I got a ticket

[Farang]

So I was bored today and decided to ride my bike around town. When I was almost home I got to this steep hill and started to go up, on the way there is a 4-way stop. I let up on pedaling but don't want to stop completely and lose my momentum so I roll through, mind you this is a small town so traffic is very light. I get pulled over by a cop in a Camaro and he rights me a ticket for violating California code 22450, says it is the same as a car. So some questions:
-Anyone run a stop sign in California before? How much was your ticket?
-Will this effect my car insurance?
-Does that cop really need to be driving around in a Camaro if this is what he is looking for?

edit: I knew this thread would end up like this I was just hoping for some relevant info before it did. Seems like it won't effect insurance, I don't think I'm going to get anything more. Thanks for the info.

 

[OCGuy]

*Deep breath* BAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

 

[darkxshade]

Take it to court and ask for leniency... offer to take a defensive biking class in return.

 

[Xyclone]

I cannot answer any of your questions, but bicyclists who don't stop at stop signs or run red lights are very dangerous, and I have seen a bicyclist get pulled over before for running a red (he sped up when it was yellow but he was blatantly running the light).

 

[evident]

wait for atot self righteous asshats to come in and bash you for not stopping at a stop sign, god forbid on your bike

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Farang
...
-Does that cop really need to be driving around in a Camaro if this is what he is looking for?

They spent good money on those cars. You wouldn't want them to go to waste now, would you?

(Hey governments, want to lower your expenses? Lay off the excessive spending and closed-door dealings.)

 

[Atheus]

I dunno that's a funny thing to get a ticket for but if a bike went through an intersection in front of me and I had to brake I would be seriously pissed off... plus it could be dangerous...

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: Atheus
I dunno that's a funny thing to get a ticket for but if a bike went through an intersection in front of me and I had to brake I would be seriously pissed off... plus it could be dangerous...

I slowed down enough where I could see every street and there were no cars. If there are cars I will stop and act like one, but I usually do rolling stops if nobody is there

 

[nakedfrog]

It annoys me when tickets are written solely for revenue generation.

 

[darkxshade]

You should've floored it... how hard could it be for you to out bike a camaro?

 

[Atomic Playboy]

You broke the law, you got caught. "Darn."

I've ranted about self-important bicyclists here before, so all I'll say is the rules of the road apply to you. If you're going to ride in the street, you have a responsibility to follow the laws same as anyone else. If you run a stop sign on a bicycle and you get hit, you are much more likely to die than the driver of the car that hit you. You don't get to be a vehicle until it is inconvenient, then be a pedestrian, then ignore all the rules if, God forbid, a traffic signal is trying to slow your forward momentum. For God's sake man...

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
It annoys me when tickets are written solely for revenue generation.

Me too man I'm poor, I've been putting together as much money as possible because I'm moving to New Zealand and was going to land in Auckland with like $300 in my pocket. Now I'll be broke.

 

[edro]

Wow, I guess I should stop running them on my bike.

Thanks for serving as an example.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: Atheus
I dunno that's a funny thing to get a ticket for but if a bike went through an intersection in front of me and I had to brake I would be seriously pissed off... plus it could be dangerous...

I slowed down enough where I could see every street and there were no cars. If there are cars I will stop and act like one, but I usually do rolling stops if nobody is there

That is your statement, but your actions showed differently.

 

[Balr0g]

You're on the road - you obey the rules. I hope you can't get out of your ticket and there is a nice hefty fine.

I have no issue with those people who want to bike on the roads - but when they start blowing through red lights at blind intersections, and other insane things, they need to be ticketed or end up as a hood ornament.

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: Atheus
I dunno that's a funny thing to get a ticket for but if a bike went through an intersection in front of me and I had to brake I would be seriously pissed off... plus it could be dangerous...

I slowed down enough where I could see every street and there were no cars. If there are cars I will stop and act like one, but I usually do rolling stops if nobody is there

That is your statement, but your actions showed differently.

No they didn't.. I rolled through because nobody was there. Again, if there are cars there I stop and wait my turn. I give myself a little leeway to roll if I'm going up a steep hill and can assess that there are obviously no cars coming in all directions. Unlike a car I don't have an engine to power me up again with ease, so I don't think what I do is wrong.

