One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Jail or up to a $1000 Fine for Not Having a Bicycle License in Santa Monica
Photo by GarySe7en via Flickr
Photo by GarySe7en via Flickr
Under current written law, Santa Monica police are able to throw any cyclists, whether a city resident or not, into jail for not having a bicycle license. Fines can range up to $1,000. The 1995-created law directly contradicts a 1996-written California Vehicle Code section, which states the law shall apply to residents of a city issuing bicycle licenses.
The city of Los Angeles does not issue bicycle licenses because state law allows individual cities to choose whether or not to have such an ordinance on the books. It was struck down earlier this year by the L.A. City Council.
However, a representative at the Santa Monica's License Division said Los Angeles residents can send the city $3 and an application to receive a license because they "issue them as a courtesy." Police are currently enforcing the law, she said.
"This is a violation of human rights - an insult to dignity," said Alex Thompson, a bicycle blogger on the Westside, noting that police blotter reports indicate the law has been applied to homeless more often than not. "The bike licensing provision in state law was intended [to] facilitate recovering stolen bikes, and instead Santa Monica is using it to hassle homeless people, and a few years ago, Critical Mass."
Santa Monica based bicycle blogger Gary Kavanagh broke the story yesterday evening. "What is also odd here, is that while punishment is clearly spelled out and quite severe for not having a bicycle license sticker, not having a license plate on a car is treated as a parking ticket if you are away from the vehicle, and a fix it ticket if you are present," he wrote.
Calls to the Carol Swindell, the city's Director of the Finance Department, which issues bicycle licenses, were not immediately returned. [Update: A representative from Swindell's office later returned our phone call. Details can be read here]
Sponsored message
Previously on LAist
- SaMo Police Spent $3K on Critical Mass Operations
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
