When I push my bike with engine off | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

When I push my bike with engine off

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Griffin: fair enough, but that would be on account of the obvously high likelyhood that you had stopped operating the motor vehicle only with the intention of avoiding the impared charge. The essential assumption beeing that you HAD been operating the motor vehicle immediately before encountering the checkpoint.

I would think that if you could prove to a judge that you had ONLY been pushing the bike (ie: the bike was inoperable), that you would win the court case.
 
Griffin said:
You may find that cops, like other road users, will become annoyed if you are trying to bend the rules to suit you. The problem is that cops can do something about it, when they choose to.
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I find that most road users don't get annoyed at the bending of rules, but rather they get annoyed at people who exaserbate problems - typically they are quite happy when people bend the rule in a helpful way, ie: pulling forward at a light, so someone can make the right turn from behind you. Me waling my bike on the sidewalk gets me off the congested road, and lets the next car pull up that extra little bit - no one has ever given me any indication they were upset.

All that said, though, it would be interesting to know if there is a clear legal ruling on this.
 
jolomatic said:
Griffin: fair enough, but that would be on account of the obvously high likelyhood that you had stopped operating the motor vehicle only with the intention of avoiding the impared charge. The essential assumption beeing that you HAD been operating the motor vehicle immediately before encountering the checkpoint.

I would think that if you could prove to a judge that you had ONLY been pushing the bike (ie: the bike was inoperable), that you would win the court case.
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Not arguing the point, just adding more to consider:

If you are sitting in your car, intoxicated and you have the keys you will be charged notwithstanding you haven't even started it yet. I believe the charge is still the same - operating a motor vehicle while impaired.

I don't disagree that if you aren't being too much of a dick about it, no cop is gonna bother you if you're pushing your bike. But then again, if that cop dislikes bikes, or the colour of your helmet or whatever, they might. At the least I'd suggest not doing it if there's a cop around.
 
Griffin said:
Not arguing the point, just adding more to consider:

If you are sitting in your car, intoxicated and you have the keys you will be charged notwithstanding you haven't even started it yet. I believe the charge is still the same - operating a motor vehicle while impaired.

I don't disagree that if you aren't being too much of a dick about it, no cop is gonna bother you if you're pushing your bike. But then again, if that cop dislikes bikes, or the colour of your helmet or whatever, they might. At the least I'd suggest not doing it if there's a cop around.
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You are correct here about sitting in a vehicle drunk. You are considered in control of the motor vehicle even if you are "sleeping it off"> And this can lead to a drunk driving charge (this actually was confirmed by a court case of this exactly happening).

There is a definite difference between a bicycle and a motorcycle (even unpowered) under the law. When you shut off the engine a motorcycle does not miraculously become a bicycle anymore than a car with the engine shut off become a kiddy car. I am guessing you could be charged with dangerous driving. Your peg catches a pedestrian, careless driving. The cop writes the ticket, hands it to you, walks away and whether he thinks he is going to be successful or not does not matter to him. You now have a hassle to deal with and maybe will think twice next time.
 
NealT said:
so do I especially downtown it ticks me off all the time and i'm a long time bicycle rider as well. The ignorance of bicyclists in the downtown core is stunning wrt traffic rules and their bicycles. I can guarantee that most of them have no clue they are considered a vehicle just like a car, maybe a very narrow one but a vehicle nonetheless and subject to the same rules as cars or motorcycles...grrr!!
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It's not that we don't have a clue, it's that we don't give a rats ***.

I'm a cyclist, but I like to think that I have a good mix of aggressive and defensive behaviors. I'll ride on the right shoulder, shoulder check for a right-turning car when going straight through intersections, and I'll wait at a red light if it makes sense to do so.

However, lets say I'm coming up to a green light, at a > 2-lane intersection, and I intend to turn left: I'll tend to go straight through the intersection, and WAIT on the far right corner (sidewalk, if there is one), then proceed as a pedestrian would when the crossing light is green, or the way is clear. I would not dis-mount my bicycle. IMHO this makes 1000x more sense than the "proper" way, of merging into traffic, getting into the left turning lane and turning with the cars.

Same with motorcycles; we tend to "bend" the rules slightly in our favor, when it makes sense, and it's safe to do so, right? I don't have a death wish.
 
Kri$han said:
It's not that we don't have a clue, it's that we don't give a rats ***.

I'm a cyclist, but I like to think that I have a good mix of aggressive and defensive behaviors. I'll ride on the right shoulder, shoulder check for a right-turning car when going straight through intersections, and I'll wait at a red light if it makes sense to do so.

