Cyclist Laina Hughes received a ticket from police in a crackdown on traffic violations. (CBC)

Winnipeg police, tasked by their chief to enforce traffic laws and issue more tickets to law-breaking drivers, have also been busy nabbing cyclists.

"It just felt like a very deliberate attack, and a very easy way to fill their quota and just a further way of alienating cyclists," said Laina Hughes, who received a $190 ticket for rolling through a stop sign on her bicycle Aug. 5.

"I was shocked — I didn't know how to feel. I was very upset and frustrated," said Hughes

Mike Caslor, a cycling advocate who commutes the 60 kilometres to Winnipeg from Portage la Prairie several times a week, said Winnipeg is becoming increasingly unfriendly for cyclists. Some cyclists, he said, have taken to riding on sidewalks because they are afraid of riding on the streets.

"See the problem is, it's also dangerous for us to be on the road, so there's a real quandary around where is the safest place for a cyclist. Legally, we're supposed to be on the road, but there's safety concerns there."

Cyclists shouldn't be equated with other drivers on the road, he contends.

"There's a big difference between a car running a stop sign and a cyclist. A bike is not going to do anyone any harm — especially in an intersection … whereas a car could be a lot more dangerous."

Chief calls for more tickets

Keith McCaskill, Winnipeg's chief of police, recently sent a memo to all officers on the force, including tactical squad members, instructing them to issue more traffic tickets to stop-gap a recent drop in revenue.

Revenue from traffic tickets has fallen 70 per cent this year compared to 2008, the chief said.

Const. Jacqueline Chaput said the Winnipeg Police Service has no quota for nabbing cyclists in particular. But police have a mandate to enforce traffic regulations.

"But there are some (cyclists) out there who will go through stop signs, travel through red lights, you know, they're putting their lives at risk of danger, they could be compromising other people's safety — motorists as well."