 

[ViviTheMage]

that is 100% of the bikers in in Minneapolis, give them all tickets then!

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: Atheus
I dunno that's a funny thing to get a ticket for but if a bike went through an intersection in front of me and I had to brake I would be seriously pissed off... plus it could be dangerous...

I slowed down enough where I could see every street and there were no cars. If there are cars I will stop and act like one, but I usually do rolling stops if nobody is there

That is your statement, but your actions showed differently.

No they didn't.. I rolled through because nobody was there. Again, if there are cars there I stop and wait my turn. I give myself a little leeway to roll if I'm going up a steep hill and can assess that there are obviously no cars coming in all directions. Unlike a car I don't have an engine to power me up again with ease, so I don't think what I do is wrong.

Seems reasonable to me. It's not like cars come to a complete stop at stop signs either. I'm sorry you got a ticket. Ignore the holier-than-thou asshats here.

I don't believe it will affect your car insurance, but I'm not positive.

 

[waggy]

some of them bikers are damn fast!

 

[Baked]

Finally! If I were on the scene, I would walk up to the cop and shake his hand. You want all the benefits of a car, but choose to ignore all the laws, then come on here wondering why you got a ticket?

Revenue generation? Yeah, it's never your fault you broke the law, the cop was just trying to meet his quota right? Pathetic.

 

[waggy]

some of them bikers are damn fast!

 

[gevorg]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
It annoys me when tickets are written solely for revenue generation.

:thumbsup:

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: Baked
Finally! If I were on the scene, I would walk up to the cop and shake his hand. You want all the benefits of a car, but choose to ignore all the laws, then come on here wondering why you got a ticket?

Revenue generation? Yeah, it's never your fault you broke the law, the cop was just trying to meet his quota right? Pathetic.

Exhibit A, Baked: One of the asshats.

You ever sped, Baked? Ever jaywalked? Ever littered? Did you get a ticket? Would you be bummed if you did?

It's possible (and too common) for cyclists to break the law and inconvenience others and/or endanger themselves and others. I got no problem with tickets in those situations, and no sympathy if a bicycle runs a stop sign or red light and gets nailed by a car, but this sure doesn't sound like one of those situations.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy

Originally posted by: Farang

Originally posted by: Atheus
I dunno that's a funny thing to get a ticket for but if a bike went through an intersection in front of me and I had to brake I would be seriously pissed off... plus it could be dangerous...

I slowed down enough where I could see every street and there were no cars. If there are cars I will stop and act like one, but I usually do rolling stops if nobody is there

That is your statement, but your actions showed differently.

No they didn't.. I rolled through because nobody was there. Again, if there are cars there I stop and wait my turn. I give myself a little leeway to roll if I'm going up a steep hill and can assess that there are obviously no cars coming in all directions. Unlike a car I don't have an engine to power me up again with ease, so I don't think what I do is wrong.

The officer has no way of knowing that this is not your usual MO. You did it once in front of him, yuou could easily do it all the time.

He could be actually saving your hide someday when you are not careful and go through a red light or stop sign because you do not see anyone coming.

When you slow down to 2-3 mph and then try to go through an intersection that could have a car coming in at 70 mph; you are not going to be able to get out of the way. You may not see him when you start into the intersection and surely are not looking both ways when you are going through it - you are looking one way - straight ahead.

While on a bike you are hindered more than on foot in trying to get out of the way.

You screwed up, accept the ticket, plead for leniency; ask for a redemption course and obey the rules of the road.

 

[Farang]

no need to bicker with people who want to be dicks.. telling me they hope I get a big fine and whatnot. If I get fined $30 or something fine, it will keep me in check and I won't do it again. I'm just afraid I'll be treated like an asshole in a Ferrari blowing through a red light (which it seems code 22450 would be applied also), and fined $300 or something because I think that is wrong.

edit: Common Courtesy I think if you were there you'd realize that someone blowing through at 70mph isn't possible where I was. You are the one person I disagree with here that I don't think is an asshole, I understand what you're saying but I'm just pissed if I get a huge ticket because that isn't fair