I don’t know anything about the difference between a traffic ticket and whatever type of “criminal summons” these 6,000 people are getting, so maybe that part isn’t fair. If you’re riding on the sidewalk, or cut in front of a pedestrian who’s crossing in a crosswalk, you deserve a ticket of some sort.
Speaking as a layman, in a casual sense:
A criminal summons is basically the quick version of arresting someone & releasing them. You are formally charged with a crime, and have to appear in court to defend yourself. (https://www.jettonmeredithlaw.com/blog/2018/august/what-are-criminal-summons-and-private-warrants-/)
A ticket is a tort offense, in the context of a ticket, it is the government saying you have done something wrong (And they may punish you by fine, or some other civil sentence), but it doesn’t rise of the level of a misdemeanor. (https://legaldictionary.net/tort-law/)
TL;DR: The government is saying that the cyclists are committing a much greater offense than car drivers.
