Fifty Plus (50+) - Speeding

My son posted this on Facebook - he lives in Boulder, CO

"I rode by one of those radar speed signs on my bike, today...40mph! In a 25mph zone. It started flashing red and blue telling me to slow down. The next sign said bikes must obey the speed limit. So I'm thinking 1. F the speed limit 2. It would be pretty cool to get a speeding ticket for 15mph over on my bike and 3. After 25 minutes of continuous climbing, I deserve a fast downhill. Then I got stung of the top lip by a bee. Overall, I guess karma has a way of working things out. Go be awesome and enjoy your weekend.

Go be awesome and enjoy your weekend.

A dump truck full of awesome, or just awesome?

I want a speeding ticket or some kind of warning to hang on my wall. Wouldnt mind that one bit. I'd put theat up there with the deer racks and rifle targets :).

He would think it was cool until he found out that it costs points against his license and went to the reports his insurance carrier gets from the state.

Bill

Really?

And if someone does not have a driver's license, what then?

Seems quite discriminatory to me.

How many know if a state assesses points against one's driver's license for a bicycle speeding - or other - ticket?

Here is a google response for FL.

http://www.manateeclerk.com/GeneralInfo/FAQs.aspx?categoryId=27


What is a civil traffic infraction? Under the Florida statutes, a civil infraction traffic ticket is a case in which a person is suspected of committing a non-criminal traffic infraction. These violations are classified as either moving, non-moving or bicycle/pedestrian. A moving violation normally assesses points against the driver license while non-moving and bicycle/pedestrian violations do not. These violations are not punishable by incarceration and there is no right to trial by jury or to court appointed counsel. Examples of Moving Violations are careless driving; fail to yield at a stop sign, etc. Examples of Non-Moving Violations are no seat belt, improper parking, etc.

It's kinda moot, I doubt many folks get speeding tickets on bikes, it's rare event. Heck, not many people get speeding tickets in cars (i.e. almost 100% sample of cars on any road are speeding).

However, I do know a cyclist who received a signal violation in Boulder (ran stop sign).

I've heard the easiest way to get a ticket on a bike in Boulder is the descent from NCAR. You can coast down at 45mph, then it makes a wide, sweeping bend to the right...and dumps you right into a residential neighborhood in front of a school.

I've heard the easiest way to get a ticket on a bike in Boulder is the descent from NCAR. You can coast down at 45mph, then it makes a wide, sweeping bend to the right...and dumps you right into a residential neighborhood in front of a school.

Does Colorado do the license points thing? I live here and have no idea.
According to this: http://bicyclecolo.org/page.cfm?PageID=45
(b) Any person riding a bicycle who violates any provision of this article other than this section which is applicable to such a vehicle and for which a penalty is specified shall be subject to the same specified penalty as any other vehicle; except that section 42-2-127 shall not apply.

42-2-127 seems to deal with license suspension, so it's not 100% clear...

Does Colorado do the license points thing? I live here and have no idea.
According to this: http://bicyclecolo.org/page.cfm?PageID=45
(b) Any person riding a bicycle who violates any provision of this article other than this section which is applicable to such a vehicle and for which a penalty is specified shall be subject to the same specified penalty as any other vehicle; except that section 42-2-127 shall not apply.

42-2-127 seems to deal with license suspension, so it's not 100% clear...

http://www.pedalclub.org/index.php/safety-a-comunity-involvement/co-bike-law (http://www.pedalclub.org/index.php/safety-a-comunity-involvement/co-bike-law)

Colorado Bike Law

"10. You are not required to have any kind of license to operate a bicycle, but it might be a good idea to carry identification. If the police stop you for an offense, they have the authority to detain you until they can satisfactorily identify you. No points may be assessed against your driver's license for an offense you committed while riding your bicycle. "

That is from a bicycling club.

However, I have been told that it is extremely important that the officer note that you were on a bicycle, or else it may be entered incorrectly into the computer.

Okay Denver you win, whatever. I am not in any danger so its all nothing to me.

I'm not trying to win anything. I was sort of curious myself, hence the google search.

