BIKE: Fla. 8-Year-Old Gets Ticket For Bike Mishap

[Ted Ledbetter]

http://www.local6.com/news/2580655/detail.html

Fla. 8-Year-Old Gets Traffic Ticket For Bike Mishap

POSTED: 5:50 p.m. EDT October 24, 2003

BRADENTON, Fla. -- The parents of an 8-year-old boy ticketed by police for violating traffic rules on his bike say they won't pay the $34 citation for a child who is just half the legal driving age. 

Second-grader Scott Montgomery has 30 days to pay Manatee County for the ticket written by a Bradenton police officer Wednesday. 

"I'm going to not pay this ticket, and Scott's definitely not going to pay it," said Danielle McIntosh, the boy's mother. She added the only money her son has is the allowance he has been saving for a battery-operated miniature truck. 

"He's an 8-year-old child. He does not understand what the right of way is," She said. 

Scott was riding a bicycle in his neighborhood when he jumped a dirt mound with five of his friends, Bradenton Police Lt. Sam Campbell said. He crossed paths with a 2001 Nissan and the car clipped the rear tire of Scott's 5-pound, 16-inch BMX bicycle. 

Scott wasn't injured, but was cited by Officer Jeff Beckley for violating the right of way. 

"I'm doing OK," said Scott, who was not wearing a helmet during the accident. "I hit a little bit of his car, but then I just got off my bike and ran away." 

McIntosh said the two people in the Nissan claimed Scott flew up onto the hood of their car, causing $1,000 worth of damage. Campbell said that police estimated $500 and could not confirm whether Scott hit the hood. 

"His mother was apparently pretty upset with us," Campbell said. "But in this case, the child caused the accident by pulling out in front of the car. The driver didn't have time to react." 

Campbell said officers issue citations to many children throughout the year for not wearing helmets or for committing traffic violations on their bicycles. Officers draft the tickets in the child's name but usually expect the parents to pay them. 

If no one is cited during an accident, insurance companies will demand that vehicle owners pay for their damages even if they are not at fault. It is a liability as well as a safety issue, Campbell said. 

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

--------------------


.