yeah, so i was riding down a nearly empty street with a friend and a cop busted us for not stopping A BYCICLE at a stop sign.
i just got the bicycle 3 days ago (i dont drive), i was following my friend and i had no idea that in toronto bicycles have to stop at stop sign
the cop stopped us, took 20 minutes (a duration in which 3 other bicycles passed by, not stopping at red light) and gave us each a 110$ ticket (SAME GODDAM FINE AS A FUCKING CAR).
this is so garbage, and for this reason im leaving this country as soon as i graduate. people who want to come to toronto, don't. I bet in china i can ride my fucking bicycle through a red light in the highest traffic intersection at rush hour and not get fined 1 RMB.
edit:: realized i made a typing mistake, we didnt rush a red light, we didn't stop at a STOP SIGN
i wouldn't ever rush through a red light, but in toronto theres like a million stop signs and if we get fined for not stopping at a stop sign, i rather stop biking and just ride an unenvironmentally friendly car
In the US bicycles on the road are often treated as cars. ionno about canada.
But just because everyone is breaking a law doesn't mean the law is stupid or shouldn't be enforced on some extent. Similar to the lamentation of someone getting pulled over for speeding when everyone else is doing it.
So you think it is safe to blow through a stop sign or redlight on a bycicle? If anything, it's more dangerous than a car because if you do get hit you will definetely be seriously hurt.
Sure it sucks, but you ran a stop sign...that is like the first law you learn as a child.
In China you can drive trucks in bicycle lanes when there's high traffic and get away with it. Of course, when the intersection comes, you have to cut back into the car lanes, causing more traffic. Anyway.
I thought the title said "fired for not stopping at stop sign." I guess it could have been worse.
Wow that's completely ridiculous. When I cycle I ignore all road laws and use the pavement when it's more convenient than the road and I've never been stopped.
My friend did get his bike confiscated by the police once lol, he was drunk, holding a beer in one hand while cycling at night with no lights on his bike
Didn't know you could be fined when riding a bike though...
I think it's ridiculous too but it makes logical sense to treat a bicycle on the ROAD the same as a car, for safety-sense and such.
That being said I don't really agree that the ticket should be the same as a car, because the implications of speeding, or going past stop signs without stopping in a car is much greater than those on a bike.
On November 15 2010 07:22 passby20 wrote: Take it to court? Or is your legal system just as moronic as U.S.?
my friend and i were thinking about taking it to court (since if the officer that ticketed us does not show up, we get let off) but in the case he does show off what can we do,do you know?
Yeah, bikes are like cars here. You can't ride on the sidewalk since its full of pedestrians - thus you are a vehicle on the roads here. At least I think that's how it is.
Rules are rules, you should have read up on it. Sorry.
Wow.. were you wearing helmets? I can understand how it would be a law, since Bikes have to obey the same laws as a car on the road.. however, I've never really heard of them being enforced..
I live in NYC and every biker runs red lights here, but it just depends on the traffic. I havent seen any bikers get fined but I am pretty sure its illegal and a fine will be considered.
On November 15 2010 07:24 Graham wrote: I think it's ridiculous too but it makes logical sense to treat a bicycle on the ROAD the same as a car, for safety-sense and such.
yeah, but if you're gonna treat a bycicle on the road as a car, what's the fucking point of bicycle lanes? (yes, we were riding in the bicycle lane)
Yea and in China, no one will care if you get run over by a car. (I'm Chinese). Driving in China is really crazy and though I consider myself a pretty good driver in the U.S., I am scared to drive in China. You should be happy that there the regulations are enforced in your country.
But yea if you go to your court hearing and just explain rationally what happened and ask for a reduction or just a warning, there's a good chance you'll get one, especially if you were polite to the officer. At least this is how it works in the U.S.
On November 15 2010 07:27 saltywet wrote: yeah, but if you're gonna treat a bycicle on the road as a car, what's the fucking point of bicycle lanes? (yes, we were riding in the bicycle lane)
So then you don't ride with the vehicles? Its a safety reason... would you prefer to be biking at 40km/h in front of a truck that wants to blitz down the road at 80?
I would just like to say that running a red light on a bicycle is really really stupid. If the light is red for you, it's green for the cross traffic, thus if there was a car coming at 45mph he wouldn't be slowing down cuz it's green, omg he sees you last second and BAM it's too late for him to slow down and he smashes into you killing you instantly. This is the reason why it is illegal to go through a red light on a bike/car/walking. By giving you a fine for doing this the cop makes sure that you wont do this again, therefor possibly saving your life in the future. You should thank him for the fine
EPT
