NOTE: Many of us would rather help people who bike avoid receiving traffic citations in the first place! And you can help. As highlighted in Spring 2024 Bike Buzz, you can boost our efforts for “education, not citation” by sharing bike law summaries and other flyers; click here to grab some.

Many people are unaware of the numerous and diverse Bicycling Monterey projects. (For an overview, refer to our summary of projects page; click here.) Among those are projects often referred to by bicycling advocates as Bike Equity efforts.

One such project is providing bicycling education and community service opportunities for court-referred youth, as an alternative to paying a fine for a bicycling-related traffic citation. Here’s an overview, followed by some specific examples from 2022-2024.

Options in lieu of fine
for bicycling-related citation

If you get a ticket while bicycling, California law allows—for certain infractions—attending class to reduce the fine. Our neighboring Santa Cruz County has bike traffic schools, with a $35 fee charged to court-ordered participants.

https://www.santacruzhealth.org/HSAHome/HSADivisions/PublicHealth/CommunityHealthEducation/CommunityTrafficSafetyCoalition/Projects/BikeTrafficSchool.aspx

As of April 2024, we are unaware of any bike traffic school in Monterey County. However, Monterey County residents do have an option! When an individual has received a bicycling-related citation from a Monterey County law enforcement officer, and if a Monterey County Superior Court judge/commissioner has offered to the individual that they may do community service with Bicycling Monterey as an alternative to paying a fine, Bicycling Monterey is able—in most, but not all cases—to provide that individual a community service opportunity, along with bicycling education.

Minors (youth under 18) receive priority in our schedule.
To find out if we can currently provide you this opportunity, please phone us and leave a message with the following information: 
(1) your full name; (2) your phone number; (3) the date you are to have your community service completed; (4) the type of citation you received; (5) the law enforcement agency that issued you the citation; (6) the name of the court official who offered you the option of community service instead of paying a fine.  

Did you know? For fifteen years (May 2009 – April 2024), all work by Bicycling Monterey’s founder on the Bicycling Monterey website and projects has been done as an unpaid public service. If you value this work, please make a contribution. For how to contribute and FAQs, click here.

Examples of letters
provided for the court

Court referral – an April 2024 letter

Court referral – a January 2024 letter

Court referral – a June 2023 letter

Court referral – a June 2022 letter

NOTE: The Bicycling Monterey website and projects have been provided as a public service. No claim is made or liability accepted for use of this site, or for participating as a volunteer on any Bicycling Monterey project. 

 

This post was first published on 1 July 2023, then updated and republished in April 2024.