Bike laws

I just read the RI rules of the road for bicycles, and I'm breaking some laws! Oops. I bet a lot of you are too.

In this state, turns out every pedal must have a front and rear reflector, and it's against the law to sell a pedal without them. How many of your clipless pedals have them? Mine don't. I really can't believe my LBS is breaking the law by selling them. No wonder I had to get them after midnight in the back alley.

I'm also breaking the rear reflector law and the wheel reflector law. I hope you'll all write to me when I'm in prison.

The law also states that left turns by bicycles must be made from "as close as practicable to the right-hand curb". Well, if ticketed, I'd argue in court that that means from the middle of the left lane, as if I'm going to turn left from the right-hand curb, there's a good chance I'm ending up in the ER, which is just not practicable to me. I'm still taking the lane when I need to. That's the kind of rebel I am.

This one sounds fun--turn signals must be started 100 ft from the turn, and held the entire time through the turn, and even when stopped at a traffic signal. Ouch, my arm hurts just thinking about it. You can let go of the signal if you need to to make the turn safely.

You can't carry any bundle or package with one hand, and it's illegal to ride without at least one hand on the handlebars at all time. Yes, that does make it sound like it's illegal to ride no-hands, one of my favorite past times.

You know what's not breaking the law? Riding without a helmet. You only need to wear one until age 15 here.

Have you all read your state's bicycle laws? Are these pretty standard? How do you feel about breaking some of them, like the one that says clipless pedals are illegal?

Turns out I'd only be breaking the wheel reflector law if I ride at night, which I never do. I wonder if the reflective patch on the back of my saddle bag counts as a rear reflector? I may not be as bad as I thought I was ;) .

Isn't it wonderful when those who know nothing about a subject make the laws that govern it?

I'll bring you cigarettes in prison. You can use them to barter:p

Actually, I did read our state laws. I credit our BikeFed group for us having a rather progressive summary page on the DOT site (http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/...cle/rules.htm). Just general, basic, assertive riding information. I wish my local government would read it.....the local government wants to add "bikeways" to roads instead of paved shoulders. Bikeways, really sidewalks that are asphalt and allow bicycle traffic, are more dangerous than riding on the road when there are a lot of driveways and cross streets....grrr....

The one state law I break (besides rolling stop signs at 8-10mph on my bike if there is no auto traffic in sight...sorry...but if there are cars, people, other bikes, I stop) is the right hand turn signal. Depending upon the situation I often use the right hand straight out. In WI that is not a legal right-hand signal, but I find it more effective if the car I'm signaling is coming out on my right. But, we don't have to hold the hand signal, nor do we have to do it if conditions are not safe to release one hand from the handlebars.

I've read them, such as they are.

I was out after a night of carousing with my friends and passed a City Of Seattle Cop. Had the cop chosen to stop me, here would have been a list of charges:

-No helmet (violation of Seattle Health Code)
-Wearing Headphones
-Open Bottle violation (had an open beer in my water bottle cage)
-Public intoxication (it's not actually illegal to ride a bike drunk in washington although they can transport you somewhere, turn you over to a responsible person or impound your bike at no cost). I'm not sure how drunk I actually was, but I probably would've blew higher than 0.08.

The cop just waved at me as I rode by.

Basically, as long as you aren't being truly stupid and running lights in front of cops, or riding on the trail through Lake Forest Park, it's pretty hard to get cited for anything on a bike in seattle. I keep trying to get a speeding ticket but haven't been successful yet.

Silver and I nearly have them memorized...it's been a hot topic over the last few weeks here...

They can be viewed online here

The only law that we neglect is the one that requires :

IC 9-21-11-8
Bell or other audible signaling devices; sirens; whistles
Sec. 8. A person may not ride a bicycle unless the bicycle is equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal audible for a distance of at least one hundred (100) feet. A bicycle may not be equipped with and a person may not use upon a bicycle a siren or whistle.

I actually take the law very seriously...but I believe I comply with this one by assuring that I have my larynx each time I ride...;)

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Originally Posted by Thorn

The one state law I break is the right hand turn signal.

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I only signal if there is someone or something who needs to see. That seems fair, no?

