• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Clients
  • About
  • Acknowledgments

The Center for Cycling Education

> Online traffic skills courses / learn-to-ride lessons

  • ONLINE COURSES
    • Traffic Smarts for Cyclists
      • Purchasing for your organization
      • Purchasing for friends & family members
      • Applying a coupon code
    • ‘Defensive Cycling’ (ticket dismissal)
      • Info for courts, attorneys, & LEOs
      • Info for course participants
        • Austin, TX and region
        • Houston, TX
        • Resources
    • Navigation, interactivity, & quizzes
  • CYCLING SKILLS
    • Equipment
      • Choosing & fitting your bike helmet
    • Bike handling
      • Shifting gears
  • CYCLING LAWS
    • Canada
      • AB – Alberta
        • AB – Alberta Traffic Safety Act
      • BC – British Columbia
        • British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act
      • SK – Saskatchewan
        • Saskatchewan Traffic Safety Act
        • Regina: Traffic bylaw — Cyclists
        • Saskatoon: Cycling bylaw
    • USA
      • Uniform Vehicle Code
      • CA – California
        • CA Vehicle Code
        • Santa Monica
          • Santa Monica Municipal Code
      • TX – Texas
        • TX Transportation Code
        • Austin Code of Ordinances
        • Houston Code of Ordinances
      • VA – Virginia
        • VA – Code of Virginia: Motor Vehicles
  • ON-BIKE TRAINING
    • Riding in traffic
    • Learn to ride a bike
      • Read one mother’s story
      • About the training
      • Saskatoon, SK
      • Austin, TX
Home » USA » TX – Texas » Defensive Cycling ticket dismissal course: Austin, TX

Defensive Cycling ticket dismissal course: Austin, TX

A ‘Defensive Driving’ option for cyclists

Did you receive a traffic ticket while riding your bike in Austin, Texas?* With this course, you will meet the requirements to have your fine waived (but not the court fees), and have your traffic citation dismissed.

* This course is also valid for tickets issued by the Travis County Sheriff’s Department, the Waller County Sherriff’s Department, and the San Marcos Police Department.

For tickets issued by the University of Texas at Austin (UT) Police Department or UT Parking and Transportation Services, get details and sign up for the course here.

Since July of 2010, we have been offering an option to cyclists that has been available to drivers for years – having a traffic fine waived in exchange for taking part in some valuable, effective training. To date we have had more than 1100 people take part in this option.


Cost: $34.95 / Time: Approximately 2 hours

Here’s how you can take part in this ‘ticket dismissal’ option:

  1. Complete and submit a Deferred Disposition form through the court, along with the payment of the court fee and any other associated charges.
  2. Sign up here for the online course.
  3. Complete the course with a passing grade.*
  4. A Certificate of Completion will be prepared and emailed directly to the court, or sent to you by mail to deliver to the court (depending on the jurisdiction).
  5. Once the certificate is processed, the fine will be waived and the ticket dismissed.

* Important: All content in the course must be viewed in order to receive a Certificate of Completion. Any attempts to bypass content and access the quiz(zes) directly will result in an incomplete grade. The Center for Cycling Education may then, at its sole discretion, either offer an opportunity to reattempt the course or else issue a refund less a $15 administrative fee. Be sure to read the Terms and Conditions regarding your participation in the course.

Sign up for the Defensive Cycling course now

Why take the Defensive Cycling course?

  • Qualify to have your fine waived by the court.
  • Gain valuable techniques that will help you increase your safety and comfort in traffic, even if you are an experienced cyclist.
  • Learn what your rights are, and how you can gain more accommodation from drivers.
  • Learn the laws that apply to you as a cyclist, reducing the likelihood of getting another ticket in the future.

Would you like to learn about the laws that apply to you as a cyclist,
including your rights?

From the Texas Transportation Code:
Sec. 551.101. RIGHTS AND DUTIES.
(a) A person operating a bicycle has the rights and duties applicable to a driver operating a vehicle under this subtitle, unless:
(1) a provision of this chapter alters a right or duty; or
(2) a right or duty applicable to a driver operating a vehicle cannot by its nature apply to a person operating a bicycle.
(b) A parent of a child or a guardian of a ward may not knowingly permit the child or ward to violate this subtitle.

  • Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 551:
    Operation of Bicycles and Mopeds, Golf Carts, and Other Low-Powered Vehicles
  • Texas Transportation Code, All sections
    (Look for Title 7 – Vehicles and Traffic, Subtitle C: Rules of the Road)
  • Austin Cycling Bylaws: Austin City Code, Chapter 12-2. Bicycles
  • Austin’s Safe Passing / Vulnerable Road Users Ordinance

Additional resources

Sign up for the Defensive Cycling course now

Information from the Austin Municipal court:

  • Options for handling your case
  • Consequences of not handling your ticket in time
  • Deferred disposition request form (PDF)
  • Municipal court locations (Austin, TX)

Finding out the status of your case

Once you have successfully completed the course, an electronic copy of your certificate will be emailed to the court. You can then check your status by phone, or online.

You will need one of the following combinations:

  • Your name and date of birth.
  • Your driver’s license and state.
  • Your Municipal Court case number.

Check your status:

  • Online
  • By phone or in person

Please note that the date your certificate is received is recorded, but the system can take up to a week to update.

The CCE developed all applicable training materials and administers the course training.

Footer

Visit us on Facebook

The Center for Cycling Education

5 months ago

The Center for Cycling Education

Framing things in the right way. This is fun to watch.

(Thanks to Christopher Stanton for making me aware of this.)
... See MoreSee Less

How I Deal With Kids Playing in My Driveway | The Saga of My Driveway Racetrack

www.youtube.com

Every night I would get an alert from my driveway security camera, and at first I was a bit annoyed, but then I found myself looking forward to the evening a...
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

The Center for Cycling Education

1 years ago

The Center for Cycling Education

Superb individual, master designer and builder of bikes and trailers, philanthropist, activist, and professional cyclist. Above all, a truly decent and caring person.

Tomorrow it will be two weeks since I and many others lost our good friend, Tony Hoar. It has taken me some time to come to grips with this loss, and to write this post.

I had the distinct fortune of knowing Tony as a good friend for nearly twenty years. We spoke several times a week, about life, the world, and our respective vocations.

This man was singularly farsighted, caring, and influential. He gave so much of himself on a regular basis, and devoted his life to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. His bike trailers transformed the way that I view transportation, and helped me live my life and do my work by bike instead of by car.

Tony my friend, you will be deeply missed, and always remembered. I promise you this, and to continue working on the things we both know to be so important. Thank you for everything you are, and always will be.

www.timescolonist.com/news/local/tour-de-france-cult-figure-inventor-tony-hoar-dies-at-87-1.23971311
... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

The Center for Cycling Education updated their cover photo.

1 years ago

The Center for Cycling Education

Southbound on 5th Avenue, Manhattan, NYC, just north of 59th Street--Central Park is to the right.

The initial signal was straight out with the left arm. The lowered left arm is to let those following know that I'm changing lanes, but only moving into the right part of the adjacent lane.

Important points:
1) There's no room for the driver at left to move into my lane, which is why I moved far left in my lane to prepare to move over--ya gotta be quick here.
2) I looked far down the road, and know that the cabbie in front of me has plenty of space ahead and no possible fares on the sidewalk to the right; there will be no braking.

Subtleties matter.
... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

The Center for Cycling Education

1 years ago

The Center for Cycling Education

Let's be honest. When you ride in traffic:
1) How comfortable are you, and
2) How often do you have negative interactions with drivers?

Many riders have become accustomed to daily frustrations and near-misses. That doesn't equate to comfort.

There are ways to address these.

What do you put up with on a regular basis?
... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

The Center for Cycling Education

1 years ago

The Center for Cycling Education

Now available on our website--detailed traffic laws for cyclists in the following states:
- California (including Santa Monica)
- Texas (including Austin and Houston)
- Virginia

Next up: Canada, including British Columbia and Ontario, and selected cities in each.

These are currently being added to our 'Traffic Smarts for Cyclists' online courses.

thecce.org/usa/
... See MoreSee Less

USA | The Center for Cycling Education

thecce.org

View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

Terms & conditions


Privacy policy
Copyright info
© 2008–2021
The Center for Cycling Education