Bike Month: May 27- June 30, 2013
With gas prices going through the roof, local transit getting crowded and more expensive, more and more people are turning to bicycles to get them to work and simply around the city! It’s healthier for the environment, for your pocket book and even for your health! Also, anyone who has driven downtown has seen the bicycle enthusiasts moving faster than the cars stuck in traffic!
But with more and more bikes filling our streets and no formal training required to partake in this expanding mode of transportation, bicyclists and drivers alike are in danger of getting into trouble!
Bicyclists ride on the road, yet often times they are not aware of the rules of the road which apply to them as well as cars. Yes, the Highway Traffic Act does apply to cyclists. They are often seen mixing car rules with pedestrian rules and sometimes make rules of their own. Running Stop Signs and Red Lights, or becoming a “pedestrian” by making a left turn onto the pedestrian crossing to cross the street.
Similarly, some drivers are not aware of the rules of the road for bicyclists, and have to juggle every combination of maneuvers bicyclists will try to do. Will they stop at the Red light? or will they cross in front to get to the other side?
Bicyclists, along with motorists, can be charged with a number of offences when they break the rules of the road. Below are just some of the charges a bicyclist can receive.
| Offence | HTA Section | Set Fine$ |
| Improper bicycle lighting | 62 (17) | 20.00 |
| Improper brakes on a bicycle | 64 (3) | 85.00 |
| No bell, gong, or horn on a bicycle | 75 (5) | 85.00 |
| Permit person under 16 years of age, riding without a helmet | 104 (2.2) | 60.00 |
| Riding in a intersection crosswalk, or pedestrianCrossovers (mid block marked with “X”) | 140 (6)144 (29) | 85.00 |
| Cyclist Failure to signal | 142 (4) | 85.00 |
| Pass streetcar improperly | 166 (1) | 85.00 |
| Pass streetcar on left side | 166 (2) | 85.00 |
| Ride 2 on a bicycle | 178 (2) | 85.00 |
| Person – attach to vehicle | 178 (4) | 35.00 |
| Cyclist – fail to stop/ Cyclist – fail to identify self | 218 (2) | 85.00 |
These fines are applicable to all vehicles. This includes both cyclists and motor vehicles
| Operate unsafe vehicle | 84 | No SetFine |
| Careless driving | 130 | 400.00 –2,000.00 |
| Disobey an officer directing Traffic | 134 (1) | 85.00 |
| Drive on a closed road | 134 (3) | 85.00 |
| Disobey Stop Sign – Fail to Stop | 136 (1)(a) | 85.00 |
| Fail to yield to traffic which has the right of way at anintersection or from a driveway | 136(1)(b)139(1) | 85.00 |
| Fail to yield at a yield sign | 138 (1) | 85.00 |
| Unsafe turn movement or lane change | 142 (1) | 85.00 |
| Red light – Fail to stop | 144(18) | 260.00 |
A ticket issued to you on a bicycle will not affect your driving record, but breaking the law can have detrimental affects and pocket book!
Thank you for this post! I got a ticket for running a stop sign on my bicycle lady year, and I found out that it is indeed on my driving record, and that this does affect my insurance rating. I called Service Ontario, and they basically said that’s the way it is. Do I have any way to correct this?
The officer may not have completed the certificate (ticket) properly. He likely failed to indicate that there was not a motor vehicle involved and he included the driver’s license number. You will have to attend the court office where the ticket was returnable and speak with a clerk, ask them to pull the certificate and check if the “Motor Vehicle Involved” “N/N” box is checked. If the “N/N” box is checked then ask the clerk to update the ICON system and have them notify the MTO to remove it from your record.
If that doesn’t work please feel free to contact us.