Got a ticket on my bicycle...
- Thread starter sanjuro
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uhm - did you run it??? If so, suck it up, princess.
so you only follow the rules when there are cops around?
sucks. I've gotten a speeding ticket for going 35 in a 25 on my road bike..
I would contest it. You were on a bicycle, and not in a motor vehicle. The reason I mention this is that if they took your drivers license and wrote you a ticket, it could affect your car insurance. Or not.
I'd be curious to find out. Time to do some research...
I'd be curious to find out. Time to do some research...
Tubby will be here shortly.
Same Rights same Rules.
Suck it up.
Suck it up.
If you're on the street, riding or driving any vehicle, motorized or not, you are subject to the same laws. There are, I think, three or four exceptions in AZ. My wife thought I was crazy for yelling at her for running stop signs....until one day she stopped, crossed the intersection, and a cop pulled up beside her "Good job, it's nice NOT to have write a cyclist a ticket for running a stop sign, for once".sirknight6 said:I would contest it. You were on a bicycle, and not in a motor vehicle. The reason I mention this is that if they took your drivers license and wrote you a ticket, it could affect your car insurance. Or not.
I'd be curious to find out. Time to do some research...
Given that, I would fight the ticket. There is always the chance the officer might not show up for court, and most courts will let you walk.
firetoole said:
That my friend is the American way....
I don't know if it would affect your car insurance or not, but I guess it could. In VA, bikes traveling on the road are classified as "vehicles" and as such are required to follow all the same laws as motor vehicles. There are a few exceptions, mostly related to speed of travel. I got a written warning and a nice long lecture from a motorcycle cop on how he could write me up for reckless driving for splitting the lanes.sirknight6 said:I'd be curious to find out. Time to do some research...
Why fight it if you did it? You broke the law, you got caught, suck it up.Reactor said:
Why didnt you just ride somewhere the cop couldnt go?
AmenPonySoldier said:
Andy_B said:
And we wonder why motorists hate so many roadies (I'm a roadie).
Always remember , It's not a crime unless you get caught. Ask any inmate, it's true!!
No ****.BikeGeek said:
I don't question the ticket, nor do I question the responsibility of riding a bike on the road. What I do question that if in fact that it should not affect car insurance, however, if one can get a ticket for the operation of a bicycle on the road, it affects the whatever point system of the particular jurisdiction one resides. That being the case, we can further conclude that if one accumulates points on their driving record, will, in fact, affect ones car insurance.BikeGeek said:
If we can reasonably draw that conclusion, then if anything happens to my bike, ie., Like I get hit, bike is stolen, Or I run into someone or something, in effect, my auto insurance should in fact cover damages.
yes I know it is AUTO insurance, however, I got a ticket on my MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE. You can't have one without the other.
I rather like BigMikes idea, ride somewhere the cop couldnt go!
I received a "Bicycle failure to stop", not an "auto" failure.sirknight6 said:I would contest it. You were on a bicycle, and not in a motor vehicle. The reason I mention this is that if they took your drivers license and wrote you a ticket, it could affect your car insurance. Or not.
I'd be curious to find out. Time to do some research...
I plan on fighting it because I think I can win, not because I feel like some injustice was done to me. Really, I just think traffic law enforcement against bikes is unnecessary. I was riding suburban (that's why I got a ticket) back streets at 7:30pm at night on my way home to SF. And of course, if I get into an accident, who's the one who is going to get hurt?
You know the laws, you chose to break the law and you got busted.sanjuro said:
Suck it up and pay the fine.
Just out of curiosity, how much is the ticket?
I tend to agree, as long as you didn't blow through going flat chat leaving grannies sprawled in your wake there should be some wiggle room there. There's the letter of the law and then there's the spirit of the law, guess your cop chose the former.sanjuro said:
So what if the driver swerves trying to miss you and plows into another car or worst onto a side walk and takes out some innocent pedestrians?sanjuro said:
Maybe the fact that you disregard traffic laws on your bike is why a lot of people don't respect cyclist rights.
It's funny that you think that because you ride a bike you shouldn't have to obey the law.
I think the general concensus is.................
Suck it up, PRINCESS!
Suck it up, PRINCESS!
The only reason to fight it is because it might effect your auto insurance rates, and there is a good chance you'll get off.BikeGeek said:
Ethically, I'd just say "my bad" and be done with it. In 22 years of driving I've had two tickets, one of those was BS, but I couldn't fight it because something came up at work at the last moment.
