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Ticketed

Old 06-21-07, 07:04 AM
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Ticketed

I was riding home from work along the bike path, and a police officer stops me and gives me a ticket because my bike doesn't have a bell! $110 for not having a bell!

Has anyone here been ticketed for missing a bell? $110 seems excessive for what is arguably a useless component... I had everything else - lights, reflectors, helmet...

I really don't understand the bell requirement. I can yell way louder than any bike bell.

Toronto riders, beware...
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Old 06-21-07, 07:10 AM
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Well, it's in the law dude - what did you expect? The police don't seem super-keen on enforcing a lot of the bike laws, but they're there to adhere to. A couple of bike shops I've been to (the one at the north end of Augusta in Kensington definitely had this) have the ticket charge/item list at the cash register for you to idly look at while waiting.

I honestly thought this was about to be a speeding ticket, I was all "yeah!"
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Old 06-21-07, 07:17 AM
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Here's a link to the Ontario bike laws (though not an official site, I'm sure that can be found).

https://www.bicyclesource.com/body/sa...rio-laws.shtml

Note it says that lights mounted on the body are not technically legal, too.

Ahh, here's a more official list: https://www.toronto.ca/cycling/pdf/hta.pdf

I pass plenty of police on my travels, but have never been stopped/ticketed.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:18 AM
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Yeah, the bell requirement seems a bit archaic -- I don't have one, I whistle instead to alert people, a sort of "over here" whistle, and as long as they're within earshot they turn their heads and pay attention. OTOH when I see other bikers using a bell, the more experienced peds know what's up, but the rest look confused like they're thinking, "Ice cream truck?"
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Old 06-21-07, 07:23 AM
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NY requires one by law also, so I have one that I've never used except for fun.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:25 AM
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I have a 132 db bell ... lol

j/k... fiamm highway blaster 12v mounted to my stem =)

OHH YEAH !!!!!!
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Old 06-21-07, 07:28 AM
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Damn. I'm just in Toronto for a month, but will definitely be stopping by a bike shop this afternoon.

Then again, since I don't live here, would they still be able to give me a ticket?
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Old 06-21-07, 07:29 AM
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How ridiculous.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by squegeeboo
NY requires one by law also, so I have one that I've never used except for fun.
Really? The State of NY does? Hmmm an opportunity to start a bell thread, eh?
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Old 06-21-07, 07:32 AM
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Idiotic. Though a few posters in a&s would love it.

Would they drop the ticket or decrease the fine if you purchased one?
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Old 06-21-07, 07:33 AM
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Originally Posted by gbcb
Damn. I'm just in Toronto for a month, but will definitely be stopping by a bike shop this afternoon.

Then again, since I don't live here, would they still be able to give me a ticket?
I'd think so - the law is still the law here regardless of where you come from.

While it sucks for the OP to be lumped with a ticket, at least it's good to know *somewhere* there are city cops that give a crap to enforce the laws. So many cyclists here are just nuts beyond comprehension.

I use my bell a fair bit when riding, I have got the deer in the headlights look as well as the "in the know" move over, both on paths and the street - they come in handy, and heck, for what? $2? $5? $7? not really a big deal IMO. I use my bell for when I'm screaming along riding the dangerous middle ground between centre lane and door zone, when passing parked cube vans or other vehicles I can't see over/through.

I blew through a few stop signs yesterday (as always) right past a cop, and I've done the creep-to-start while lights have been red when right next to a squad car, etc. but they don't seem to do anything - I guess I'm not dangerous enough or they're not bored enough.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:35 AM
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That's ridiculous. I'd go to court and fight it.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:41 AM
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In NY cyclists are also required to have a bell. The good news is that if you get a ticket, you can purchase a bell and send in the receipt instead of paying the fine. Maybe that would work in Toronto as well?
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Old 06-21-07, 07:41 AM
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Originally Posted by SDRider
That's ridiculous. I'd go to court and fight it.
How do you propose he'd win that argument in court?

It's against the law to not have a bell. The OP didn't have a bell. How do you fight it?
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Old 06-21-07, 07:46 AM
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ticket

Well I've heard that if I buy a bell and produce a receipt, I could probably get the ticket cancelled. That's up to the prosecutor though.

I went to the court house and was told to come back in 10 days, at which time I'll probably have a 1 - 2 hour wait, by my estimation.

So hopefully the only thing it will cost me is time - I'll know in 10 days...
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Old 06-21-07, 07:49 AM
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In Portland we have 2 cops who do Wednesday bike ticket stings. They ticket for anything they can. Their current favorite is to sit at the end of our MUP, which has a stop sign (but no cross traffic--the road literally deadends at the MUP--and most of the feeder streets into the area are closed for construction) and write $242 tickets for running a stop sign.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:52 AM
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Originally Posted by DataJunkie
Idiotic. Though a few posters in a&s would love it.
The law man must have been having a "notion" induced by the evil rays emanating from the bike path. Yeah, that's the ticket!!
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Old 06-21-07, 07:54 AM
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Check the laws carefully. It's been discussed before, but in NYC, a bike has to be e/w front, rear and side reflectors, a bell and front and rear lights if it's ridden after dusk. I have bells on 2/3 of my bikes and while I hardly use it, it does satisfy the law and it's unobtrusive and cheap.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:55 AM
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Thats pretty lame. I was under the impression cops only played that card when they were looking for an excuse to bust you but could think of nothing else.

I guess if you had the bell, he could get out the measuring tape and make sure the reflective tape on the seatstays and fork is at least 2" wide and 8" long. A bit tricky on an aero fork.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Flimflam
I'd think so - the law is still the law here regardless of where you come from.

While it sucks for the OP to be lumped with a ticket, at least it's good to know *somewhere* there are city cops that give a crap to enforce the laws. So many cyclists here are just nuts beyond comprehension.
True, I suppose. Fortunately there are at least three really good bike shops on the ride back from work. Will stop in one of them today.
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Old 06-21-07, 07:56 AM
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Whoa, that's the first time I've ever heard of that law being enforced.

Well, now you've got an excuse to zip down to MEC and pick up an AirZound for $17. Sweet deal!
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Old 06-21-07, 08:02 AM
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Ooh, make that FOUR shops
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Old 06-21-07, 08:18 AM
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Coo-coo.

That said, I have a bell and use it quite a bit. But, I ride on a MUP. If you're on a MUP, you owe it to the others on it to get a bell. Other than that though, a verbal notice will do.
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Old 06-21-07, 08:39 AM
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Originally Posted by thdave
Coo-coo.

That said, I have a bell and use it quite a bit. But, I ride on a MUP. If you're on a MUP, you owe it to the others on it to get a bell. Other than that though, a verbal notice will do.
Yeah, I have a bell on my bike for the rides on the local paved bike trail (rails to trails). I think it's a great way to let those ahead know whats up well before you get near em. My co-worker that i ride with has his bike stripped down with barely anything but a flashy light on the back and super tiny wedge under the seat. No other reflectors on the bike, no bell, no horn, no lights.. nothing but a 1/2 working cycle comptuer. Consequently he's extra paranoid at passing people. The bell gives me that little edge to not scare the piss out of some pedestrian or slower bicyclist... but also to keep from having to slow down every time I pass someone.

So put me in the pro-bell/horn camp

Maybe I finally have something in common with the weirdos on the a&s forum
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Old 06-21-07, 09:00 AM
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Originally Posted by period3
I was riding home from work along the bike path, and a police officer stops me and gives me a ticket because my bike doesn't have a bell! $110 for not having a bell!

*gasp*
too funnY!
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