However, lets say I'm coming up to a green light, at a > 2-lane intersection, and I intend to turn left: I'll tend to go straight through the intersection, and WAIT on the far right corner (sidewalk, if there is one), then proceed as a pedestrian would when the crossing light is green, or the way is clear. I would not dis-mount my bicycle. IMHO this makes 1000x more sense than the "proper" way, of merging into traffic, getting into the left turning lane and turning with the cars.

Same with motorcycles; we tend to "bend" the rules slightly in our favor, when it makes sense, and it's safe to do so, right? I don't have a death wish.
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I'm sure you're aware that riding your bike across a cross walk is illegal? I have always behaved like a vehicle in this case. I turn like a car and just move to the right side of the lane as I turn looking for cars that are turning right from the oncoming lane. I'll take the turn wide to give cars turning room as well, also gives me a cushion if some dumb butt pushes his civic too quick and drifts a little wide.

I also try and be defensive especially when on a road that's in the 70 - 80 kmh range. If I need to change lanes I signal and take my space in the line and will defend it....I always say thank you to drivers that purposely give me room or let me go ahead.
 
NealT said:
I'm sure you're aware that riding your bike across a cross walk is illegal? I have always behaved like a vehicle in this case. I turn like a car and just move to the right side of the lane as I turn looking for cars that are turning right from the oncoming lane. I'll take the turn wide to give cars turning room as well, also gives me a cushion if some dumb butt pushes his civic too quick and drifts a little wide.

I also try and be defensive especially when on a road that's in the 70 - 80 kmh range. If I need to change lanes I signal and take my space in the line and will defend it....I always say thank you to drivers that purposely give me room or let me go ahead.
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WOW, you don't say?!?! So is speeding, not fully coming to a stop at stop signs, smoking within 9m if a public entrance (?), downloading un-paid for media from the internet, not picking up your dog's **** or walking it without a leash, littering... I could go on.

I saw a bicyclist turn from a side street onto Mavis Road (near Britannia) during RUSH HOUR traffic. He was one of the last vehicles to turn, so his corresponding lane changes to get to the right side of the street caused a small backup, and was probably the riskiest maneuver I've witnessed in a while. What a complete moron; but I guess "he has the right to" :rolleyes:

Sometimes "the law" overlooks common sense for the sake of standardization; which doesn't always make it right.
 
Elena P. said:
Am I a driver or a pedestrian in the eye of The Law? Can I use walkway? Wear / not to wear a helmet? Cross intersections by pedestrian green light etc etc? Link to HTA? Thanks!
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had a valve hit a piston and locked my engine up, passed a cop while i was pushing it on the sidewalk back home and he didn't seem to mind.
 
Kri$han said:
WOW, you don't say?!?! So is speeding, not fully coming to a stop at stop signs, smoking within 9m if a public entrance (?), downloading un-paid for media from the internet, not picking up your dog's **** or walking it without a leash, littering... I could go on.

I saw a bicyclist turn from a side street onto Mavis Road (near Britannia) during RUSH HOUR traffic. He was one of the last vehicles to turn, so his corresponding lane changes to get to the right side of the street caused a small backup, and was probably the riskiest maneuver I've witnessed in a while. What a complete moron; but I guess "he has the right to" :rolleyes:

Sometimes "the law" overlooks common sense for the sake of standardization; which doesn't always make it right.
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It sets a real bad example for those that don't have the experience and control of their bicycles like younger kids. I don't know how many times over the last 30 years i've had kids blindly ride through an intersection in front of me at full speed not looking and thinking their right of way applies at all times and drivers will magically see them and stop.

It's one of the reasons the MTO drivers handbook says that motorists when stopping will stop on the line first followed by the inner edge of the sidewalk if no line is present and not on the edge of the lane into which they are turning (right turns in particular) just before it enters the roadway.

As a matter of fact my brother hit a kid who just blew through the intersection on a bike. My bro was making a left and it was at night and the rider on a black bike, black clothing who was also a black kid blew across the road after the headlights had passed, he ran into the side of the car essentially.
 
Most cops won't care in the slightest if you push your motorcycle engine off on a sidewalk. However, I had a friend tell me he once broke down on the DVP at night and was pushing his bike on the shoulder up an off ramp and got a ticket for doing so. He stressed the fact the officer was female.
 
alb said:
There is a definite difference between a bicycle and a motorcycle (even unpowered) under the law. When you shut off the engine a motorcycle does not miraculously become a bicycle anymore than a car with the engine shut off become a kiddy car.
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Wasn't claiming that the bike magically transforms, only that you are not OPERATING it.

