We got a $485.00 ticket for not walking our bikes across the street. Can i fight this? $485.00 is a bit much!!??? This ticket was given in Glendale Ca. Has this ever happened to anyone? did you fight this ticket and win?
-we as in myself and a friend, each received a $485.00. it was a 4 way cross walk. All Cars are stopped 4 ways. So we continued to the other side. Cop pulled us over for riding across the street and not walking the bikes across the street.
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3Don't fight it to win, get on your bike to evade. Advice - better late than never!– S..Commented Oct 22, 2013 at 18:47
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1Can you cite what you were actually fined for. Possibly with links to specific laws. Even if you can't point to specific laws, can you describe what you actually did?– KibbeeCommented Oct 22, 2013 at 19:03
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2You need to honestly state what you did. If you rode across at an intersection, in a driving lane, in keeping with traffic laws, then you definitely have a case. If you went counter to signals or "jayrode" or if you rode your bike in a pedestrian walkway then you may have a problem, depending on the particulars of state and local laws.– Daniel R HicksCommented Oct 22, 2013 at 20:50
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5She may have been a jerk, but she was correct - the "walk" signal is for pedestrians only. If the traffic light was red and you rode your bike through the intersection, you ran the red light and are subject to whatever the fine is for running a red light. Bikes are (generally) treated the same as cars under traffic laws. If you want to be treated as a pedestrian, you need to walk your bike.– JohnnyCommented Oct 23, 2013 at 21:31
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1@Kibbee: I don't think there's really a slippery slope that would open sidewalks to motorized bikes. There's already a distinction between bicycles and motorized bicycles in California law. A bicycle is: "231. A bicycle is a device upon which any person may ride, propelled exclusively by human power through a belt, chain, or gears, and having one or more wheels." As well as a separate definition for motorized bicycle. And the (law)[dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21207_5.htm] already restricts where motorized bicycles can ride.– JohnnyCommented Oct 24, 2013 at 15:11
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1 Answer
I don't think you'll get reliable legal advice on the internet. That said, here are a few observations:
- The fine is clearly totally unreasonable.
- Glendale seems to have some totally unreasonable laws regarding bicycles on the book: apparently you have to pay 50 cents a year to register your bicycle. I have no idea if this is enforced. See http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/gmc/10.60.aspx#10.60.040
- The police officer who issued the ticket may or may not have an accurate understanding of the law as it relates to bicycles.
- You should probably decide now how far you're willing to take this. E.g. just pay the fine and move on, whether you're willing to make calls and attempt to get it dropped, whether you're willing to go to court, and whether you're willing to spend money on a lawyer. Personally, I'd be willing to fight a little bit since the fine is steep and unfair, but the cost of hiring a lawyer probably isn't worth it for me.
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2Depending on where you live, it's quite easy to fight a traffic ticket, and you usually don't need a lawyer to do so. You may not get it completely nullified, but you'll most likely get it reduced.– KibbeeCommented Oct 22, 2013 at 19:06
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4What @Kibbee said. I have successfully plea bargained a ticket. I was ticketed for doing 70 mph in a 55 zone. The state I was in imposed much higher fines for 15 or more over the limit, so I went to court. When asked how I pleaded, I said, "Not guilty to 70, but I will plead guilty to 65." The judge and prosecutor looked at each other, the prosecutor shrugged, and the judge banged his gavel and accepted the deal. Didn't cost me a dime and saved me a couple hundred $. I'd do some homework, find out exactly what the infraction is and what other lesser infractions could be imposed instead. Commented Oct 22, 2013 at 20:01