There’s an exciting program being developed in Portland that, if approved and funded, would allow bicyclists to attend a legal and safety class in order to avoid a conviction or to have their traffic fine lowered.
This proposed class would only be available to first-time offenders of certain traffic violations.
The program is still in the development stages, but from what I’ve heard it could be ready to implement in “six months or less”. The person behind the program has been talking with local bike advocates, city officials and law enforcement representatives and the feedback so far has been very positive.
Many safety programs already exist for motor vehicle drivers but Portland could be the first city in the nation (to my knowledge) with a diversion program specifically for bicycle violations.
I look forward to sharing more details soon.