Old ticket from riding E-Bike preventing me from getting insured?

W

WillTran07

Member
Hi guys,

I'm so frustrated with this issue, and would like some insight if possible.
1.5 years ago I bought an E-bike (no insurance/license required) and rode it with a pedal missing on one side. I was pulled over, and the cop was reluctant to hear my appeal. He classified my E-bike as a motorcycle and convicted me of "not having driving license or improper driving license" - not having an M1. At the time, I was naive and didn't think much about the conviction he had listed. Instead, I saw the huge 400$ fine and asked him for his advice. He told me not to bother to fight it and plead guilty with an appeal to have the fine reduced. I did just that because it was move in week at university, and today I found out that some insurance companies may not even insure me because of this one incident...

I don't have any other charges or convictions under my license... Can I do anything to solve this?
I am a fully G licensed driver, with 5 years of driving under my hands.

Thanks guys,

I was really looking forward to trying out riding this summer. Is all hope lost?
 
Oh that sucks. Hopefully someone here can advise you. Good luck!
 
Moral of the story, Do not ride E-Bikes
 
That sucks, but you got off easy. He could have also got you for no insurance and no helmet. It looks like the ticket you got is classed as a major (probably increases your insurance by 30+% or forces you into facility). No insurance in a minimum fine of a few thousand and classified as serious (you would definitely be stuck with facility then).

If you really want to ride, buy a 125 and be prepared to spend much more than the bike cost on insurance.
 
GreyGhost said:
That sucks, but you got off easy. He could have also got you for no insurance and no helmet. It looks like the ticket you got is classed as a major (probably increases your insurance by 30+% or forces you into facility). No insurance in a minimum fine of a few thousand and classified as serious (you would definitely be stuck with facility then).

If you really want to ride, buy a 125 and be prepared to spend much more than the bike cost on insurance.
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nono. I don't think you read my explanation properly. Riding an Ebike does NOT require any license OR insurance. I had a helmet on.

The Ebike is essentially ... a bike. The police officer just saw no pedals and thought it was a motorcycle. I had papers at the time to show him that it was an ebike and not a motorcycle but he didn't care.
 
GreyGhost said:
That sucks, but you got off easy. He could have also got you for no insurance and no helmet. It looks like the ticket you got is classed as a major (probably increases your insurance by 30+% or forces you into facility). No insurance in a minimum fine of a few thousand and classified as serious (you would definitely be stuck with facility then).

If you really want to ride, buy a 125 and be prepared to spend much more than the bike cost on insurance.
Click to expand...

I was planning on buying a 125 as well:(
 
same this kinda happen too me but i was driving a car so i got the same charge now your going to be high risk as i am gonna take 3 years too get that cleared off...
 
Except your ebike didn't have a pedal and therefore didn't meet the required criteria to be classified as an ebike. Given that it didn't comply with the definition of an ebike, the officer reverted to calling it a motorbike. It's a shi**y deal and I would have loved to see how it played out in court, you and the officer would both have had compelling arguments.
WillTran07 said:
nono. I don't think you read my explanation properly. Riding an Ebike does NOT require any license OR insurance. I had a helmet on.

The Ebike is essentially ... a bike. The police officer just saw no pedals and thought it was a motorcycle. I had papers at the time to show him that it was an ebike and not a motorcycle but he didn't care.
Click to expand...
 
GreyGhost said:
Except your ebike didn't have a pedal and therefore didn't meet the required criteria to be classified as an ebike. Given that it didn't comply with the definition of an ebike, the officer reverted to calling it a motorbike. It's a shi**y deal and I would have loved to see how it played out in court, you and the officer would both have had compelling arguments.
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This.

As hard as the ticket is to swallow, it could have been much worse if he decided to throw the book at you.

Since it's been 1.5 years, and you say you're in uni, another 18 months won't kill you. Go get your M1. Take a riding course, get your M2. Hold on to that until this ticket goes away, and you'll be in a much better position for insurance.

Or don't listen and go for instant gratification, get the bike you want and pay 3 times it's value for insurance. Your call.
 
I have a buddy of mine who was riding his bicycle down Don Mills. There is this sweet spot where the road goes downhill so he just rolls it with no braking. Seconds later sees a speed trap and doesn't bother slowing down. Sure enough gets flagged down by the cop, and receives a ticket for speeding! :O
As the cop explained to him - a bicylce is a vehicle too.

The buddy was furious, but never took it to court. Later when he went to get his M1 that speeding conviction was already on his record. Balls...
 
All I can say is you should have fought it, and you shouldn't have produced your driver's license (or any ID at all, as it's not required). You were charged with an incorrect charge (there's a specific law for when an ebike is not configured correctly). If I were you, I'd look to see if you can go back and fix this, maybe some sort of retroactive appeal or something.
 