However, I have been told that it is extremely important that the officer note that you were on a bicycle, or else it may be entered incorrectly into the computer.

As in, "see you in court"

I've never heard of anybody getting a speeding ticket. Wonder if the point system flies for more serious offenses, like DUI.

As in, "see you in court"

I've never heard of anybody getting a speeding ticket. Wonder if the point system flies for more serious offenses, like DUI.

Shouldn't that be CUI, Cycling Under the Influence?

Shouldn't that be CUI, Cycling Under the Influence?

Agreed, should be a different violation. DUI is unarguably a much more serious offense than CUI and shouldn't carry same penalty.

A few months ago just before school was released for the summer, I watched a motorcycle cop in Phoenix pull over a cyclist. Of course, said cyclist passed me in the other lane as we were both going through a marked school zone. I happened to see the police off to my right, lined up, ready to go and managed to ditch my speed as I entered the zone. The other cyclist was so intent on catching me that he never saw the cops. He had already passed me on the other side of the hill and I suppose he wasn't happy that I caught him on the downside.

That's an advantage of the recumbent - I can literally haul ass downhill and enjoy a IMAX view of the world as I ride.

I am almost certain that he got a ticket. As a traffic cop told me once, "when the kickstand goes down, the ticket book comes out and I rarely let someone go."

I've ridden with a guy who got a speeding ticket cycling. He was quite proud of it, and has it framed. I'd do the same thing and frankly, wouldn't care if it gave me points, as I rarely speed (enough to be stopped, anyway) in the car. Being a cyclist makes you pay a bit more attention to such things.

I've always wondered, how can you get a ticket for speeding when there is no requirement to have an accurate speedo on your bike? I mean if you were doing 35/40 in a 30 zone, you may not realise.

If I ever got a speeding ticket on a bike on a flat road, I would pay it, frame it and send copies to friends and relatives. Unfortunately, if I am riding on a flat road with a low speed limit, I am likely to be stoker on our tandem, so my wife will be the one with the ticket.

I've always wondered, how can you get a ticket for speeding when there is no requirement to have an accurate speedo on your bike? I mean if you were doing 35/40 in a 30 zone, you may not realise.Exactly. The whole thing is more of a novelty. Though you could get a warning of sorts it isnt probable that anyone would have to be dealing with a moving violation. I say "probable" because you just never know what with some police agencies these days.

Back in 1972 or so, I was riding in the East Bay (CA) hills. I had just come off the long climb of Redwood Road, and the light was red at Skyline. It was 107 deg F, I was overheating, so noting that no cars were coming, I ran the red light and continued onto the fast downhill to cool down. I was soon stopped by a cop, who gave me a ticket for speeding (47 mph as I recall) and for running a red light. I took the ticket to court, and explained to the judge that it was 107 deg F and no cars were coming, and that I didn't want to touch my brakes because I was using tubulars that were glued on (yes, we bike racers even trained on tubulars in those days!), and if I used the brakes to control downhill speed, the ambient temperatures were high enough to melt the glue, and I could roll the tubulars and crash. Oh, and I didn't have a speedo (there were no bike computers in those days) so I had no idea I was speeding, sir!

Well, the judge let me off on the speeding, but I got nailed for the red light...

Luis

My goal in life is to get a speeding ticket on my bike. If that happened, I'd contest it, go to court and make sure everybody knew I did it, pay it, tip the clerk, frame the thing, quit this silly sport, and spend all day posting about it on the internet.

Just hope to hell that you don't get seriously injured in an accident sometime into the future, caused by another party. Chances are a search of your records will turn up that you are a reckless rider and scofflaw, and that sort of information can be used very effectively in a defence... and by insurance companies to reduce their payouts.

I just don't understand why people who ride bicycles think it OK to break the law, but howl and whine like the blazes if someone else in a motor vehicle does something similar.

The probability of the scenario you outline is so miniscule it's preposterous to consider.

People speed all the time in cars, and I haven't heard anyone here whining about it. What I've heard is an acknowledgement that we all speed now and then, using our own judgement to ensure we are still driving safely.

