Offense: Obey Traffic Control Device (While on Bicycle)


On the way to work this morning I was presented with a $75 ticket for running a red light.

At the intersection of Cicero and Elston I was stopped waiting for the light to change.  I saw the light on Cicero turn yellow, cars were slowing down, so I clipped in and started rolling into the intersection.  All cars were stopped and the light turned green (for me) when I was half-ish of the way through... I made it one block and a Chicago Police Officer pulled me over and handed me my awesome new prize.

I'm thinking of going to court on it (since it's lame and there's a principle to be fought for here) but I'm also thinking it'd cheaper to pay it and get my license back. 

Anyone else have experience in these matters?

~Ryan

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on May 21, 2010 at 5:28am
Guess that you're not going to get much sympathy here, Ryan. It's a tough room...

Think yourself lucky that you don't get busted more often ( i know i do!) i'm a bit surprised that a Chicago cop would bother with a bike. god knows over the years i've run reds & stops right in front of 'em and skated away. i'd expect a suburban cop to run you in -especially in the north & west burbs & Kane county. So far- knock wood- the worst i've gotten was a cop in Pell Lake, WI last year who let me go with a caution.

And if (when) i ever do get busted, i have no complaint considering how many years i've gotten away with it.
Permalink Reply by rob on May 21, 2010 at 5:36am
I live two blocks from there and its a dangerous intersection so I try not to run that light. But the cop is a dick for writing the ticket. A warning will more than suffice. We get jammed all the time riding on Elston with cars blocking the bike lane. How many f_in tickets have they written for that bullshit.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 21, 2010 at 6:10am
And people wonder why there is so much heated contention between cops and cyclists...

The cop wrote a ticket for breaking the law, a law you may not agree with and a ticket that may not have been totally warranted, but that is his job.

You ride bikes, cops write tickets for traffic violations. Would you be OK with it if a cop called you a dick for riding your bike? Or even doing your job?

rob said:
I live two blocks from there and its a dangerous intersection so I try not to run that light. But the cop is a dick for writing the ticket. A warning will more than suffice. We get jammed all the time riding on Elston with cars blocking the bike lane. How many f_in tickets have they written for that bullshit.
Permalink Reply by rob on May 21, 2010 at 6:53am
Yes the cop still is a dick. Write tickets when they are necessary. I know a shit load of cops who cycle and run red lights so they should use common sense on when to write a ticket. We should start writing tickets for j-walking too. I cycle in the business center and know one writes any tickets to any motorist for running lights. he just happened to get a cop who was being a jag. If you live in Chicago you'd know theres a big push to generate revenue and they are starting to hit anyone and every violation. I've also been doored, t-boned, etc. Guess what...no ticket was ever issued to any of the motorist even though I was taken out in an ambulance. where do you live dung
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 21, 2010 at 7:23am
I'm not sure the dung thing is an isult or just your horrible typing and grammar...

I live in Chicago.

It does not matter if you know cops who run lights or not; this does not change the fact that it is illegal to run a red light.

Here is the thing; if somebody had the attitude you take towards cops with you how would you feel about that group of people?

Use your head man, that kind of attitude is never going to get you anywhere in life.

rob said:
Yes the cop still is a dick. Write tickets when they are necessary. I know a shit load of cops who cycle and run red lights so they should use common sense on when to write a ticket. We should start writing tickets for j-walking too. I cycle in the business center and know one writes any tickets to any motorist for running lights. he just happened to get a cop who was being a jag. If you live in Chicago you'd know theres a big push to generate revenue and they are starting to hit anyone and every violation. I've also been doored, t-boned, etc. Guess what...no ticket was ever issued to any of the motorist even though I was taken out in an ambulance. where do you live dung
Permalink Reply by JeffB on May 21, 2010 at 7:47am
I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but did you know there's a exception for red lights in Wisconsin too? I found the following at http://www.wibikelaw.com/rules-of-the-road.php:

Red Traffic Signal: [346.37(1)(c)4] allows a bicyclist facing a red signal at an intersection, after stopping as required, for not less than 45 seconds, to proceed cautiously through the intersection before the signal turns green if no other vehicles are present at the intersection to actuate the signal and the operator believes the signal is vehicle actuated. The bicyclist shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicular traffic when proceeding through the green signal at the intersection.

The exception is rather narrow (I'm not sure how you determine a signal is vehicle actuated) and since most traffic lights in Chicago last only 30 seconds this wouldn't be of much use to us here, but its good to know if you're riding in the country in WI.