AL3RT said:
I have a buddy of mine who was riding his bicycle down Don Mills. There is this sweet spot where the road goes downhill so he just rolls it with no braking. Seconds later sees a speed trap and doesn't bother slowing down. Sure enough gets flagged down by the cop, and receives a ticket for speeding! :O
As the cop explained to him - a bicylce is a vehicle too.

The buddy was furious, but never took it to court. Later when he went to get his M1 that speeding conviction was already on his record. Balls...
Click to expand...

Your friend should not have produced ID. This should not be able to go on a driving abstract.
 
GreyGhost said:
Except your ebike didn't have a pedal and therefore didn't meet the required criteria to be classified as an ebike. Given that it didn't comply with the definition of an ebike, the officer reverted to calling it a motorbike. It's a shi**y deal and I would have loved to see how it played out in court, you and the officer would both have had compelling arguments.
Click to expand...

^^ This. With the proliferation of e-bikes on the road, largely doing whatever they want which sends licensed drivers and riders alike into fits, there seems to be a crackdown lately to ensure that what little rules apply to e-bikes are actually being adhered to. An e-bike is a vehicle and subject to the HTA UNLESS it meets the requirements of an e-bike, then it has exemptions that allow it on the road where it SHOULD follow the rules of the road.
 
drumstyx said:
All I can say is you should have fought it, and you shouldn't have produced your driver's license (or any ID at all, as it's not required). You were charged with an incorrect charge (there's a specific law for when an ebike is not configured correctly). If I were you, I'd look to see if you can go back and fix this, maybe some sort of retroactive appeal or something.
Click to expand...

drumstyx said:
Your friend should not have produced ID. This should not be able to go on a driving abstract.
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Wrong. Riding or driving any vehicle on a highway requires that you ID yourself when demanded by police. Failing to do that is arrestable and then things go down hill from there.

As for a specific charge for an incorrectly configured e-bike; I'm not aware of it... provide a link?
 
nfq said:
...Since it's been 1.5 years, and you say you're in uni, another 18 months won't kill you. Go get your M1. Take a riding course, get your M2. Hold on to that until this ticket goes away, and you'll be in a much better position for insurance.

Or don't listen and go for instant gratification, get the bike you want and pay 3 times it's value for insurance...
Click to expand...

It is not cost effective to get a bike this summer due to your astronomically high insurance premium. Wait until the 3 year history is off your record. Listen to nfq and get your M1 and M2 but don't buy a bike or insurance. You will get a significant insurance discount if you have had a bike license for more than a year, no matter that you did not have a bike. This is doubly beneficial for you: your record will have been wiped clean, and you will have had a bike license for over a year. All of this leads to a much lower insurance premium.

You sought and listened to legal advice from a cop and you got screwed. You made his life much easier (he did not need to go to court and prove you were guilty) and your life much harder. Face palm yourself.

In the end your ticket will make little difference, since you already need to have a year with a bike license. The penalty might be you need to wait an additional 6 months if you get your M1 now, at the most.
 
AL3RT said:
I have a buddy of mine who was riding his bicycle down Don Mills. There is this sweet spot where the road goes downhill so he just rolls it with no braking. Seconds later sees a speed trap and doesn't bother slowing down. Sure enough gets flagged down by the cop, and receives a ticket for speeding! :O
As the cop explained to him - a bicylce is a vehicle too.

The buddy was furious, but never took it to court. Later when he went to get his M1 that speeding conviction was already on his record. Balls...
Click to expand...

That is just...ridiculous...lol. Getting a speeding ticket on a bicycle?? That is some story to be told at parties.
 
AL3RT said:
I have a buddy of mine who was riding his bicycle down Don Mills. There is this sweet spot where the road goes downhill so he just rolls it with no braking. Seconds later sees a speed trap and doesn't bother slowing down. Sure enough gets flagged down by the cop, and receives a ticket for speeding! :O
As the cop explained to him - a bicylce is a vehicle too.

The buddy was furious, but never took it to court. Later when he went to get his M1 that speeding conviction was already on his record. Balls...
Click to expand...

:cool: that's my LOL of the day
 
bboySushi said:
That is just...ridiculous...lol. Getting a speeding ticket on a bicycle?? That is some story to be told at parties.
Click to expand...

it could be worst. i know of a guy who got a dui on a bike. However he was a real dick to the cops and all they were going to do was to give him a ride home. (i was on a ride a long many years ago).
 
LOL, i love the stories posted here... even though I won't be getting a bike this summer, I guess i'll just take the M2 course and get it next year when this ticket is released haha.... in the mean time, I look forward to riding with you all next summer!

Cross your fingers and hope that no more cops pull me over on my Ebike.
 
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