I ride a motorbike and I got a $217 fine for driving unlawfully in bicycle lane. I was just at the signal lights waiting for the signal to turn green but I was in the bicycle box. The highway patrol officer caught me and handed me a fine. I was speechless at that time and so I could not say anything in my defense. Please guys I need your help as I am just an international student and had no idea about any such law! What should I do about it? Can I write to the Police and get it cancelled or anything? Any help appreciated! Thanks heaps!
Fine
Ltanjuberrymuch on 25/09/2013 - 20:32
Comments
What should I do about it?
Should have of read up on the rules.
Filtering is fine(riding through cars to get to the front), but as you now know, riding on the bicycle lane isn't
Can I write to the Police and get it cancelled or anything?
Court, but it'll end up being more expensive than $217
You can get fined for filtering/splitting as well. General duty cops usually don't mind if your doing it safely, but Highway Patrol are just ticket happy in general.
You are legally allowed to if the cars are completely stopped. If the cars aren't completely stopped then it is illegal. In Victoria at least.
If you had no idea you were meant to keep clear of the bicycle box, I am genuinely unclear on what you thought it was for.
These threads are never fun.
why would they be inclined to cancel the fine if you were in fact in the bicycle box? Perhaps many years without offences, or some sort of proof you were not in fact in the box, or had a legitimate reason to break the law?
The fact that I am an international student and I wasn't aware of any such law! First fine! Could that help?
Sorry, it doesn't work like that. The rules are the rules, and it could be argued if you don't know them you possibly shouldn't be driving.
Goes to Court and ask for reduce the fine with your reason is the best way!
Ignorance of the law is generally no excuse.
It's like how I got a traffic fine for speeding from the French Government even though I have never broken the law in Australia.
I still had to pay the fine and a admin fee to the hire car company and the French fine was in French rather than English when they sent it to Australia.
Now I know you're trolling.
/Presses back button
If you have a good record, you might be able to get some leniency if you write a letter to them, admitting you were wrong, acknowledging that you now know the rules and won't do it again etc. My wife got off a not completely stopping at a stop sign fine, and I got out of a minor speeding fine from a camera from interstate.
Thanks! :) I will give it a try but could you help me with the address? Where should I post the letter? Sorry, I have no idea about it!
Agree with Euphemistic's reply above. Writing a letter doesn't harm. Try it and make sure you stress more on the points he has mentioned above. And good luck.
Yeah, laws are pretty specific about bicycle boxes and their use. I ride a bicycle and find it frustrating when cars stop in the bike box - though I will usually go and stop in a space ahead of where they are as it is safer when starting off when the bicycle is at its least stable as well as not getting a lungful of exhaust fumes when everyone hits the accelerator when the lights go green. Although I do sympathise with motorcycles as they are almost as inconsequential as bicycles in hogging road real estate.
Bike lanes are a bit greyer in that you can ride in them for up to 50m if turning left - I was on a motorbike once and zipping along a bike lane illegally (and I knew it) and passed a cop on a motorbike sitting in the traffic so immediately took the next left street and then being a bit of a smartarse thought I'd double back in case he came after me. As I cut back through a laneway and across a previous side street - there he was, still sitting in the traffic and he spotted me and started to come after me so I simply parked my bike and pulled out a Melways and pretended to be lost. He gave me a few stern words and went on his way.
All of this wont help and as trivial as the infraction seems and as unrighteous as the fine seems (I've had people open car doors in my face and knocking me off my bike and the cops wont fine them even when shown HD footage of the impact! WTF!?!?!) if you put a $ value on your personal time…fighting a fine is just not worth the time, far easier to simply cough up and head into the future a wiser person.
What is a bicycle box, as opposed to a bicycle lane? Here in SA, I think we just have bike lanes going up to the intersection. I've never heard of a bike box.
