MrCjolsen

For exceeding the posted speed limit for cars?

I've noticed a cop with a radar gun in front of my school the last few days. With a good SW wind, I could easily go over the 25 mph limit in front of my school.

And it would greatly enhance my "street cred" with my first grade students if they saw me get pulled over on my bike for going "faster than the cars."

Monument Man

I'm not super sure but I believe you can get Speeding Tickets, DUI/DWIs, and lots of other tickets for traffic related problems.

Honestly I couldn't imagine a cop pulling over a biker on a normal road, but if it was in a city (lights, traffic) or near a school (safety, kids) I could imagine them getting angry.

My only question is: Are you fast enough to DROP the COP after he chases you?

platypus

in most jurisdictions, yes you are eligible for a speeding ticket if you're over the limit on your bike (certainly in CA this is the case).

'nother

^^ true. Same goes for running stop signs, lights, and pretty much any other traffic violation. Bikes are considered vehicles by CA vehicle code (for the most part).

Blastinbob

Yes, they used to sit on the bike trail that goes under the huntington beach pier with their radar guns pulling over speeding cyclists, I think it is a 5 or 10 mph speed limit through that stretch. I would assume it's a city fine and not a moving vehicle fine.

audiojan

Speed limits apply to all moving vehicle, wether they are cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles or for that matter bikes, so yes, you can get a speeding ticket (and consequently could have your license revoked....).

Same rules apply by red lights, stop signs etc. You could get a violation if not abiding by the laws.

Doubt you will get a speeding ticket though....

khuon

There was a recent thread on this very subject.

suntreader

One of my best friends is a local police officer. I asked her if she would mind checking my speed on the only downhill run on my favorite route. She asked, "What happens if I catch you speeding?" I told her that I would want her to tell all my friends AND report it to the local newspaper!

Brillig

Yes.

But only if they can catch you.

jlin453

So how fast did you go down the hill?

Brillig

It's very hilly around where I ride and I exceed the speed limit all the time in 25 and 35 mph zones (downhill, needless to say).

Do you ever notice that cars still feel the overwhelming urge to pass you, even when you're speeding?

khuon

Yep... and then they get in front of you and slow down. Grrr...

MICHAELM

I believe the other responses in regards to speeding are true. Several years ago, I was on a trail in the Dayton, Ohio area. The trail had a speed limit posted at 20mph. I guess it was a slow day for the Park Rangers. They had clocked me going 23 or 25, can't remember. Where I was they couldn't reach me, so they went to the next area where the trail intersected with the main road and waited for me. They pulled me over and wrote me a warning ticket. I was a little embarrassed, ticked, etc.

jamie_vole

I've actually known a number of people who have gotton DUI's on bikes. A friend of mine got busted for running a stop sign.

khuon

I've seen police officers hand out tickets on the Sammamish River Trail... which coincidently enough passes right behind the Redmond police station.



Ugh!

MacMan

The answer is yes. You are as liable on a bicycle for obeying all laws of the road as you would be in any other road-going vehicle.

As was explained to me after I went down a road that was "closed" and then proceded to blow through about 5 stops signs in my neighborhood

Grasschopper

Ok so for sure you can get fined for speeding. My question is can they really clock you with radar as a couple have mentioned in this thread? I would think that there isn't enough surface area for the radar to bounce off of, they need a pretty good metalic surface as I understand it. In my town they use VASCAR which involves multiple lines on the road at a fixed distance and the officer has a special unit in the car that is calibrated to the distance between those lines. +/- on VASCAR is typically 10 MPH and you would have to be doing +10 over the speed limit before they will pull you over.

khuon

Yes.

UmneyDurak

Whenever I see one of those I try to sprint for it, and check it's reading againt my computer.

khuon

I usually do that too. However, I was too busy taking a picture this time.

ctyler

Yes. A friend in Sunnyvale, California, got TWO in one day.

Avalanche325

Yes. The speed limit is for vehicles, not just cars. A bicycle is leagally a vehicle.

So, let me see if I understand this. Please correct me if I have made an incorrect assumption:
1. You are a teacher?
2. You want to impress a bunch a 1st graders?
3. You want to accomplish this by breaking the law?
4. You want to break the speed law in a school zone?
5. People think teachers are UNDERpaid?

celticfrost

If you really want some "street cred", take a swipe at one of the cops that pulls you over. Show those 1st graders that those wannabees on MTV got nothing on you!!

jakemoffatt

I'm fairly sure the OPs comments were tongue-in-cheek.

zakk

the funnay train left you at the station.