Mike Keating said:
The dynamics of riding in Idaho are very different than riding in Illinois, particularly the Chicagoland area. Quite simply, we have more people and more bikes, buses, cars, trucks, etc. I wrote a blog post on Idaho stops on www.ILBicycleLaw.com that you can find by clicking here. Keep in mind that, by the strict letter of the law, that bicyclists in Illinois are required to come to a complete stop at stop signs and stop for red lights.

In Illinois bicycles are required to adhere to ALL of the Rules of the Road. I wrote a blog article on this general subject that you can find by clicking here. This is part of a very interesting debate as to whether bikes should be treated totally equally, or whether they should be treated slightly differently.
Permalink Reply by Sue Clark on May 21, 2010 at 7:56am
I agree with most of what you're saying. But traffic court (or the circuit court-level or below, in general) is not really a place for setting judicial precedent. It is a venue where a judge or administrative hearing officer could practice leniency, at his or her discretion.

notoriousDUG said:
A judge throws that ticket out he is setting a precedent that it is acceptable in the eyes of the law to enter an intersection early and because the law is shared by bikes and cars that opens up that defense to people driving cars.
Permalink Reply by rob on May 21, 2010 at 8:39am
My bad.... all of the above ....but what I have a hard time understanding is the hypocritcal comments made by cyclist who in fact probably run through red lights, stop lights, ride down one way streets, etc. We all do it. if you didn't do it it would take hours to get anywhere. I do not support the critical mass riders or bike messengers but for everyday commuting I have no problem going through any of these when traffic or pedestrians are not present. It has to be safe for everyone involved. If you never do it your a better person than I am. I have family members and friends who are cops and I have no animosity to them, I just think the cop was being too harsh. I am sure I will get a ticket some day that I will have to deal with.

notoriousDUG said:
I'm not sure the dung thing is an isult or just your horrible typing and grammar...

I live in Chicago.

It does not matter if you know cops who run lights or not; this does not change the fact that it is illegal to run a red light.

Here is the thing; if somebody had the attitude you take towards cops with you how would you feel about that group of people?

Use your head man, that kind of attitude is never going to get you anywhere in life.

rob said:
Yes the cop still is a dick. Write tickets when they are necessary. I know a shit load of cops who cycle and run red lights so they should use common sense on when to write a ticket. We should start writing tickets for j-walking too. I cycle in the business center and know one writes any tickets to any motorist for running lights. he just happened to get a cop who was being a jag. If you live in Chicago you'd know theres a big push to generate revenue and they are starting to hit anyone and every violation. I've also been doored, t-boned, etc. Guess what...no ticket was ever issued to any of the motorist even though I was taken out in an ambulance. where do you live dung
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 21, 2010 at 8:55am
Who made hypocritical statements beyond yourself?

How is it OK for a commuter to run a light but not a messenger or CCM? Doesn't the messenger need to get somewhere just as badly, or even worse, then a commuter does?

Try reading stuff, I already said I run lights all the time but that I am prepared to get a ticket over this.

I also never said I did not think the ticket was unnecessary; I just feel that calling names and having a negative attitude over it is not productive and uncalled for.

rob said:
My bad.... all of the above ....but what I have a hard time understanding is the hypocritcal comments made by cyclist who in fact probably run through red lights, stop lights, ride down one way streets, etc. We all do it. if you didn't do it it would take hours to get anywhere. I do not support the critical mass riders or bike messengers but for everyday commuting I have no problem going through any of these when traffic or pedestrians are not present. It has to be safe for everyone involved. If you never do it your a better person than I am. I have family members and friends who are cops and I have no animosity to them, I just think the cop was being too harsh. I am sure I will get a ticket some day that I will have to deal with.
notoriousDUG said:
I'm not sure the dung thing is an isult or just your horrible typing and grammar...

I live in Chicago.

It does not matter if you know cops who run lights or not; this does not change the fact that it is illegal to run a red light.

Here is the thing; if somebody had the attitude you take towards cops with you how would you feel about that group of people?

Use your head man, that kind of attitude is never going to get you anywhere in life.

rob said:
Yes the cop still is a dick. Write tickets when they are necessary. I know a shit load of cops who cycle and run red lights so they should use common sense on when to write a ticket. We should start writing tickets for j-walking too. I cycle in the business center and know one writes any tickets to any motorist for running lights. he just happened to get a cop who was being a jag. If you live in Chicago you'd know theres a big push to generate revenue and they are starting to hit anyone and every violation. I've also been doored, t-boned, etc. Guess what...no ticket was ever issued to any of the motorist even though I was taken out in an ambulance. where do you live dung
Permalink Reply by rob on May 21, 2010 at 9:02am
Whatever....travel safe

notoriousDUG said:
Who made hypocritical statements beyond yourself?