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Originally Posted by Thorn

(besides rolling stop signs at 8-10mph on my bike if there is no auto traffic in sight...sorry...but if there are cars, people, other bikes, I stop)

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FYI: my DH got pulled over for not stopping at a stop sign near campus. I'm not sure if there were cars around.. but he didn't get a ticket, just a stern warning.

I'm not surprised the RI laws are so bizarre.. Buddy and his mafiosos probably wrioe them..

..and regarding riding drunk. I did that a few weeks ago and it was scary. I think. I don't really remember that well. ;) anyway, it would have been a lot more dangerous if it hadn't been so late that there were no cars around. I'm planning on riding drunk tonight which should be interesting given Madison's crazy halloween party and the pepper-spray happy cops that will surely be out en force

I've never gotten piss-drunk and ridden my bike. There comes a point when even that becomes a bad idea.

I have a basic premise that governs such things. My actions should not put someone in any danger they haven't agreed to. Once I reach a point where I can't even steer straight, it becomes a risk to others and that is where it becomes unacceptable.

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unless the bicycle is equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal audible for a distance of at least one hundred (100) feet

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I definitely think that the human voicebox is such a device! Cars with rolled-up windows and a stereo blasting may not hear a bike bell but they sure can hear me yelling 'HEY!' (stopped one from running into my front wheel last night.)

The laws in CO are pretty practical, probably thanks to a lot of bicycle advocacy. But you can definitely get a DUI for biking under the influence, and I know a fair number of people that have been ticketed for failing to have a front light.

Anne

This--other than the new 3-ft passing law that I didn't copy--is the entire content of the law regarding bicycles in Arkansas: (There are many references to "motorized bicycles".)

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(a) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500") to the front and with a lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet (500") to the rear.

(b) A red reflector meeting the requirements of § 27-36-215 may be used in lieu of a rear light.

27-49-111. Use of bicycles or animals.

Every person riding a bicycle or an animal, or driving any animal drawing a vehicle upon a highway, shall have all the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except those provisions of this act which by their nature can have no applicability.
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All the rights and all the duties.

Karen

Links to the various laws that apply to bicycles can be found on-line at
http://www.massbike.org/bikelaw/statelaws.htm ... those who get the RoadBikeRider e-mail newsletter probably saw this in last week's edition.

Arkansas state law that specifically mentions bicycles is fairly sparse and simple... in fact, the definition of "vehicle" appears in a section title "Motor Traffic Law" and thus only covers motor vehicles; but then there's the aforementioned phrase at Section 27-49-111 that extends the same rights and responsibilities of motor vehicles to cyclists and drivers of animal-powered wagons, etc. We're still responsible for complying with the motor trafic code, the major difference being that there's a universal ban for cyclists (and animal-drawn wagons) on the freeways and controlled-access highways.

Be sure to check your city ordinances, too. Arkansas law is silent on the issue of riding on the sidewalk; so you may legally ride your bike (or drive your car, for that matter) on sidewalks here except where a city ordinance restricts it. Little Rock is the only city that requires a bell in order to be street legal, and as shown in a certain YouTube video awhile back, you certainly don't want to ride your bike or your skateboard on the sidewalks in Hot Springs. You can't ride in the parking lots in Hot Springs, either. So check both your state law and your city ordinances in order to "hold your line" in riding legally.

You can't get a DWI or DUI cititation here on a bicycle, since our DWI statutes only apply to the operation of "motor vehicles." (They can get you, if they're determined however, the same as a ped for "public intoxication.") So, if you go bar-hopping down here, leave the car at home and bring your bike ;-)

Arkansas has no bike helmet law or requirement, for riders of any age :-(

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The one state law I break (besides rolling stop signs at 8-10mph on my bike if there is no auto traffic in sight...sorry...but if there are cars, people, other bikes, I stop)

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Motorists make as many or more of these "California stops" as cyclists do, but we seem to be noticed more often, and the consequences can be much greater, since you have only a little bit of lycra as protection when you get hit. And if you keep running stop signs or red lights, you're gonna get hit. It's just a matter of time and statistics...

I have gotten a ticket for speeding on my bike though... At Fort Gordon, GA in the fall of 2002 for riding 17 mph in a 5 mph zone during PT hours. MPs seem to be the one clas of cop that take this "bicycle = vehicle" concept halfway seriously.

