Cleave

Hi,

So is the CM in Long Beach still on the last Friday of each month at 7:00p at the BikeStation?

How many riders typically show up?

How long does the ride last?

I want to try a CM before I make any judgments.

TIA for any answers and info.

ricecracker420

meet at the bikestation about 7:30, we leave at exactly 8:00, so don't be late. I'm typically early, so if you wanna show up before then, go for it. Just look for a younger asian kid with glasses and long hair on an old mountain bike...that's me. Make sure you have registration and lights, cops have been a bit of a stickler about that in long beach recently

DScott

Registration?

ricecracker420

bike registration, some bs law that the cops in long beach are actually enforcing. you can get it done at a fire station for 20 bucks or so

GP

$2

Pepper Grinder

https://www.longbeach.gov/faqs/categoryqna.asp?id=32#666



How do I obtain a bicycle license?
Bicycle licenses are issued every Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 12 noon at every fire station in Long Beach. Although we make an effort to be in the station during those hours, Saturday and Sundays are regular work days for us therefore we have regularly scheduled training and company business to attend to.

The cost for a license is $2.00 for each bicycle licensed. If available, please bring proof of purchase to make registration easier.


I should ride CM this month, hmmm...I don't want to put an ugly sticker on my pretty blue Miyata...

urbanknight

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the city can only enforce bike license laws on residents of that city. So if you live outside of Long Beach, just bring your ID with your proof of address outside of the city.

ricecracker420

i don't think so, couple of my friends from garden grove and whittier got tickets for missing registration in long beach
like i said, cops have been harassing riders in Long Beach a lot recently. Something about residents *****ing about critical mass holding up traffic for 5 minutes at 10 at night.

urbanknight

I don't think it's legal/constitutional for them to require a license for non residents. States can't require an in state driver's license for drivers from other states. There are similar laws in many other nearby cities. Do they really expect someone to know all of those cities and then buy a license for each one just to be able to ride beyond their driveway? That would cost more than a driver's license and weigh the rider down with 50+ licenses just to be able to ride in different areas.

I would definitely make the cop show me the law in the code book before accepting a ticket for what might be a misinterpreted or even fictitious law.

GP

They're probably citing 39001 of the state vehicle code and 10.50.020 of the city code.

I've always thought that the purpose of bike registration was for returning recovered stolen bikes but maybe they're interpreting it differently.

urbanknight

You're right
Why hasn't any advocacy group moved to call this unconstitutional, or at least make a statewide licensing program? Having to register in every city one plans to ride in would be a PIA, not to mention having to cover a good portion of the frame with all the stickers you'd need.

edit: Found the State code restricting it!

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d16_7/vc39002.htm

Print that out and carry it with you. It only allows the city or county to goven its residents and not visitors. The LBC part that states "any person" is in violation of the state provision.

ricecracker420

Nice!
i'm probably still gonna get it done in my city, less hassle than trying to argue with an ******* cop, for some reason i deal with a lot of those. Think it might be the tattoos, piercings, and long hair?

Cleave

Hi All,

This has been an interesting and informative discussion, however, no one answered my second and third questions (thank you ricecracker420 for answering my first question).

Just in case anyone forgot :

How many riders typically show up?

How long does the ride last?

TIA, again.

ricecracker420

Oh sorry about that, depending on the weather, and how many cops show up, usually between 50 and 150. Typically starts at 8:00 finish somewhere between 10 and 11

Placid Casual

You're correct, but the Long Beach cops don't know that, or they're pretending not to know. The CVC allows cities to require licensing of *residents*, not of everybody who rides a bike in that city. Carry a copy of the state law as suggested above, and if they ticket you anyway, go ahead and sign the ticket (it's just a promise to appear) and when you go to court, point out to the judge that the city code is illegal under state law.

bikeride

Go ahead and let the cops issue you a ticket and don't give him or her a hard time. Then go in front of the Judge and explain to him why you don't think you deserve the ticket. The law is plain and simple and it would take a really biased Judge not to dismiss it. If enough you do this then eventually the judge will give an order to make the cops stop doing it. After that, if the cops still keep issuing you that same ticket then they will be on the defensive.
I know it's easier just to pay the ticket and go on with your life but if you're doing this ride supposedly to stand up for your rights then why don't you take the time to actually do it?

bikeride

Edit: This is not legal advice so please don't take it as such!

Indolent58

Just plead insanity.

urbanknight

Since Cleave got his answers, I'll go ahead and continue the hijack...

The problem with that is taking the day off of work to go into court would technically cost most of us a lot more than $5. I'm going to recite the law to the cop (politely) in an effort to get him/her to not write the ticket in the first place. If I still get a ticket and have to take my precious time to drag my butt down to court for the cop's ignorance, I will most definitely file a complaint against the cop while I'm there.

bikeride

Sorry for the hijack.

AdamD

To continue the threadjack...

I'm not sure if it would work for a ticket for riding a bike without it being registered, but for standard moving violations (speeding, etc.) you can request trial by mail and never have to set foot in court. This is a trick many people have used to fight tickets over the years. I used it once and while I didn't get the ticket dropped I got the fine greatly reduced and the ability to attend traffic school even though this was the second time attending traffic school within 18 months (this was years ago when I rode a motorcycle like a mad man). Now I ride my bike everywhere and don't have these kind of problems, although I could since I'm a LB resident and my bike isn't registered. I'm such a rebel.