How is it OK for a commuter to run a light but not a messenger or CCM? Doesn't the messenger need to get somewhere just as badly, or even worse, then a commuter does?

Try reading stuff, I already said I run lights all the time but that I am prepared to get a ticket over this.

I also never said I did not think the ticket was unnecessary; I just feel that calling names and having a negative attitude over it is not productive and uncalled for.

rob said:
My bad.... all of the above ....but what I have a hard time understanding is the hypocritcal comments made by cyclist who in fact probably run through red lights, stop lights, ride down one way streets, etc. We all do it. if you didn't do it it would take hours to get anywhere. I do not support the critical mass riders or bike messengers but for everyday commuting I have no problem going through any of these when traffic or pedestrians are not present. It has to be safe for everyone involved. If you never do it your a better person than I am. I have family members and friends who are cops and I have no animosity to them, I just think the cop was being too harsh. I am sure I will get a ticket some day that I will have to deal with.
notoriousDUG said:
I'm not sure the dung thing is an isult or just your horrible typing and grammar...

I live in Chicago.

It does not matter if you know cops who run lights or not; this does not change the fact that it is illegal to run a red light.

Here is the thing; if somebody had the attitude you take towards cops with you how would you feel about that group of people?

Use your head man, that kind of attitude is never going to get you anywhere in life.

rob said:
Yes the cop still is a dick. Write tickets when they are necessary. I know a shit load of cops who cycle and run red lights so they should use common sense on when to write a ticket. We should start writing tickets for j-walking too. I cycle in the business center and know one writes any tickets to any motorist for running lights. he just happened to get a cop who was being a jag. If you live in Chicago you'd know theres a big push to generate revenue and they are starting to hit anyone and every violation. I've also been doored, t-boned, etc. Guess what...no ticket was ever issued to any of the motorist even though I was taken out in an ambulance. where do you live dung
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 21, 2010 at 9:26am
Thanks, I appreciate the well thought out answers in defense of your point of view.

rob said:
Whatever....travel safe

notoriousDUG said:
Who made hypocritical statements beyond yourself?

How is it OK for a commuter to run a light but not a messenger or CCM? Doesn't the messenger need to get somewhere just as badly, or even worse, then a commuter does?

Try reading stuff, I already said I run lights all the time but that I am prepared to get a ticket over this.

I also never said I did not think the ticket was unnecessary; I just feel that calling names and having a negative attitude over it is not productive and uncalled for.

rob said:
My bad.... all of the above ....but what I have a hard time understanding is the hypocritcal comments made by cyclist who in fact probably run through red lights, stop lights, ride down one way streets, etc. We all do it. if you didn't do it it would take hours to get anywhere. I do not support the critical mass riders or bike messengers but for everyday commuting I have no problem going through any of these when traffic or pedestrians are not present. It has to be safe for everyone involved. If you never do it your a better person than I am. I have family members and friends who are cops and I have no animosity to them, I just think the cop was being too harsh. I am sure I will get a ticket some day that I will have to deal with.
notoriousDUG said:
I'm not sure the dung thing is an isult or just your horrible typing and grammar...

I live in Chicago.

It does not matter if you know cops who run lights or not; this does not change the fact that it is illegal to run a red light.

Here is the thing; if somebody had the attitude you take towards cops with you how would you feel about that group of people?

Use your head man, that kind of attitude is never going to get you anywhere in life.

rob said:
Yes the cop still is a dick. Write tickets when they are necessary. I know a shit load of cops who cycle and run red lights so they should use common sense on when to write a ticket. We should start writing tickets for j-walking too. I cycle in the business center and know one writes any tickets to any motorist for running lights. he just happened to get a cop who was being a jag. If you live in Chicago you'd know theres a big push to generate revenue and they are starting to hit anyone and every violation. I've also been doored, t-boned, etc. Guess what...no ticket was ever issued to any of the motorist even though I was taken out in an ambulance. where do you live dung
Permalink Reply by Len Krietz on May 21, 2010 at 9:37am
The harm in contesting it is that if you lose (cop shows up) you're out the $75 + the court costs ~$110-125 so the total is closer to $200.

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