I have only exceeded the speed limit in 2 places. 1, on a downhill in Cave Creek AZ, and then only by 2 mph. The other was descending Mt Lemmon in Tucson

My son posted this on Facebook - he lives in Boulder, CO

"I rode by one of those radar speed signs on my bike, today...40mph! In a 25mph zone. It started flashing red and blue telling me to slow down. The next sign said bikes must obey the speed limit. So I'm thinking 1. F the speed limit 2. It would be pretty cool to get a speeding ticket for 15mph over on my bike and 3. After 25 minutes of continuous climbing, I deserve a fast downhill. Then I got stung of the top lip by a bee. Overall, I guess karma has a way of working things out. Go be awesome and enjoy your weekend.

Thats what I would call a performance award.

I have only exceeded the speed limit in 2 places. 1, on a downhill in Cave Creek AZ, and then only by 2 mph. The other was descending Mt Lemmon in Tucson

I have some residential streets with 25 mph speed limits, and regularly go down them at 28 - 32 mph (as does everyone else).

Dnvr, you mean in a car or on a bike? :)

Dnvr, you mean in a car or on a bike? :)

I am on my bike, others are in their car - although a number of bikers also ride this route and break the law as flagrantly as I do!!

The probability of the scenario you outline is so miniscule it's preposterous to consider.

People speed all the time in cars, and I haven't heard anyone here whining about it. What I've heard is an acknowledgement that we all speed now and then, using our own judgement to ensure we are still driving safely.

Of course you'd say that.

While it doesn't relate specifically to speeding, but certainly it does to recklessness being discovered, there was a celebrated case outlined on BFs here a loooong time before you were a member, by which a poster was hit by a vehicle (in SF, I think), became bllind as a result, took legal action, and then... for some reason, things dissipated when the court discovered that he had used deed poll to change things so his middle name literally was Danger. IIRC, he miraculously got his eyesight back before the court proceedings concluded.

Fate has a habit of catching up with the laissez-faire folk who believe they can get away with anything. It's what encourages the petty crims to become high-roller crims.

I reiterate, with all the whining on this forum about other road users breaking the law (remember that recent beauty about cars overtaking cyclists with oncoming traffic), one would think that people wouldn't contemplate doing it themselves so blatantly.

Of course you'd say that.

While it doesn't relate specifically to speeding, but certainly it does to recklessness being discovered, there was a celebrated case outlined on BFs here a loooong time before you were a member, by which a poster was hit by a vehicle (in SF, I think), became bllind as a result, took legal action, and then... for some reason, things dissipated when the court discovered that he had used deed poll to change things so his middle name literally was Danger. IIRC, he miraculously got his eyesight back before the court proceedings concluded.

Fate has a habit of catching up with the laissez-faire folk who believe they can get away with anything. It's what encourages the petty crims to become high-roller crims.

I reiterate, with all the whining on this forum about other road users breaking the law (remember that recent beauty about cars overtaking cyclists with oncoming traffic), one would think that people wouldn't contemplate doing it themselves so blatantly.

C'mon, you have to agree the odds of something like that are close to impossible. Do we really know if the the "Danger" anecdote is real or fiction?
Re: breaking laws, I agree, this forum has plenty of cyclist complaining about drivers breaking the law. But, this is a cycling forum, what would you expect? The truth is, every vehicle on any road is breaking the law at some point. Whether it be speeding, running red lights, drunken driving, equipment violation (my personal pet peeve is lack of mufflers), etc.
I get plenty of gripes from other motorists, cyclists, peds. on my cycling traffic violations (which I commit, sometimes on purpose, sometimes by mistake). Everyone thinks they're an expert on traffic laws, when really the problem is that everyone thinks they're right.

If I ever got a speeding ticket on a bike on a flat road, I would pay it, frame it and send copies to friends and relatives. Unfortunately, if I am riding on a flat road with a low speed limit, I am likely to be stoker on our tandem, so my wife will be the one with the ticket.

Hmm .. wouldn't both riders on the tandem be guilty of speeding, since technically, both are operating the vehicle at excessive speed?
Or neither, since a court wouldn't be able to determine who was the guilty "speeder"?

