monsterkidz

Somewhat of a rant and a heads-up to anyone riding in NYC. I was on my way to work traveling south on 5th Avenue around 49th or so. Noticed 2 cop cars and a cop scooter parked up near the intersection. The light then turned red and I came to a stop not wanting to run the light. One cop steps out of his vehicle and asks me to pull over to the side of the road. He then begins to tell me that it is Bicycle Safety Month and notices that my bike did not have a bell or other warning device. He asks for my ID and writes me a $50.00 ticket for not having a warning device. While I was standing there waiting for him to write my summons they pulled over 2 other cyclists and they all got the same summons I did.

The only good thing is, the cop told me all I have to do is go purchase a bell or a whistle and send the receipt in with the ticket and I won't have to pay the fine. My impression was that the cops didn't really want to be doing this, but it was coming from higher up.

Regardless what a way to start my day.

Everyone stay safe out there.

dee-vee

Another stupid law. A good shout is better than any dinky little bell.

never

When he asked about your bell, you should have just yelled, "ON YOUR LEFT" at him.

It's funny because a lot of people around here have bells but not too many use them. But I guess having a bell on your bike automatically makes you safer.

huhenio

So it IS mandatory ... I need a foghorn.

jnbacon

It's a racket. The mafia has a major presence in the bell market.

jyossarian

I'd better hang my whistle around my neck this month.

slvoid

Since whistles are illegal, you'd get TWO tickets.

Hehe I'd just get one of these, sharpie it black, and get it over with. It's the smallest unobtrusive bell I can find. (Mainly cause it doesn't stick out too much and you can like, zip tie it to your stem or some place out of the way and equally useless as the bell.)

slvoid

I wonder if these tickets are being dished out to the central park roadies who ride $5000+ bikes too? Since most road bikes will never have spoke reflectors, lights, or a bell?

Are these cops just discriminating against the delivery guys, messengers, dudes who look like them, commuters, and people who are actually doing something useful or are they pulling everyone over?

rykoala

That's rediculous. Some little bell is never going to be heard in traffic. Maybe if you're on a path or something. I can yell many times louder than a bell. Its also faster, and instead of going "ding ding" I can yell "WATCH OUT I CANT STOP!" which is so much more effective when somebody is about to pull out in front of you.

CPcyclist

Let's see 3 cops writing ticket out for something you can get out of by buying it. Why the H3LL don't the make it a really legitimate racket buy cutting out the LBS/Walmart and sell them to you on the spot.

Great use of police time...what about fighting terrorism or is that not profitable enough...sorry my rant is done.

I would also drop a note to your local officials who are responsible for this and tell them they need to repeal it as it does nothing for your safety...

If you are required by law to have one to operate the vehicle then should it not also be illegal for the manufacturer/LBS to sell it without all required "safety" devices attached?

pharnabazos

I think I read on an earlier posting of the regulations that it's illegal to have an air horn. I'm wondering how long it'll be until I get a ticket for my Air Zound.

oboeguy

Bells are no more useful than a a good, throaty yell. I guess I'm lucky that I had to leave the bike at home today. Bell my butt.

aadhils

Haha the roadies are gonna be furious. Think about all the weight!

jfmckenna

Meanwhile as he writes up the ticket you hear gun shots and masked men running out of the bank

Don't they really have better things to do up there. A bell, ha ha thats funny you can yell louder then a little bell.

ebr898

Whistles are illegal in your city or is it a state law? I have used my whistle on several occasions, and keep it on a lanyard attached to my HI-VIS vest. It has become one of the items that I want to carry even when wearing a jersey.

monsterkidz

Actually the cop told me, that a whistle is AOK. Now you have me second guessing getting a whistle. I just don't want to buy a stupid bell and have some fool steal it off my ride so he doesn't get a summons, if things start getting out of control with cops busting everyone.

Welcome to cycling in NYC.

LittleBigMan

One more example of how non-cyclists know nothing about what we do.

Have you ever tried to use a bell ("ting, ting!") to get a motorist's attention? Pleez...

The most effective "Bicycle Safety Month" measure would be to pull over every motorist that exceeds the speed limit by more than 5 mph., but no politician has the guts to do that.

jimtoy

If I was getting a ticket and not just a warning I would have asked to see the traffic law in writting.

I was just on the NYC bicycle page and there were no rules specific to bells/whistles. They may be using one of the laws that says something like all vehiciles on the road must have some short of horn.

jimtoy

I found a page that has the links regarding the laws

https://www.dot.state.ny.us/pubtrans/share.html

What equipment is required on bicycles?


A bicycle must be equipped with:

A brake which is capable of making the bike tires skid on dry, level pavement (Sec. 1236(c)).
A bell, horn or other device that can be heard at least a hundred feet away. Sirens and whistles are not permitted. (Sec. 1236(b)).
Bicycles driven between a half-hour after sunset and a half-hour before sunrise must be equipped with a white front headlight visible in darkness for at least 500 feet, and a red taillight visible for at least 300 feet. One of these lights must also be visible on each side for at least 200 feet (Sec. 1236(a)).
A bicycle, when purchased new and/or driven at night, must have reflective tires, or wide-angle, spoke-mounted reflectors. Reflectors must be colorless or amber for front wheels, and colorless or red for rear wheels (Sec. 1236(d)).

monsterkidz

Thanks for the research Jimtoy, I guess I need to make a run and get some stuff.

Wafath

Has anyone tried going to court and fighting the ticket on the basis that the bicycle was equiped with a rider which was equiped with a device that can be heard at least a hundered feet away? (ie, their mouth) I'm curious if that would hold up in court.

W

Mr_Super_Socks

Saw a guy this morning furiously ringing his bell to stop a big SUV from pulling into his path. it was the most futile and ridiculous thing I have seen in a while. I now have a 108dB car horn wired to my 12v lighting system. it is very, very loud, and apparently legal.

bikiola

there has been much ticketing going on in new york now from the ****ing pigs. note that it is an outright lie to call november "bike safety month." a quick hop around the net (trans alt, times-up, the rest) shows you it it was actually may!

what a load of bullsh1t. it's the old "your headlight is broken" trick.

Avatar

I almost got ticketed for going the wrong way recently. Taught me a lesson about zigzagging... I don't know how slvoid gets away with it.

jyossarian

Slvoid don't stop for cops.