Bicycle bell leads to $572 fine

Joseph Palermo was fined $572 for letting a woman ring the bell on his bicycle in Belmar, New Jersey.

The fine stemmed from a July 22 incident outside a local bar during which police asked him twice to stop ringing the bell on his bicycle. But when an attractive woman asked if she could ring it, Palermo said he agreed.

He was promptly issued tickets for noise violation, and disorderly conduct.

Municipal Court Judge Dennis Lavender seemed amused by Palermo's defense.

"That's a first," the judge said, offering some advice: "Don't ring that bell to get girls."