Hello,
My story begins with a bicycle ride across the George Washington Bridge (GWB) on Sun., Oct. 3rd, 2010 and ends with me being issued a $150.00 ticket.
The officer claimed I rode my bicycle through the traffic light without stopping. The fact is I did come to a complete stop as I had to take my foot off the clipless pedal so I would not fall off my bicycle. I did anticipate the light changing prematurely but with extreme caution and prudence before proceeding. There was no cross walk at this intersection just an exit ramp. There was no one on this Sunday afternoon at this juncture in time other then me and two other bicyclists. I then proceeded to ride underneath the GWB over-pass and make my left-hand turn signal to get onto the GWB. This is the point where the officer stopped me and began telling me I ran through a red light without stopping. I told him, nicely, I did not. The officer began to tell me he could site me a $300 ticket because according to him I did not have a horn or headlight on my bicycle. As he said this I had difficulty in comprehending this as the other two bicyclists who where with me at the traffic light had no horns nor any headlights and I told him, "what about these two bicyclists they haven't any lights nor any horns?". That is when he began saying I could have a $300 ticket if I did not like it and the choice was up to me. I got a sick feeling in my stomach and realized I had to accept what was given to me because I did not want to argue about it but rather I would take it up with the town municipal court and plea my case, not guilty by trial by written declaration. I am due in the town of Fort Lee Municipal Court on Weds., March 30th, 2011.
Furthermore, I have to say that the ticket the officer issued me on that very day (Sun., Oct. 3rd, 2010) had no describe location. According to law, "Prima-Facie", states "at first sight" or "self-evident" there was no describe location and the date could not be read; this cannot be held up in any court of law and would, therefore, be dismissed. Adding more insult, is the fact, I was issued a notice of warrant for arrest issued back in Jan., 20th, 2011 which I received quite a couple days after in the mail I might add. What is disturbing is not just the fact I had gotten a notice of warrant for my arrest, but they got the date of my ticket wrong on the notice! They dated that the ticket was on Sept., 26, 2010. It is important to note, too, I had called the municipal court in Fort Lee, New Jersey back on Mon., Oct.4th, 2010, the day after the incident and asked them about my ticket and what the proceedures were concerning my ticket. They said it would take at least two weeks before the ticket would be in their system and that I should contact them then via phone or mail and plea my case, either guilty or not guilty. I had to wait two weeks from the day my ticket was issued (Oct.3rd, 2010) until October 17th, 2010. I mailed my letter of plea, not guilty, in my defense the very next day and submitted it return receipt requested. The municipal court received my letter on Oct. 19th, 2010. When I got the notice of my warrant for arrest in the mail I just had to call the Fort Lee Municipal Court and ask them what was going on and I had a difficult time because they had an inexperienced person answering calls so I asked to speak to a supervisor which was the court administrator. I asked the court administrator why I had a warrant for my arrest and why do I have to post bail? The court administrator said I would have to go before the court to explain my plea, not guilty and that she assured me the bail and notice would be dismissed. I had to let her know and call her out that on the notice for my arrest had the wrong date of when my ticket was issued where it read Sept., 26, 2010 and that it should have read Sun., Oct. 3rd 2010 and the time the incident occurred, too, was incorrect and should have read closer to 3:30 P.M. and not 12 P.M. I would appreciate if any t. v. station would read this story as it shows the lack of clarity and absurdity with these kind of government practices and a biased position towards someone just riding his bicycle with careful vigilance.
Thank you in Earnest,
N. S.
3/21/2011
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