Caught by crossing the red lightGot the ticket today. Help

chrishang said:

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.

chrishang said:

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).

chrishang said:

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.

chrishang said:

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.

chrishang said:

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? 😄

bikeguy said:

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

Well, 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.