Looks like I don't get out enough. The Adelaide City Council even has a brochure on them:
http://smartmoveadelaide.com.au/assets/sma/Bike_Box_Etiquett…
To be honest, yes I was turning left but I was at the signal lights and the officer chased me after the lights turned green and I took a left! First fine ever and hence I was shocked to say anything in my defense. I will try writing a letter and apologize! Let's see if I can get off it! :)
Write to the address on the fine and ask for leniency,you have nothing to lose for the cost of a stamp and some time,give it a try.
I wonder if "Official Warning" rules apply here like they do for minor speeding (<10kmh over) infringements?
hahah did you say international student? on an international license?
i'd ignore it
a mate of mine clocked a $1,500+ fine and skipped the country
Nice mate!!
Just advise your friend if he were to return to Australia he won't enjoy prison.
If you go down the writing a letter route your best approach is to admit to the offense, sight a good driving record -possibly sight that you are an international student and had thought you were fully aware of the road rules in this state, but this incident made you realise you had missed some vital information and you have since re-informed yourself of all regulations, and stating that in future you will not perpetrate any infractions.
DO NOT try and make excuses and act naive as this will generally not be appreciated and will not result in getting out of the fine. If you say the right things you should get out of a minor offense like this fine provided you have no other infringement s in the last few years.Solid advice.
Yes sure! Thanks a ton! I will write a letter and make sure I stress on your points!
See that you are in Victoria. Here is a link from Vic Police site:
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=10369It tells you that you can request for an internal review of infringement and request for it to be converted to a warning. Write a letter and repeat the sane words that have already been said on this thread:
*Admit your mistake and ask for leniency
*Plead on your clean record
*Impact of financial penalty (just say you are a student - don't stress on being international student)
*State that you have gone through all rules (do read them once again, it could save your life) and will abide by themHopefully they will convert your infringement to warning.
Good Luck!
Ouch! That is a really steep fine for such an inconsequential offence. Good luck with this.
As a cyclist, it is not an inconsequential offence, perhaps in this instance it was not dangerous, but a bike box is supposed to be a safe spot to wait out the signals when on a bike
Usually in a case like this, The community will usually side with the law but as a motorcyclist, I don't could understand why motorcycles aren't allowed in the bike lane even if going very slow, lane splitting/filtering. Though nothing can justify $217 law for such a minor crime.
One thing we have to know though is spitting/filtering is illegal in Australia possibly because compared to countries like UK or Taiwan, Our lanes are much more narrow thus you must be able to afford the chance of getting that fine. Bike lanes on the other hand can be dangerous, I've seen scooter riders riding 60km in the bike lane in peak hours, I think the law states, motorvehicles can only ride up to 10metres in the bike lane before making a turn or into a private property.
Strange thing I find is, why are they allowing bicycles with such big motors into these lanes? Isn't it just as dangerous, it's really funny how laws work.
Back to the point, It's abit crazy to set the price so high for such a new law in that regard. I'm amazed how the governments really juicing fines these days. Write a letter, personally if I were you, I wouldn't use the international student as an excuse as they would say "you should take responsibility when you come to country. Instead talk about how you are student and knowing such a new law even existed.
You are not allowed to pretend a law doesn't exist simply because you didn't know about it. Being an international student is no excuse. Besides, don't they ask you to read the rules before giving you the right to drive?
My recommendation is just pay the fine and learn the lesson, there's no way to get out of this
But its a sillly law in my opinion ad with that mindset they will just keep raising fine cost.
At least try writing a letter OP.
Do i need to read every law books and cases before i step out of home?
pay it will be cheeper for u.
Thanks a lot guys! I got a letter yesterday saying it was suspended pending the outcome of review and I don't have to take any further actions until they tell me. It has been converted to warning! :)
Thanks heaps!! Love you all!
Unfortunately you just need to pay it. If you decide to challenge it in court you will most likely still have to pay and your legal expenses (even if you don't hire a lawyer) will be more than the fine anyway. At least you'll know better for next time.