Bicycle Ordinances
August 11, 2011 Leave a Comment
The following Lakewood bicycle ordinances are good examples of most municipalities. bicycle ordinances. These ordinances usually mirror the Ohio Revised Code Chapters 4503., 4505., 4507., 4509., 4511.,4513., 4515., and 4517., except the municipalities use the term “bicycle” rather than “vehicle” as in the Ohio Revised Code.
Lakewood
373.01 CODE APPLICATION TO BICYCLES.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, every person riding a bicycle upon a street shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle. Every person riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the . duties applicable to a pedestrian
(b) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a bicycle operator who violates any section of this Traffic Code described in subsection (a) of this section that is applicable to bicycles may be issued a ticket, citation or summons by a law enforcement officer for the violation in the same manner as the operator of a motor vehicle would be cited for the same violation.
Thus, a bicyclist on the road must obey all traffic laws that a motorist must follow. If the bicyclist is on the sidewalk, then the same rules applicable to pedestrians must be followed
373.04 RIDING BICYCLES AND MOTORCYCLES ABREAST.
(a) Persons riding bicycles or motorcycles upon a roadway shall ride not more than two abreast in a single lane, except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles or motorcycles.
Thus, bicyclist riding two abreast are legal-Do not beep your horn or yell at them
373.06 LIGHTS AND REFLECTOR ON BICYCLE; BRAKES
(a) Every bicycle when in use at the times specified in Section 337.02, shall be equipped with the following:
(1) A lamp mounted on the front of either the bicycle or the operator that shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front; and three hundred feet to the sides. A generator-powered lamp that emits light only when the bicycle is moving may be used to meet the requirement.
(2) A red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from all distances from one hundred feet to six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.
Thus a white light on the front and a red light on the back are required in rain, darkness and night (sunset to sunrise)
373.07 RIDING BICYCLE ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY; OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC RULES; PASSING.
a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules applicable to vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
(b) This section does not require a person operating a bicycle to ride at the edge of the roadway when it is unreasonable or unsafe to do so. Conditions that may require riding away from the edge of the roadway include when necessary to avoid fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, surface hazards, or if it otherwise is unsafe or impracticable to do so, including if the lane is too narrow for the bicycle and an overtaking vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane
Thus Bicyclists should ride to the right but if there is a pothole or other obstruction, they can legally move to the left . .
373.08 RECKLESS OPERATION; CONTROL, COURSE AND SPEED.
(a) No person shall operate a bicycle:
(1) Without due regard for the safety and rights of pedestrians and drivers and occupants of all other vehicles, and so as to endanger the life, limb or property of any person while in the lawful use of the streets or sidewalks or any other public or private property;
(2) Without exercising reasonable and ordinary control over such bicycle;
(3) In a weaving or zigzag course unless such irregular course is necessary for safe operation in compliance with law;
(4) Without both hands upon the handle grips except when necessary to give the required hand and arm signals, or as provided in Section 373.02(d);
(5) At a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing.
373.02 RIDING UPON SEATS; HANDLE BARS; HELMETS AND GLASSES.
(f) No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle or article that prevents the driver from keeping at least one hand upon the handle bars.
(Notice the discrepancy here with 373.08, which states, No person shall operate a bicycle: Without both hands upon the handle grips…)
373.09 COMPLIANCE WITH TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL DEVICES REQUIRED.
(a) Any person operating a bicycle shall obey the instructions of official traffic signals, signs and other control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise directed by a police officer.
(b) Whenever authorized signs are erected that no right or left or “U” turns are permitted, no person operating a bicycle shall disobey the direction of any such sign, except where such person dismounts from the bicycle to make any such turn, in which event such person shall then obey the regulations applicable to pedestrians.
373.10 RIDING ON SIDEWALK.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) below, it shall be legal to operate a bicycle upon a sidewalk when sidewalks are available and not congested with pedestrian traffic. If the sidewalk is congested with pedestrian traffic, any bicycle operator using the sidewalk shall walk the bicycle. At no time shall a bicyclist under the age of eight years operate a bicycle on Berea Road; Detroit Avenue; Madison Avenue; Warren Road between Franklin Boulevard and Detroit Avenue; or West 117 Street, unless while under the supervision of an adult.
(b) No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk, upon or along which signs have been erected by authority of the Director of Public Safety prohibiting such bicycle riding.
(c) A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian. This audible signal may be given by the voice or by a bell or other warning device capable of giving an audible signal and shall be given at such a distance and in such a manner as not to startle person or persons being overtaken and passed.
(d) A person operating a bicycle upon a sidewalk, before overtaking and passing a blind person carrying a white cane or guided by a dog, shall dismount and overtake or pass on foot, if necessary for safety.
(e) A person shall not operate a bicycle from a sidewalk so as to suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and move into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.
(f) No person shall operate a bicycle on a sidewalk at a speed greater than an ordinary walk when approaching or entering a crosswalk or approaching or crossing a driveway if a vehicle is approaching the crosswalk or driveway. This paragraph does not require reduced speeds for bicycles when other vehicles are not present.
373.11 EMERGING FROM ALLEY OR DRIVEWAY.
The operator of a bicycle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall, upon approaching a sidewalk or the sidewalk area extending across any alley or driveway, yield the right of way to all pedestrians approaching on such sidewalk area and upon entering the street shall yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching on said street.
Avon, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Avon click on the link below
Avon Lake, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Avon Lake click on the link below.
Bay Village, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Bay Village click on the link below.
http://www.conwaygreene.com/bvillage/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&2.0
Cleveland, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Cleveland click on the link below
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/clevelandcodes/cco_part4_473.html
Fairview Park, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Fairview Park click on the link below.
http://www.fairviewpark.org/files/D-TRAFFIC.pdf
Lorain, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Lorain click on the link below.
http://www.conwaygreene.com/Lorain/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&2.0
Parma, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Parma click on the link below.
Rocky River, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Rocky River click on the link below.
http://www.rrcity.com/ordframe.html
Sheffield Lake, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Sheffield Lake click on the link below.
http://www.conwaygreene.com/SheffieldLake/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&2.0
Sheffield Village, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Sheffield Village click on the link below
http://www.sheffieldvillage.com/documents/ordinances.pdf
Westlake, To see all of the bicycle ordinances for Westlake click on the link below
http://www.cityofwestlake.org/pdfs/CodifiedOrdinances/DTraf.pdf
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