Got a ticket today
 

Got a ticket from the downtown motorcycle cop that busts bikes. He wrote me up for running a red light, there was no cross traffic, I just treated it as a yield.
I dont know how much the ticket is, I guess I'll be getting something in the mail. I'm wondering if I should bother paying this. I don't have a car, and my license is about to be suspended for not paying a 'no seatbelt' ticket, so I'dont have to worried about the possibility of losing my license. What else can they do to me? Arrest me?
Just curious to hear what other people think about paying tickets for riding a bike.

The irony of this situation: I was on my way to work, where I would be picking up my check. The check was so small, it'll probably all be going to pay for the ticket.

for minor and first offenses in Florida, you can usually attend a bike safety class and avoid paying the ticket...but maybe the class costs $20....?

so check that out.

Funky innit. I got a ticket Wednesday for parkin in front of my own driveway. Can't park in driveway for the collection of broken tree branches from the last storm. but can't block driveway because emergency vehicules may need it?

Contest the ticket via mail.

Pursuant to CVC 40519(b) and 40902(a), you can submit a written not guilty plea, as well as a statement of facts (basically, the case you would be making in court) to the court via mail.

If you were to say, plead not guilty to a ticket in person, you would be given a court date. If you citing officer should fail to show up, your case would be dismissed. But why would the officer not show up? They get overtime pay and the day off. Lucky for you however, they don't get ***** for writing a letter to the court, so it's in your best interest to do the whole thing by mail.

Also, pursuant to CVC 40902(d), if you happen to lose the written case you can request a Trial De Novo (not written), in which you can make your case.

What was your violation? CVC 21453(a,b,c,d)?

Pay it, I thought just like you also til i realized one day I will have to drive. They go after your tax money now in NY for not paying. The fee will rise for what minor infration. the only thing is to fight it in court or pay.

S/F,
CEYA!

S'funny Vomitron didn't mention the fact that last night he and I were given parking tickets on our bikes for locking them to the railing in front of the movie theatre. I was kinda pissed when they classifed the make of my bike to be, "A red schwinn" and the model to be "12 speed".

Thats right I have a 12 speed fixed gear A Red Schwinn road conversion.

At least your bike could possibly be a 12 speed.

I have a ****ing track bike, better known to the security guards there as a "12-speed A Blue GT."

an alias is key in this situation ;)

Unless the officer recorded my personal info I would never pay that one.
I.D. No, I'm sorry officer, I don't have one on me, My name? Kluas Longbow, Occupation? Porn Star...

Powers is that pronounced Clue ass?

Brilliant idea! These days you are likely to be fingerprinted if you have no ID with you, and it could easily take an hour of your time.

Back to the original poster- they will likely garnish your tax refunds- so either way, you'll end up paying. Might as well just pay the fine rather than added penalties for not paying. I think it stinks that a cop harrassed you by writing the ticket, but there is nothing you can do now.

To the original poster, where did this happen? San somewhere-in-CA, but which San? I ride daily in both San Francisco, and San Jose, I'm wondering where this motorcycle-cop-who-harrases-bikes hangs out, I want to avoid him...

i got a ticket once in SF blowing a light at city hall. fine was $115.

In illinois if they make a mistake on a ticket you don't pay it.
you don't ride a 12 speed you ride a 1 speed.

jeff

http://www.sfbike.org/?ticket this might help.

Can I get a ticket if I don't have a driver's license?

No, only drivers are held accountable for breaking the law.

Maybe there in Bean Town that's the case, but out here, not having a driver's license or other ID doesn't mean you can't receive a ticket ,nor that you're excused from paying one. Anyone can get, and be compelled to pay, a ticket. If you already have a driver's license, even an expired one, they will find you.

As for giving aliases or "not having ID", I would not use that idea. Around here, you may be detained (that is to say, hauled in to the clinker or just stuffed in the back seat of the cop car) until they can establish your identification. My guess is if you played that card, you'd be sitting there a long time waiting for them to do that, and then probably get your original ticket "enhanced" with whatever other infractions they can think of. Don't **** around with cops, you will get boned somehow, even if you are "right"; and if that's the case, argue your case in court, not to the cop.

Speaking of that, to the OP: where do you get the idea that a red light means "yield" when there's no cross traffic? I don't think you have a case there. Bite the bullet, pay your ticket, and please don't ride like that anymore -- you make us all look bad.

To be clear I was referring to a parking ticket. And I doubt any officer would delay a coffee run by detaining someone for a parking ticket....unless of course you shackled your bike to his/her cruiser.
Now that is worth getting a ticket over....

You broke the law, you got caught, face up your mistakes, pay the ticket.

If you do not pay the ticket bad things can happen... think failure to appear, jail time... hmmm.

Never run red lights on a bike, never say you do not have ID and never think of not paying a ticket, it is not worth it...

learn your lesson: next time, don't stop. take the cop on a chase like the duke boys in "dukes of hazzard". it's almost inevitable that at some point the cop will go over some ramp-like obstruction and end up in a pond, cursing and stomping his helmet while you ride off into the sunset yelling "yeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaaaa!"

that's what i do anyway.

I don't know about California, but in Texas, if you do not respond to the ticket you will be convicted of the offense and an extra fine will be added for 'failure to appear'. A warrant will then be issued for your arrest. Although the cops won't come looking for you, the next time you are stopped by a cop, you will probably be arrested and taken down to jail until someone either comes down to pay your outstanding fines or you serve out the value of your fines at something like $50-100 per day depending on the municipality. Usually after a couple days you may get to see a judge who *might* reduce you fines and set up a payment schedule and release you.

It's a lot easier to just pay the fine or take defensive driving and be done with it. Of course, you always have the option of contesting the ticket.

This has been covered here already. Playing ID games with cops is a Bad Idea. If you do not identify yourself, the cop can detain you until they figure out who you are Providing false information to a cop is a Very Bad Idea.

I don't doubt it at all. You start ****ing around with a cop, being a smartass or "uh, sorry, don't have no ID ossifer!", they don't like that *****. I don't think too many cops would have second thoughts about running someone like that down to the station and have them wait in a cell while they try to figure out who that person is, and likely that would not be their top priority.

Anyway for a parking ticket, its the registered owner of the car who is responsible for the ticket, not necessarily the operator of the vehicle. So the "no ID" thing doesn't even come into play there, maybe I just don't understand what you mean. But bottom line, don't play that game. You may get lucky, but you're more than likely biting off a lot more than you can chew.