That would make for great case precedent.

I've always wondered, how can you get a ticket for speeding when there is no requirement to have an accurate speedo on your bike? I mean if you were doing 35/40 in a 30 zone, you may not realise.

Wouldn't that be "improper equipment" ? Or whatever they call what the DA uses for speeding plea bargains?

I'm gulity, the posted speed limit in the Garden of the Gods is 20 mph, after huffing and puffing up the HILLS, I flew down the other side! On my bicycle I "stay" in my bike lane, the auto driving tourist, constantly drift into the bike lanes thru the corners. So if I'm busted, I'll take the ticket.

I'm guilty . . . .

Me too.

I've also been guilty of riding too fast for conditions. That I hope to avoid in the future.

I never know my speeds until I get home and look at the stats from my cyclemeter app. I don't have any displayed speedometer on the bike. The iPhone is in a pouch until I am done.

I do proceed through lights after I stop, and there is no one around. If there are cars coming or waiting, I wait, because I know they have tripped the lights. This is a backwards down with a lot of the in ground traffic light sensors. I could sit all day if a car didn't come up.

My son posted this on Facebook - he lives in Boulder, CO

"I rode by one of those radar speed signs on my bike, today...40mph! In a 25mph zone. It started flashing red and blue telling me to slow down. The next sign said bikes must obey the speed limit. So I'm thinking 1. F the speed limit 2. It would be pretty cool to get a speeding ticket for 15mph over on my bike and 3. After 25 minutes of continuous climbing, I deserve a fast downhill. Then I got stung of the top lip by a bee. Overall, I guess karma has a way of working things out. Go be awesome and enjoy your weekend.

I'm with a couple of others, I get a ticket on my bicycle, I want that sucker framed on the wall :D

Speed limit in our subdivision is 20 mph and I do exceed that limit on a regular basis. A bunch of LEO's live here but they seem disinterested in my criminal behavior.

We were recently riding in a beachfront development with 17 mph limits. I'm pretty slow, so when I saw they had a radar sign on a modest decline I just had to ramp it up. All the ones in my area are on flat 30 mph roads and that's a tall order. Tripped it at 25. Probably would have turned around and gone back for a longer run at it, but I was riding with my wife. The 15 year old in some of us never quite goes away.

I have some residential streets with 25 mph speed limits, and regularly go down them at 28 - 32 mph (as does everyone else).

Got that sucker up to 35 mph today, out ran the 3 police cars chasing me, and slipped around the road block and rode right between the spikes they placed on the road!! :)

Got that sucker up to 35 mph today, out ran the 3 police cars chasing me, and slipped around the road block and rode right between the spikes they placed on the road!! :)

Atta boy!

My son posted this on Facebook - he lives in Boulder, CO

"I rode by one of those radar speed signs on my bike, today...40mph! In a 25mph zone. It started flashing red and blue telling me to slow down. The next sign said bikes must obey the speed limit. So I'm thinking 1. F the speed limit 2. It would be pretty cool to get a speeding ticket for 15mph over on my bike and 3. After 25 minutes of continuous climbing, I deserve a fast downhill. Then I got stung of the top lip by a bee. Overall, I guess karma has a way of working things out. Go be awesome and enjoy your weekend.

I got a ticket years ago in Santa Barbara CA from a motorcycle cop with a radar in a school zone, apparently I was doing 35 in a 25. I took it to court, the judge knew me from past antics, he read the ticket out loud to the court, laughter ripped through the place including the judge, the judge dismiss the ticket because I made his bad day enjoyable.

I got a ticket years ago in Santa Barbara CA from a motorcycle cop with a radar in a school zone, apparently I was doing 35 in a 25. I took it to court, the judge knew me from past antics, he read the ticket out loud to the court, laughter ripped through the place including the judge, the judge dismiss the ticket because I made his bad day enjoyable.That rocks. Seriously. Our court often puts stuff like that on youtube for public record. That's a keeper.

Do watch speed in a school zone during the start and end of the school days -- seriously.