If one makes the argument that by pushing a non-running bike down the street, one is operating a motor vehicle, then a speeding tow-truck driver should get two tickets, one for the tow truck, and one for the towed vehicle that he was 'operating'.
 
NealT said:
As a matter of fact my brother hit a kid who just blew through the intersection on a bike. My bro was making a left and it was at night and the rider on a black bike, black clothing who was also a black kid blew across the road after the headlights had passed, he ran into the side of the car essentially.
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sounds like vigilantism.
 
Kri$han said:
It's not that we don't have a clue, it's that we don't give a rats ***.

I'm a cyclist, but I like to think that I have a good mix of aggressive and defensive behaviors. I'll ride on the right shoulder, shoulder check for a right-turning car when going straight through intersections, and I'll wait at a red light if it makes sense to do so.

However, lets say I'm coming up to a green light, at a > 2-lane intersection, and I intend to turn left: I'll tend to go straight through the intersection, and WAIT on the far right corner (sidewalk, if there is one), then proceed as a pedestrian would when the crossing light is green, or the way is clear. I would not dis-mount my bicycle. IMHO this makes 1000x more sense than the "proper" way, of merging into traffic, getting into the left turning lane and turning with the cars.

Same with motorcycles; we tend to "bend" the rules slightly in our favor, when it makes sense, and it's safe to do so, right? I don't have a death wish.
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I do something similar..I ride through the green, stop on the other side beside the curb, wait for the light to change and proceed through the perpendicular street as if riding along the curb like normal. I don't care what anyone says..I've been cycling for 30 years in traffic..I'm not doing the left-turn b.s. I don't ever go on the sidewalk..I always remain in the roadway and I make eye-contact with any drivers to make sure I am not impeding them and they know what I'm doing. I cannot recall the last time I had traffic issues riding in this way. I see dipshits swerving across 2 or 3 lanes to get in the left turn lane and I can only shake my head.

However..it is NOT ok to ride across the crosswalk from the sidewalk without stopping. Things are pretty hectic in an intersection without someone doing 25k down the sidewalk and right across the crosswalk. I don't care what the excuses are, it's just unsafe and a PITA to people trying not to kill anyone..
 
I came up to a road block for an accident with a massive back log and closed road. I hopped off my bike and walked it past all the cops , firemen, and paramedics on the side walk. they all looked at me and never seaid a word as they stared
 
Haha. If a picket line tried to stop me from walking my bike past them, I wouldn't stop. Chances are, though, I would just carefully ride through them. I've taken the sidewalk plenty of times to get out of a sticky situation.

I was on my way to Halloween Haunt at Wonderland a few years back and traffic was ridiculous, but the sidewalks were clear...
I also got stuck in traffic on Green Lane, just north of Newmarket, so I took the shoulder instead, only going 20km-ish.
I have even popped it into 1st gear and slowly ridden behind cyclists in the bicycle lane during heavy gridlocked traffic.
There was a Canada Day festival in Newmarket, and I walked my bike right through it, despite the fact that the road was blocked off.

Nothing is illegal, until you get caught. ;) But I wouldn't do something to seriously endanger anyone; you just gotta use your common sense.
 
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you guys over think this stuff.
 
when i'm on the sidewalk and a bicycle comes up behind me on the sidewalk, i throw my elbow up real quick towards their face as the zip past me. if they are coming towards me i make a quick swerve in front of them. their reactions every time are priceless, especially hipster chicks. riding a bicycle on the sidewalk is more douchie than icon vests with no t shirt underneath.

Kri$han said:
It's not that we don't have a clue, it's that we don't give a rats ***.

I'm a cyclist, but I like to think that I have a good mix of aggressive and defensive behaviors. I'll ride on the right shoulder, shoulder check for a right-turning car when going straight through intersections, and I'll wait at a red light if it makes sense to do so.

However, lets say I'm coming up to a green light, at a > 2-lane intersection, and I intend to turn left: I'll tend to go straight through the intersection, and WAIT on the far right corner (sidewalk, if there is one), then proceed as a pedestrian would when the crossing light is green, or the way is clear. I would not dis-mount my bicycle. IMHO this makes 1000x more sense than the "proper" way, of merging into traffic, getting into the left turning lane and turning with the cars.

Same with motorcycles; we tend to "bend" the rules slightly in our favor, when it makes sense, and it's safe to do so, right? I don't have a death wish.
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What's the consequence of crossing a picket line..? Personally I can see myself just riding past them honking and flipping em the bird for holding me up.
 
DOHC1 said:
What's the consequence of crossing a picket line..? Personally I can see myself just riding past them honking and flipping em the bird for holding me up.
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Legally I'm not sure. But it could be harmful to your person if they are a very organized and motivated group.
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