Tom

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Originally Posted by PscyclePath

I have gotten a ticket for speeding on my bike though... At Fort Gordon, GA in the fall of 2002 for riding 17 mph in a 5 mph zone during PT hours. MPs seem to be the one clas of cop that take this "bicycle = vehicle" concept halfway seriously.

Tom

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HA! Did you frame it? I'd almost consider it an honor! ;)

Tom, do you have a link to that video? I didn't see it.

Karen

ETA: Never mind. Found it. It made me cry because my son is that age and skates, but he would never skate on a city sidewalk with peds walking around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH6AYVn2yw4

Here you can be fined for drunk cycling (biggest fine I heard of was €1300) and lose your driving licence. The levels of alcohol for this are much higher than if you are caught driving your car drunk.

Also have to have lights (dynamo for all bikes over 10kg), bell, two reflectors on each wheel, reflectors on pedals, front and back reflectors and two brakes.

The "men in green" usually use a bit of common sense - if you are riding a racing bike in broad daylight without lights and a bell you won't get stopped; do the same thing at night, or ride the wrong way, or go through a red light, then they will jump on you and possibly fine you for every single thing.

Speed limits only apply to motorised vehicles :cool:

California has a version of that pedal reflector law, as well, although I think they changed it so it is no longer illegal to sell a bike without reflectors on the pedals, only illegal to ride such a bike after dark.

Most bikes come equipped with cheap platform pedals at the store, so "offically" they are sold with pedals that have rear and front reflectors. What you do with them afterwards however......
At least one pair of my shoes has reflective material on the back - does that count?

For those riding recumbents, many states have laws as to the size of wheels and the height off the ground the BB is. Many recumbent bikes break both of those laws, with too small wheels and too high a BB.
This is what it says in Wa state
"Bicycle" means every device propelled solely by human power upon which a person or persons may ride, having two tandem wheels either of which is sixteen or more inches in diameter, or three wheels, any one of which is more than twenty inches in diameter.

does that mean my Trike (which has 16" wheels all around) isn't a bike and is therefore not bound by bike laws, or does it mean I'm breaking the law by riding it?
I guess I'll have to ride it down the middle of the street at night with no lights and see if I can fight the ticket based on it not being a bike.

he!

Well here in California, if ride your bike after drinking you can get a DUI on your driver license if you are over the limit (0.08).

If you run a stop sigh or red light, you can get a moving violation with all the fines of regular ticket. It also goes on your driving record. (I saw 4 guys in Redondo Beach getting a ticket cause they blew through a stop sign and right in front of a motocycle police. They didn't even try to slow down... oops)

And yes no helmet under 18 and parents can get a ticket.

Riding without a light at night you will get a ticket.

Should you be speeding, you can get a ticket for going over the speed limit. A friendly motocycle police have taken "pictures" of yours truely in the past. I've clocked pretty fast but only once was I over the speed limit just by 1mph though!!! They usually smile and tell me how fast I'm going.

heh! Just wish I had that kind of conditioning. :(

smilingcat

No, Eden, that doesn't count. The pedals themselves are illegal! I'm sure it's a law that was probably was written before clipless pedals even existed. RI is notorious for its blue laws. I'm sure it's unenforced.

But, if I'm wrong, and I end up in the slammer for my black market SPDs, I'll be looking forward to Zen's ciggies. Maybe someone else can bake me a cake ;)? Hope I get the orange jumpsuit instead of the horizontal stripes. No one looks good in those.

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

he!

Well here in California, if ride your bike after drinking you can get a DUI on your driver license if you are over the limit (0.08).

If you run a stop sigh or red light, you can get a moving violation with all the fines of regular ticket. It also goes on your driving record. (I saw 4 guys in Redondo Beach getting a ticket cause they blew through a stop sign and right in front of a motocycle police. They didn't even try to slow down... oops)

And yes no helmet under 18 and parents can get a ticket.

Riding without a light at night you will get a ticket.

Should you be speeding, you can get a ticket for going over the speed limit. A friendly motocycle police have taken "pictures" of yours truely in the past. I've clocked pretty fast but only once was I over the speed limit just by 1mph though!!! They usually smile and tell me how fast I'm going.

heh! Just wish I had that kind of conditioning. :(

smilingcat

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It goes on your driving record :eek: ?! That's ridiculous! What do they do when the cyclist doesn't have a license?