Police give me ticket, what should I do?

rickbiker

Dear All Biker,

I went out for a ride this morning. I ride up to a traffic light and make a right turn in a residential neighborhood. After looking both ways and make sure I am not blocking the traffic, I move to the left far lane prepare turn left in the next block

By the time I realized there was a motorcycle officer behind me I was already half way through to the intersection so I decided to keep on riding. Well, a few seconds later I heard behind me the sirens coming from the motorcycle police and I thought "What did I do was wrong? ". The police officer yells me to pull over on the side and than he give me a ticket for using the fast lane. He said my bike was going too slow and block the traffic behind me. He also told me go to DMV to find out the rule of riding a bicycle on the street.

On the Violation ticket description section he wrote down “CUC 21966 Bike Lane Use” and circle INFRACTION.

I been driving for over 20 year and always have a good driving record, and the last time I got a driving ticket was more than 10 year ago. This is the first time I received a ticket for riding bicycle on the street, I was so suspire that police will give me ticket for that reason when I though I fellow the rule.

I want to know if this bicycle ticket will go on my driving record?
Do I need to go to traffic school for this ticket?
Which dept should I contact for more detail regarding of this ticket?

Thanks for any input

Los Angeles. City of San Marino

Rick

Glowingrod

This is at the State level:

21208. **(a)Whenever a bicycle lane has been established on a roadway pursuant to Section 21207, any person operating a bicycle upon the roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride within the bicycle lane, except that the person may move out of the lane under any of the following situations:

(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle, vehicle, or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if the overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane.

(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

(3) When reasonably necessary to leave the bicycle lane to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions.

(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.

(b) No person operating a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane until the movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided in Chapter6 (commencing with Section 22100) in the event that any vehicle may be affected by the movement.


So anyway that's what your state has to say on the matter, you did no wrong. But before you fight the ticket in front of the munincipal judge you could ask your chief of police afarris@ci.san-marino.ca.us if they have established city ordinance that makes what you did incorrect in spite of the state law (highly unlikely) Even cops make mistakes, hard to keep all that traffic stuff straight.

Good Luck

edit: Where I'm from the only thing that can make what you did wrong is a posted sign directing cyclists using lane to make a 3 point turn rather than a proper left, used in high traffic zones only. If there was no such sign then any contravening city ordinance would be impossible to enforce anyway since all CA drivers are taught/licensed from the same book.

rickbiker

Thanks for your advice. I m still not sure if I should fight for the ticket?
I am the kind of person who doesn’t like to argue with police officer because I knew they would still end up give me the ticket.

Please continue discussion here: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=69274

Thanks again

Rick