Teenager Fined $24,000 for Waiting on Back of Motorcycle for Breakfast? Police 'Dashcam Malfunction' Leads to Overturned Ticket

Hmm..... hard to say. Given the minor's previous unlicensed driving record, if no one else was around, you might suspect he was up to something again. But insisting on a ticket even though the bike wasn't moving? This cop is also questionable. Trying to boost their numbers? 😑 Dashcam malfunction? Sounds like an excuse they came up with when they realized their case was weak after the administrative lawsuit was filed.... In Kaohsiung, a teenager under 18 was riding as a passenger on his brother's motorcycle to buy breakfast last August. While his brother went inside to pay, the teenager waited on the back of the idling motorcycle. However, a police officer deemed it unlicensed driving. Due to two previous unlicensed driving offenses within five years, he was fined NT$24,000 and ordered to attend a traffic safety course. The teenager appealed the decision, arguing he was merely a passenger, did not operate the motorcycle, and the vehicle was parked roadside, never moving. The transportation bureau claimed the officer witnessed the teenager driving, but the dashcam was malfunctioning, providing no visual evidence, which became a crucial factor in the overturned verdict. The Kaohsiung High Administrative Court stated that 'driving' requires the intent and action of moving a vehicle under control. The judge reasoned that although the teenager was on an idling motorcycle, there was no footage proving he controlled it to move. The police report also noted that when stopped, he was 'waiting by the roadside with the engine running but not moving,' not actively driving. The judge found the unilateral statement by the officer to be too hasty in determining unlicensed driving and overturned the NT$24,000 fine and traffic safety course requirement. The case can still be appealed. The key takeaway is that sitting on a running motorcycle does not equate to driving; actual control, operation, and movement of the vehicle are required.