My First Ticket
Thread started by
GarySe7en at 04.11.08 - 2:09 pm
I received my first traffic violation ticket today during my lunch break. (I had never previously been ticketed as a driver either).
I was going to make a left turn, typical left as a cyclist business, gauge speed of oncoming traffic, it was slow, a red light ahead, I put out my arm to signal and began moving into the left turn lane. Then all of a sudden a motorcycle cop rolls up right behind me and starts yelling at my that I can't do that. We argue a little about whether I can do that, and then when the signal changes we make the turn and pulls me over, writing up a ticket.
Apparently I was an obstruction to traffic and supposedly traffic was still flowing at 35 mph (bull shit, it was a congested stretch of road just before a red light). The cop also made an off handed comment about well if I was on a racing bike, (I was on my commuter bike with a pillow in the side bag after an errand). Shit pissed me off, and obviously this will be contested. Fortunately a dude on a motor scooter that saw the whole thing ran into me where I stopped in for lunch, and he gave me his contact info, saying he could back me up if it came to that point.
Does anyone who has dealt with traffic violations as a cyclist have any advice going into this? Sadly there is not way around this being a waste of my time, and tax payer money.
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What VC # supposedly you violated? It's on the ticket.
marino04.11.08 - 2:14 pm
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# 21202.
(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
(3) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge, subject to the provisions of Section 21656. For purposes of this section, a "substandard width lane" is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway of a highway, which highway carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of that roadway as practicable.
GarySe7en04.11.08 - 2:18 pm
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Indeed it does not sound right at all, because I was quite plainly doing number 2. The officer even acknowledged my use of a hand signal to indicate a left turn, which is written on the ticket.
GarySe7en04.11.08 - 2:23 pm
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Did you tell the officer you saved a drowning drunk guy???
BICYKILLER04.11.08 - 2:23 pm
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That's outrageous Gary. We got your back.
cabhauler04.11.08 - 2:23 pm
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I think you can win that. Unless the judge is a total prick.
Try to get a written and signed statement from the witness to present to the judge. Something that says that he saw you making a left turn.
Do the trial by mail first and if you lose that (you shouldn't) you still have a chance for a face to face trial.
marino04.11.08 - 2:24 pm
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I don't get how he could give you a ticket then??
Well I do, I got a citation for not having headlights :-)
I'm going to court for that on the 12th.
boogalooSHRIMP04.11.08 - 2:25 pm
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Thanks to Steven Box for turning me on to this info.
http://www.vcbike.org/bikelaw/bikelaw.htm#
It help me to write my trial by deceleration, that with PC helping me edit, the document looked like a winner, we will see about the decision.
Check out the above link. Then email nowarbikeride@yahoo.com me, and I'll give you my number and I can pass on the info that helped me form my defense for the same violation. You will find this law is written, to be able to defend yourself, if you are citied for it.
sexy04.11.08 - 2:26 pm
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you know, I'm sometimes amazed at how many cops don't know the CVC, and what cyclists are allowed to do, by law.
I sometimes wonder how much training they're given in regards to this matter.
FuzzBeast04.11.08 - 2:48 pm
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BUMMER. That's ridiculous! They can't give you a ticket for turning left...
Did you ask him to donate to your AIDS LifeCycle fund? It's my favorite thing to say to people that are pissing me off.
canadienne04.11.08 - 2:54 pm
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Thanks for the tips and support everyone. I'll check out those resources later sexy, and get in touch before I compose my letter. I remember seeing your "violation", such bullshit. And writing a ticket to Santa, geez.
GarySe7en04.11.08 - 3:09 pm
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yes, but what a photo op!
sexy04.11.08 - 3:17 pm
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@Gary
I feel for you Gary, but just to confirm you were moving from the right over to the left to turn left???!!!! Since when was that illegal???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Limeyfly04.11.08 - 3:29 pm
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the cop was probably pissed because HE was the one who had to slow down for YOU
adrian04.11.08 - 3:32 pm
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Yes I was moving from the right lane to the left turn lane. I was going East down Olympic turning onto Sawtell. I think the cop being among the traffic needing to slow down did influence the ticket. Not that anyone was going to get anywhere anyways, it was a red light immediately ahead.
GarySe7en04.11.08 - 3:43 pm
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"the cop was probably pissed because HE was the one who had to slow down for YOU"
Srsly. Happened to a roadie friend of mine going down Latigo Cyn road. A cop going up passed him, turned around and caught back up with the biker, then pulled him over saying the biker was obstructing traffic, ie,, him, who had turned around and caught up to the biker to create the situation. The cop got all rough on him too when ticketing him. Total BS.
0gravity04.11.08 - 4:28 pm
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sorry that happened Gary, If anyone does not deserve a ticket for riding and or commuting on here, it's you, fight it,
oh and your comment "plainly doing number 2" made me chuckle :P
dannyzuko04.11.08 - 4:54 pm
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THAT'S BULLSHIT. what a dick. def contest it.
tomato04.11.08 - 5:09 pm
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Trial by written declaration for the win. Don't forget to extend your "court appearance" first too so you buy yourself an extra 30 days. By the time your court is read, the officer who wrote you the ticket will have long long forgotten about "the bad cyclist" and you'll be off the hook.
It worked for me in SM. I got out of a $380 red light ticket, in which I was totally in the wrong.
kyber04.11.08 - 11:44 pm
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What the fuck, man. Did this happen in Santa Monica, Culver City or Burbank by any chance? (I forgot where you work man)
ephemerae04.12.08 - 2:31 pm
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Kyber,
can you share what you did on that RED ticket? I got one too and want to fight.
First I am asking to transfer to 1633 Purdue . Then I was hoping they would give me a court after 45 days... OR if they give me a chose I make sure it's 45 days past. They show up for a court and use the speedy trail defense.
What did you do?
You can email me a fedguy2@pacbell.net
ThankS
PaulyD04.12.08 - 4:58 pm
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ephemerae:
The ticket was given in West Los Angeles, it was just outside Santa Monica territory, at the corner of Olympic and Sawtell. I'm hoping it being outside of Santa Monica will make it easier to get out of.
GarySe7en04.13.08 - 4:35 pm
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Gary,
If you want to write about this for Westside BikeSIDE I would love it. Let me know man.
Also - fuck the laws!
Alex Thompson04.14.08 - 4:43 pm
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You got a ticket for exercising CVC 21202? That's Awesome. Make sure that it's not a negative $$$, and that they don't owe YOU money.
Srsly, it sounds like you were absolutely correctly exercising the law to the letter.
Do that "written" declaration thing-thing. You'll be fine.
the reverend dak04.14.08 - 5:28 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
that dont happen in tx