Caught by crossing the red lightGot the ticket today. Help

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I am in Canberra. I am new here and seek for advice.

On last Wednesday, my computer at work crashed and I had to spend a lot of time to back up the data from the crashed HDD which gave me a bad motion. Called the wife who has been pregnant for 7 months and was told that she was hungry and didn't want to eat any junk food. It was already 7:30pm. So jumped on my bike and heading home. At the last traffice light, it was red. I stopped. After all the cars on that direction passed, and I have made sure there is no on coming vechile on that direction. I proceeded when the facing light was still red. Unfortunately there were two cops beside me who stopped me on the road and took all the notes. Got the ticked today. It is a $239 penalty plus 3 points. At that site, after the polices left, I met two Aussie girls who said that they never heard such things. Neither do I. They suggested me to apply for a warning instead of having a ticket directly. This is my first time to have a traffic infringement notice. I am wondering whether I can do something avoid this penalty. Could you please help me on this issue? Thanks.

After that, I asked my mates and got the same answer that they would do in the way what I did. And this morning, on the way to gave my wife a lift to the work, I saw 4 persons crossed the red light.


BTW, would like do a poll about have you been issued a fine ticket on a bike?

1) Never
2) Never heard of
3) Once
4) More than once

At the last traffice light, it was red. I stopped. After all the cars on that direction passed, and I have made sure there is no on coming vechile on that direction. I proceeded when the facing light was still red.That's still running a red light. When you're on the road, you're considered a vehicle, and expected to behave as such.


It is a $239 penalty plus 3 points.My understanding (at least in NSW) is that if a penalty is issued for an infringment on a bicycle, then the fine stands, but no points are deducted, since you do not legally require a driver's license to ride a bicycle on the road.

I'd check the ACT traffic laws if you had time, or consult a solicitor or mate who is a lawyer (if you know any).


They suggested me to apply for a warning instead of having a ticket directly. This is my first time to have a traffic infringement notice. I am wondering whether I can do something avoid this penalty.
Make an appointment with your local member of parliament (Territory). They can help you with this. The only argument that I would imagine standing up is that you waited a long time for the lights to go red, but the traffic sensor didn't detect you waiting because you're too small/don't have enough metal/ or it was defective. You couldn't wait forever, and made a conscious decision to cross when it was safe to do so.

Of course, when you put this in your letter, you'd better be telling the truth because it is a statutory declaration that you're making.



After that, I asked my mates and got the same answer that they would do in the way what I did. And this morning, on the way to gave my wife a lift to the work, I saw 4 persons crossed the red light.
That doesn't make it legal. You were unlucky and got caught.



BTW, would like do a poll about have you been issued a fine ticket on a bike?
Never received any myself, but have seen two people booked for doing >40 in a school zone, and several fined for not wearing helmets.

HTH,

n

I commute by bicycle whenever possible and have never received a ticket. But I do obey traffic laws. I'll never understand why so many cyclists don't seem to think that traffic laws apply to them. And then we wonder why motorists have a low tolerance for bicycles.

How did you manage to not notice the cop car sitting beside you? You snooze, you lose!! Seriously, though you're kidding right? :D

How did you manage to not notice the cop car sitting beside you? You snooze, you lose!! Seriously, though you're kidding right? :DWell, I wish I am kidding. But by looking at the ticket, I know I am not kidding. When I ride my bike, I just have no habit to look around. Only what I will do is ride and ride. Actually, a mate was following me at that time. And next day, he told me that he saw the polices on the motorbike. But he failed to tell me that cause I am too fast to be told.