randallp10
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Minnesota
I was riding my bicycle on Pleasant St. SE, which is on the University of Minnesota campus, on the night of October 17, 2011 at 8:20 p.m. I came to the intersection of Pleasant St and Arlington St. The traffic light turned from green to red so I proceeded to stop on the curb while still on my bicycle. On my side on the street, I was the only biker while on the other side there were three individuals on bicycles. When the light changed on Pleasant St. SE, no cars proceeded to come from the opposite street, Arlington St, where the light was now green. During the entire duration of the light, there were no cars, no buses, no bikes, and no pedestrians that proceeded through the light at any time on Arlington St. Next, the walk signal on Pleasant St. SE turned from “do not walk” to “walk.” I was able to see that the other individuals on bicycles across the street had started to move through the intersection at a low speed. I decided that since the walk signal was showing that I would slowly walk my bike with my feet (while still in riding position) and eventually slowly pedal my bike just inches from the empty pedestrian walkway. There were no pedestrians waiting to cross the street. I was the only one on the entire side of the street. I proceeded at a speed that did not exceed three miles per hour. To prove a point, I could have walked my bike across the street at the same speed at which I pedaled/walked across it. Once I was completely through the empty intersection I picked up my speed to a normal cycling pace. I then saw police lights flashing because I saw the reflection off the cars that were next to me. Next, the officer proceeded to say “Man on the bicycle, pull over.” I obliged and the officer got out of his car. The officer took my identification and came back out of his car with a citation. I must point out that I felt like the officer was very edgy and did not act in a very respectful way. I felt like he was talking down to me and that I was a huge inconvenience to him. He even stopped to talk to another citizen who drove by in his car asking for directions instead of talking to me.
Even after taking an excessive five months to reflect on this incident, I do not understand the reason that the officer felt the need to pull me over on my bicycle. I received a fine for almost $170 dollars for going no more than three miles an hour through a walk signal next to the pedestrian walkway on my bicycle. Why a $170 dollar fine is necessary or acceptable for someone of my supposed “violation” is beyond me. That dollar amount is given to reckless, fast driving on the interstate or to someone else of a deserving violation. Never in my life have I received a citation of any kind other than one insignificant parking ticket. I am a law-abiding citizen that poses no harm to society. There was no possibility to have even had the opportunity to cause societal harm in this instance where I was pulled over on my bicycle since there was nothing to get in the way of. I felt that because the individuals across the street proceeded through the intersection that it justified me to go through on my side as well since there was a walk signal. I feel like there are much more serious cases that should require the duty of the officer that pulled me over.
1. Do I have a case for a violation of my right to a speedy trial since it has been 5 months since the incident?
2. Is it reasonable for me to plead not-guilty?
3. What are the chances of my violation being dropped?
My court hearing is in 3 days. Thanks for any help or input.
I was riding my bicycle on Pleasant St. SE, which is on the University of Minnesota campus, on the night of October 17, 2011 at 8:20 p.m. I came to the intersection of Pleasant St and Arlington St. The traffic light turned from green to red so I proceeded to stop on the curb while still on my bicycle. On my side on the street, I was the only biker while on the other side there were three individuals on bicycles. When the light changed on Pleasant St. SE, no cars proceeded to come from the opposite street, Arlington St, where the light was now green. During the entire duration of the light, there were no cars, no buses, no bikes, and no pedestrians that proceeded through the light at any time on Arlington St. Next, the walk signal on Pleasant St. SE turned from “do not walk” to “walk.” I was able to see that the other individuals on bicycles across the street had started to move through the intersection at a low speed. I decided that since the walk signal was showing that I would slowly walk my bike with my feet (while still in riding position) and eventually slowly pedal my bike just inches from the empty pedestrian walkway. There were no pedestrians waiting to cross the street. I was the only one on the entire side of the street. I proceeded at a speed that did not exceed three miles per hour. To prove a point, I could have walked my bike across the street at the same speed at which I pedaled/walked across it. Once I was completely through the empty intersection I picked up my speed to a normal cycling pace. I then saw police lights flashing because I saw the reflection off the cars that were next to me. Next, the officer proceeded to say “Man on the bicycle, pull over.” I obliged and the officer got out of his car. The officer took my identification and came back out of his car with a citation. I must point out that I felt like the officer was very edgy and did not act in a very respectful way. I felt like he was talking down to me and that I was a huge inconvenience to him. He even stopped to talk to another citizen who drove by in his car asking for directions instead of talking to me.
Even after taking an excessive five months to reflect on this incident, I do not understand the reason that the officer felt the need to pull me over on my bicycle. I received a fine for almost $170 dollars for going no more than three miles an hour through a walk signal next to the pedestrian walkway on my bicycle. Why a $170 dollar fine is necessary or acceptable for someone of my supposed “violation” is beyond me. That dollar amount is given to reckless, fast driving on the interstate or to someone else of a deserving violation. Never in my life have I received a citation of any kind other than one insignificant parking ticket. I am a law-abiding citizen that poses no harm to society. There was no possibility to have even had the opportunity to cause societal harm in this instance where I was pulled over on my bicycle since there was nothing to get in the way of. I felt that because the individuals across the street proceeded through the intersection that it justified me to go through on my side as well since there was a walk signal. I feel like there are much more serious cases that should require the duty of the officer that pulled me over.
1. Do I have a case for a violation of my right to a speedy trial since it has been 5 months since the incident?
2. Is it reasonable for me to plead not-guilty?
3. What are the chances of my violation being dropped?
My court hearing is in 3 days. Thanks for any help or input.