Awesome assumptions!sirknight6 said:
Completely off-base but very entertaining.
This seems relevant:sirknight6 said:I don't question the ticket, nor do I question the responsibility of riding a bike on the road. What I do question that if in fact that it should not affect car insurance, however, if one can get a ticket for the operation of a bicycle on the road, it affects the whatever point system of the particular jurisdiction one resides. That being the case, we can further conclude that if one accumulates points on their driving record, will, in fact, affect ones car insurance.
If we can reasonably draw that conclusion, then if anything happens to my bike, ie., Like I get hit, bike is stolen, Or I run into someone or something, in effect, my auto insurance should in fact cover damages.
yes I know it is AUTO insurance, however, I got a ticket on my MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE. You can't have one without the other.
I rather like BigMikes idea, ride somewhere the cop couldnt go!
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d02/vc1803.htm
Check out section b, #6
This is something that I feel should be taken up with your insurance company, not through the legal system.Reactor said:
Where did this happen specifically?
I agree with "same rights, same rules" but I don't see anything wrong with trying to fight it. People do it all the time, and if the cop doesn't show up you're golden. But good luck with your argument about enforcement. There are plenty of rules that exist to keep people from hurting themselves.
I agree with "same rights, same rules" but I don't see anything wrong with trying to fight it. People do it all the time, and if the cop doesn't show up you're golden. But good luck with your argument about enforcement. There are plenty of rules that exist to keep people from hurting themselves.
Good one! Should I shoot any driver that cuts me off, drives in the bike lane, or just a jerk-off because I am saving lives by killing lawbreakers?Wumpus said:
I was riding a quiet street with one car going in the opposite direction. There were no pedestrians, and I was going a small down hill but I was braking the entire way, doing about 10mph. The other car was moving straight, which is when I released my brakes. I could have stopped at any time in 5 feet if he was making a left turn.
The cop thought I did 20 through the stop sign. Considering the top speed on the entire ride was 25mph, I doubt it.
What happened to personal responsibility?
Do you think this argument is a winner if you were driving a car?sanjuro said:
Just my quick $.02....
I've spent more than my share of time in traffic court in the past so I do speak from experience. You ran the stop sign, you got a ticket, you will pay a fine. If you show up to court in person, the fine will most likely be reduced, but you will pay something. Sucks to be you.
I've spent more than my share of time in traffic court in the past so I do speak from experience. You ran the stop sign, you got a ticket, you will pay a fine. If you show up to court in person, the fine will most likely be reduced, but you will pay something. Sucks to be you.
No course not. But a car and bike are not exactly the same now.OGRipper said:
I know this is a loser of an argument, so I will drop out of it now. What I don't like is after the ticket, I slowed down at every stop sign to under 5mph. The indecision about running stops really puts me at risk.
It is hypocritical to expect cars to follow the rules but think you get some special exemption. You want the protection of law - you want to be treated like a vehicle when it comes to having your right to a lane, etc. - but you don't think you should have to stop for a stop sign? That is weak, and people taking your position are part of the reason we don't get respect on the road. I'm not saying I don't coast through a stop sign now and then - but I don't try to justify it.sanjuro said:
And you are creating the risk through your own indecision.
Your justification for running stop signs is "I don't justify my behavior".OGRipper said:
Why don't you pay my ticket to alleviate your hypocrisy? Then the next time you advocate one thing and do another, you're covered.
You do exactly the same behavior I do on a bike, but I don't criticize other riders.
You're missing the point. My saying that I run a stop sign now and then is not in any way a justification or advocacy. It is an admission of wrong, in the same way I admitted I was wrong when I got a ticket on Tam a little while back. I also admit that I sometimes exceed the speed limit in my car. That doesn't mean I think it's ok, and if I get caught I am not going to argue that the speed limit doesn't apply to ME. Yes, when it comes to this stuff I am a hypocrit. But at least I admit it.sanjuro said:
You, on the other hand, are just making lame excuses.
And don't be presumptuous - I don't do the same things as you. For one example, I don't blow stop signs when there are people around in cars that will see me do it. I know that each time someone in a car sees it happen, they have a little less respect for cyclists. Like you I spend a lot time out there. I would like to see more respect, not less. It's pretty simple.
You are focused purely on yourself, not what it takes for bikes and cars to co-exist. You would laugh if a motorist used some of your arguments. Despite what you think, for purposes of this debate there is no difference.