Can I stop a motorcycle in a London cycle box?

Q. I was recently pulled over by the Police for stopping in an “Advanced Stop Line” box on my “motor bicycle” in London, and offered a fixed penalty of 3 points plus a fine. This is the box cyclists can use to wait at the head of stationary traffic at red lights.

I was just going to accept the offer as I know I shouldn’t have been there and the box is really to help keep cyclists safe. However, I have two legal documents that state my Z1000 is a “bicycle.” One is my V5C and the other is my tax disc. As I’m legally allowed to share bus lanes with cyclists and my Z-thou is a “bicycle” according to my documents, I reckon I have a defence. What do you think?

A. Firstly, I appreciate your documents may have confused matters, but the long and short is your Z-thou is not a “bicycle” but a “motor cycle” for the purposes of this offence. A “motor cycle” is defined at section 185 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as a “…mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalid carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms.” Your trusty Z1000 falls bang into this definition and therefore my advice is to accept the offer if the signs stated the box was for cyclists only.

White Dalton Solicitors is Britain’s most specialist motorcycle law practice. Managing partner Andrew ‘Chef’ Prendergast and his bike riding barristers compile Motor Cycle Monthly’s legal column. www.whitedalton.co.uk