Vivalo

Hello, this is my first post here.

Last night I was riding in my neighborhood to my friend's house down the street (two blocks)
when I was pulled over by a cop car, and ticketed for not have my lights on my bike.

I was just wondering how much these tickets run for, or if I explain to the judge about my situation (just riding down the block in a residential area) if I might get it lessened or expelled.

10 Wheels

My state requires front and rear lights to be Street Legal at Night.

Doohickie

Yeah, check local laws. Your best bet may be to buy a head and tail light set and show them to the judge. I know for cars when they ticket you for having burned out bulbs they will sometimes dismiss it if you replace the bulbs before the court date.

Vivalo

Okay, cool. I figure I just might bring my lights into court, and say at the time that they were out of batteries, and have since replaced them.

Or what if I just bring in new lights and say, I have already gone and bought lights, because I was unaware of this law, and would rather have spent money on obtaining lights instead of on this fine.

127.0.0.1

it's about time ! i called the cops a number of times about you

Vivalo

good thing, because I had obviously stolen the bike and was riding around looking for a **** victim..

StephenH

I'd just tell the judge you bought 'em because you didn't know you need 'em until you were stopped, and see if that'll fly.

Read your ticket, too. It may cost you extra to go before the judge.

10 Wheels

Just pay the ticket. No Court Costs.

Vivalo

No, I was issued a "Notice To Appear"

so I have to go to court..

nycphotography

Are you kidding? A notice to appear for a no lights ticket???

I'd show up in court on a clown suit, because the town is obviously trying to be a circus.

weavers

i got a 25 dollar fix it ticket for not having a front light. i didn't have a rear light at the time either, but the ticket was for a headlamp. now a days i'm probably riding around with to much light and reflective tape at night.

daintonj

I'm really hoping the police will have a crackdown on people without lights and/or riding on the pavement in our area. There's nothing like someone dressed in black, riding a black bike, at night, next to a black cat, in a coal cellar to surprise you when they decide to ride across the road without looking. I really don't see what the problem with a £60 fine and if they're under 16 confiscating the bike until the parents collect it. It might even uncover a lot of stolen bikes.

chrism32205

I see these guys all the time here in Jacksonville riding without lights.. its dangerous.. they have no idea.

Even if you cant see from the lights ahead of you, get them for being seen by others. It makes the difference.

Tapeworm21

That's the last thing you should say. Know what their answer will be? Well, the law is the law Mr. _________ and what you were doing was not only dangerous to yourself, but dangerous to others, no matter how far you're going.

You should really get some lights though.

Vivalo

I have lights, I was just riding down the street to a friends house..
When I go on actual night rides, I always have lights; I was just going down the street..
I've lived in my neighborhood for 20 years, having been doing this for years..

and yes, my town is among the worst for police related b.s. (bakersfield)

JanMM

Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but the Bail Out Bill that was just passed by Congress included provisions, effective immediately, for automatic $500 fines, nationwide, for riding a bike without lights. That's to help pay for the bailout.

chipcom 

Good thing he got in before the next bailout...that socialist Obama wants to increase it further so all them rich scofflaw cyclists can spread the wealth!

mackerel

The cops around where I live give out tickets for not having pedal reflectors.
You might have all sorts of lights - front and back - but if you have no pedal reflectors: TICKET!

spinnaker

Well if you wound up squashed under a truck, the police wouldn't be too please about soaking you up with a sponge off of the pavement.

If you really want to not pay. Go in front of the judge and apologize and explain the situation. Ask that he / she could reduce the fine or let you go with a warning. Chances are they will give you some slack. Judges can be pretty cool if you give them a chance.

Oh and go out and buy a new light before the hearing. Bring it to the hearing and make sure you have new batteries. You might earn some points.

Juggler2

Seems like your talking about our area! However the night ninjas are usually riding the wrong side of the road!

on edit: 2 lane road, dark night, ninja in the wrong lane. Can be hazardous to the cagers too, if they don't see the ninja till the last moment, and have to veer into the oncoming lane! (Don't ask how I know.)

Machka 

+1

I see them all the time heading to the University in the morning before sun-up. The occasional one might have lights, a few more might have something reflective on their bicycles, and the rest are not only light-less, and reflective-less, but those riders always seem to dress in dark colors too. I nearly drove over one today who was decked out from head to foot in charcoal grey. I was turning the corner, and he popped out from nowhere.

The worst I've seen was a family with kids ... the two adults were on dark mtn bikes, and were dressed completely in black ... and they were both pulling homemade wooden trailers which contained the kids. They had no lights, no reflective gear, and not a bright article of clothing among them, on their bicycles, or on the trailers.

I was finishing up a 300K brevet at about 11 pm with a group of other cyclists. We were all lit up like Christmas trees, and were riding in a line when all of a sudden the front rider shouted something and swerved. We could not see those riders with their trailers until we were right on top of them.

I could not believe that parents would put their kids into such danger like that!

Brian T.

OP, you said "last night" and, pardon my ignorance, what time exactly was it? Most MV laws state that cars ( I know ) should have lights on 1/2 hour before sunset and 1/2 hour after sunset. And most tickets have "notice to appear", but you should be able to pay the clerk of courts unless you want to ask the judge, graciously, for leniency. If he/she is in a good mood, it might happen.

BarracksSi

This is the same kind of thing that drivers say when they have an accident within a couple miles of home.

And besides, how can the cop truly know that you're just going down the street? They deal with liars all the time, so how could you expect him to believe you instead?

I-Like-To-Bike

If you had lights maybe you would have found what you were looking for.

cyccommute 

One of these is perjury and one is the truth. Standing before a judge, which one should you pick?