Southern California - Don't have a bike Liscense in Santa Monica?
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hairnet
10-02-09, 01:30 PM
Watch out guys, you may be subject to a $1000 fine and six months in jail.
http://garyridesbikes.blogspot.com/2009/09/illegal-to-ride-santa-monica-outlaws.html
Although I doubt something like this has happened to someone, the possibility is still shocking. How does something like a bike license, used to help recover stolen bikes, become something so harsh?
edit:
What is really wrong with this is situation is anybody riding in Santa Monica is riding illegally without with this stupid sticker that doesn't do anything and can easily be scratched off by thieves.
Never did like Santa Monica anyhow
Condorita
10-02-09, 02:39 PM
its: third person neuter pronoun
it's: contraction of it is and it has.
its and it's are not interchangeable and have quite different meanings.
Oh yeah: license if you're American; licence if you're British/Canadian/DownUnderer.
hairnet
10-02-09, 05:23 PM
its: third person neuter pronoun
it's: contraction of it is and it has.
its and it's are not interchangeable and have quite different meanings.
Oh yeah: license if you're American; licence if you're British/Canadian/DownUnderer.
It's not my blog. I too am picky over these things but what can you do about it.
http://www.westsidebikeside.com/6-months-in-jail-and-1000-fine-for-riding-without-a-bike-license-in-santa-monica/
I think this blog is easier to read
Mr. Beanz
10-02-09, 06:31 PM
Dam, next Gina's Charlie Brown is going to need a seatbelt!:D Its getting crazy out there!:mad:
hairnet
10-02-09, 06:52 PM
Strangely they don't define what makes cycling without a license an infraction what makes it a misdemeanor.
My guess is that will never be enforced unless you are a crystal freak riding a bmx bike in the middle of the night or a roadie that displays a poor attitude when pulled over for blowing a light.
urbanknight
10-02-09, 07:28 PM
It's an illegal law, and if they enforce it, ****'s gonna start rolling.
Even with the $10 fine that they are allowed to impose, they can only impose that law on residents of that city. Otherwise, it would be like one state requiring a car to be registered in that state to drive in it, no matter where it is currently registered.
edit: wow, they censor s-i-h-t now? I'm just going to go back to censoring my own posts with @#$% like I did on another board without a filter.
Huntington Beach started a 'license law' back in the mid '90's. Any bike ridden through town had to sport a tag that you purchased (about $5 IIRC) at City Hall. Pain in the ass.
Generally speaking, it was only enforced on the 4th of July. Downtown HB was a crazy place in those days. Plenty of furniture fires, drunks aplenty, rowdiness...a 'tradition'.
So, the city decided that many of the troublemakers were on bikes and, the best way to cut down on some of the trouble would be give the police the right to detain anyone riding a bike w/o the license. A lot of people were picked up that first year (over 100 IIRC). Most were released w/o being formally charged with an offense.
Things calmed down on the 4th by the end of the '90's and outside of the holiday I can't remember anyone ever getting hassled by police for lack of an HB bike tag. I don't live there anymore and am not sure if the ordinance is even on the books these days.
Huntington Beach started a 'license law' back in the mid '90's. Any bike ridden through town had to sport a tag that you purchased (about $5 IIRC) at City Hall. Pain in the ass.
Generally speaking, it was only enforced on the 4th of July. Downtown HB was a crazy place in those days. Plenty of furniture fires, drunks aplenty, rowdiness...a 'tradition'.
So, the city decided that many of the troublemakers were on bikes and, the best way to cut down on some of the trouble would be give the police the right to detain anyone riding a bike w/o the license. A lot of people were picked up that first year (over 100 IIRC). Most were released w/o being formally charged with an offense.
Things calmed down on the 4th by the end of the '90's and outside of the holiday I can't remember anyone ever getting hassled by police for lack of an HB bike tag. I don't live there anymore and am not sure if the ordinance is even on the books these days.I think it was repealed in 2003.
robertkat
10-03-09, 02:09 AM
Considering that the current American government has been operating illegitimately for some time now, I figure there's got to be some sort of trickle down effect that makes all of this null and void.
hairnet
10-03-09, 02:58 PM
It's an illegal law, and if they enforce it, ****'s gonna start rolling.
Even with the $10 fine that they are allowed to impose, they can only impose that law on residents of that city. Otherwise, it would be like one state requiring a car to be registered in that state to drive in it, no matter where it is currently registered.
edit: wow, they censor s-i-h-t now? I'm just going to go back to censoring my own posts with @#$% like I did on another board without a filter.
Yeah it is obviously an illegal law, but it's just so strange how it goes against state law. The law also says it requires everyone riding on Santa Monica's streets, not just residents, to have a license.
What is sad about this is that Santa Monica received a bronze award, a little while ago, for being bicycle friendly :rolleyes:
Condorita
10-03-09, 06:38 PM
Considering that the current American government has been operating illegitimately for some time nowActually, it's been legitimate since Jan 20. It's the previous administration which was illegitimate.
alicestrong
10-03-09, 07:30 PM
For you...
hairnet
10-03-09, 07:37 PM
I prefer grammar communists http://a.deviantart.net/avatars/g/r/grammarcommieplz.png?2
alicestrong
10-03-09, 08:02 PM
I meant, Condorita...but, explain. I'm intrigued...
(um...you don't hang out with Ovoleg, do you?)
urbanknight
10-03-09, 10:28 PM
Yeah it is obviously an illegal law, but it's just so strange how it goes against state law. The law also says it requires everyone riding on Santa Monica's streets, not just residents, to have a license.
It makes me wonder, though. They write you the ticket, and you simply have a lawyer draft a letter stating the applicable CVC code and that you're not paying it. What would they do?
It makes me wonder, though. They write you the ticket, and you simply have a lawyer draft a letter stating the applicable CVC code and that you're not paying it. What would they do?I wonder how many citations they've written since the ordinance was adopted in 1995. Not interested enough to call their city clerk and request the info but still curious.