Merced Municipal Code Ch. 10.44 Bicycles

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 2491, § 1, adopted August 20, 2018, repealed the former Ch. 10.44, §§ 10.44.010—10.44.170, and enacted a new Ch. 10.44 as set out herein. The former Ch. 10.44 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from the prior Code; Ord. 1153, adopted 1975; Ord. 1558, adopted 1984; and Ord. 1851, adopted 1993.

For the purpose of this chapter, "bicycle" means any device upon which a person may ride, which is propelled by human power through a system of belts, chains or gears, and which has wheels at least twenty (20) inches in diameter and a frame size of at least fourteen (14) inches.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

No person shall ride, operate or use a bicycle upon any public street or highway in the city without first registering the bicycle on a national bicycle registry.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

When registered, bicycle registration shall entitle the owner to ride such bicycle for which the registration has been issued upon all the streets, public highways and designated bicycle trails of the city. Bicycles may also be ridden on all the sidewalks of the city except the following, when appropriate signs are displayed thereon: Main Street from G to V Street, 18th Street from Martin Luther King, Jr. Way to N Street, I Street from 16th to 18th Street, Martin Luther King, Jr. Way from 16th to 18th Street, K Street from 16th to 18th Street, Canal Street from 16th to 18th Street, M Street from 16th to 20th Street and N Street from 16th to 18th Street.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

The operator of any bicycle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device placed in accordance with this chapter unless otherwise directed by a police officer or other authorized person.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

No person shall operate a bicycle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing and in no event at a speed greater than the prima facie speed limit applicable to motor vehicles.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

The operator of a bicycle emerging from an alley, driveway, or building shall, upon approaching a sidewalk or the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway, yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians approaching on said sidewalks or sidewalk area, and upon entering the roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on said roadway.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian. At the intersection of two (2) or more sidewalks, where the vision of the operator of a bicycle is so restricted by hedges, bushes, buildings, or any other obstruction so that the approach of a pedestrian cannot be observed and there is danger of a collision with the pedestrian, the operator of a bicycle shall dismount and walk through the intersection of the sidewalks.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

No person shall park a bicycle upon any public street, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bicycle path in such a way that it impedes pedestrian traffic.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

Every person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. In addition to the penalties provided by Chapter 1.08, the court may impound and retain possession of any such bicycle, the subject of such violation, and may retain possession thereof until the registration provided for in this chapter has been obtained by the person required so to do.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)

Persons engaged in the business of buying secondhand bicycles are required to make a report to the chief of police within one (1) week of purchase of a secondhand bicycle specifying:

A. The name and address of the person from whom each bicycle is purchased;

B. The description of each bicycle purchased;

C. The frame number thereof; and,

D. The number of the license plate, tag or sticker found thereon, if any.

(Ord. No. 2491, § 1, 8-20-2018)