Being on two wheels instead of four does not exempt you from the rules of the road. In fact, every ticket a driver can get under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, a cyclist can get too. Break the rules and risk getting pulled over and, you guessed it, fined.
Time to brush up on what you didn’t already know about cycling in the city:

1. The Ministry of Transportation keeps track of cycling offences – even if you don’t have a driver’s licence.
2. If you’re pulled over by police, you’re obligated to identify yourself and cooperate, whether you have a licence or not. If you don’t? Face a fine up to $110 or even an arrest.
3. Demerit points have been registered against law-breaking cyclists in Toronto, which can then affect driving status and insurance costs! For the record: this isn’t supposed to happen. Make sure the ticket notes it as a cycling infraction at the time that it is written. Then, write down details of what happened: location, direction of travel, what happened – don’t forget to sign and date it. If there are any witnesses, try to get their contact information and a signed and dated statement of what they saw.
4. There’s nothing fine about these fines:
   1. Disobey a stop sign or fail to signal when turning: $85
   2. No proper lighting or riding without a working bell: $85
   3. Running a red light: $260
   4. Riding your bicycle on a sidewalk: $60
   5. Carrying a passenger on a bike designed for one: $85
   6. Passing a stopped school bus with red lights flashing: $400
   7. Under 18 not wearing a helmet: $60
   8. Riding on the wrong side of the road: $35
5. Ignoring it won’t make it go away. A cycling ticket may seem inconsequential, but the amount due will only increase with time. Plus, failing to ensure that the ticket received states “cycling” on it, will risk a driver’s licence suspension. Like any outstanding payment, leaving it too long can have it end in collections, negatively impacting your credit rating.

Should you have any questions about bicycle safety or motor vehicle accidents involving cyclists, please feel free to contact Steven Glowinsky at (416) 734-0431.

For more tips about riding safe, click here!