but everyone knows their real purpose is surplus NYPD parking—click through on the photos for a look back at some of their finest moments

Day 2 of NYPD's crackdown on cyclists (http://t.co/u90kGh66cs) = squad car blocking bike lane on Flushing Ave pic.twitter.com/dEhpIQXTGg — Adam Gabbatt (@adamgabbatt) August 14, 2014

The NYPD is in the midst of a two-week crackdown on cyclists, and at the end of two weeks they'll resume cracking down on cyclists, mainly because it continues to be an easy way for officers to meet the department's ticket quotas. So it goes—few cyclists are going to stop at a red light or a stop sign when an intersection is empty, and we can endlessly debate whether they should in the comments section below. (And it goes without saying that cyclists need to bike safely and considerately at all times, and stay off the sidewalk, etc.)

Apparently I've been interpreting these markings incorrectly. They mean 'Parking for Cops Buying Sausages.' #bikenyc pic.twitter.com/x91fxIvBBD — Keegan Stephan (@KeeganNYC) August 14, 2014

It looks like the NYPD will never resort to common sense enforcement, and cyclists should always count on being ticketed for letter-of-the-law violations, no matter how innocuous the circumstances may be. And cyclists can also expect officers to create an even more dangerous situation by blocking bike lanes to enforce the law. Never mind that part of the NYPD's current crackdown is supposed to target motorists who park in bike lanes; when the Commissioner himself shows an outright disdain for cyclists, the rank-and-file are sure to follow.

In some cases, officers have even been known to block bike lanes for the express purpose of ticketing cyclists for not riding in the bike lane. That may seem like complete madness, but, to be fair, there aren't any more serious criminals worth pursuing in NYC these days.

We asked the NYPD for comment about the Bratton photo, and yes we do enjoy whistling in the dark.