Bike laws

[Tuckervill]

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".)

~~~
(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.
~~~

All the rights and all the duties.

Karen

[PscyclePath]

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 :-(

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)

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

[silver]

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

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

[Tuckervill]

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

[Bron]

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

[xeney]

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.

[Eden]

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?

[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