Taft Municipal Code Ch. 11 Bicycles

For the purposes of this Chapter the words set out in this Section are defined as follows:

BICYCLE: A device upon which any person may ride, propelled exclusively by human power through a belt, chain or gears, and having two (2) or more wheels. The provisions of this Code are applicable to motorized bicycles.

MOTORIZED BICYCLE: Any two (2) wheeled or three (3) wheeled device having fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power, or having no pedals if powered solely by electrical energy, and an automatic transmission and a motor which produces less than two (2) gross brake horsepower and is capable of propelling the device at a maximum speed of not more than thirty (30) miles per hour on level ground. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

(A) Equipment Requirements:

1. No person shall operate a bicycle on a roadway unless it is equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.

2. No person shall operate on the highway any bicycle equipped with handlebars so raised that the operator must elevate his hands above the level of his shoulders in order to grasp the normal steering grip area.

3. No person shall operate upon any highway a bicycle which is of such a size as to prevent the operator from safely stopping the bicycle, supporting it in an upright position with at least one foot on the ground, and restarting it in a safe manner.

4. Every bicycle operated upon any street during darkness shall be equipped:

(a) With a lamp emitting a white light which, while the bicycle is in motion, illuminates the street in front of the bicyclist and is visible from a distance of three hundred feet (300') in front and from the sides of the bicycle;

(b) With a red reflector on the rear which shall be visible from a distance of five hundred feet (500') to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle;

(c) With a white or yellow reflector on each pedal visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of two hundred feet (200'); and

(d) With a white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the center of the bicycle, and with a white or red reflector on each side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles which are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear need not be equipped with these side reflectors.

5. A lamp or lamp combination, emitting a white light, attached to the operator and visible from a distance of three hundred feet (300') in front and from the sides of the bicycle, may be used in lieu of the lamp required by subsection (A)4(a) of this Section.

(B) Bicycle Not Equipped Or Unsafe: It is unlawful to operate any bicycle which is in an unsafe condition, which is not equipped as required by this Code, or which is not safely loaded.

(C) Destroying Number: No person shall wilfully or maliciously remove, destroy, mutilate or alter the number of any bicycle frame licensed pursuant to this Chapter.

(D) Destroying License Plate, Seal, Etc.: No person shall remove, destroy, mutilate or alter any license plate, seal or registration card during the time in which such license plate, seal or registration card is operative, provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the Police Department from stamping numbers on the frames of bicycles on which no serial number can be found, or on which number is illegible or insufficient for identification purposes.

(E) Clinging To Moving Vehicles Prohibited: No person traveling upon any bicycle, motorcycle or any toy vehicle shall cling to or attach himself or his vehicle to any other moving vehicle upon any roadway.

(F) Bicycle Riding Restricted: No person shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk. The rider of a bicycle upon any roadway shall ride as nearly as practicable within five feet (5') of the right- hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when passing a standing or other vehicle or making a left-hand turn at an intersection.

(G) Riding On Handlebars Prohibited: No operator of any bicycle or motorcycle when upon a street shall carry any other person upon the bar, handle, or tank of any such vehicle nor shall any person so ride on any such bicycle or motorcycle.

(H) Unlawful To Drive Through Funeral Procession: No operator of any bicycle shall drive between vehicles comprising a funeral procession.

(I) Operation On Roadway: Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:

1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction;

2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;

3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For purposes of this Section, a "substandard width lane" is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane;

4. Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway of this City which roadway carries traffic in one direction only and has two (2) or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable.

(J) Carrying Articles: No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle or article which prevents the operator from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebars.

(K) Permitted Movements From Bicycle Lanes: Whenever a bicycle lane has been established on a roadway any person operating a bicycle upon the roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction shall ride within the bicycle lane, except that such person may move out of the lane under any of the following situations:

1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle, vehicle, or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if such overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane;

2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;

3. When reasonably necessary to leave the bicycle lane to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions. No person operating a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane until the movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal.

(L) Turning Movements And Required Signals: No person shall turn a bicycle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the event any vehicle may be affected by the movement.

(M) Duration Of Signal: Any signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during the last one hundred feet (100') traveled by the bicycle before turning.

(N) Signal When Stopping: No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of a bicycle on a roadway without first giving an appropriate signal to the driver of any vehicle immediately to the rear when there is opportunity to give the signal.

(O) Method Of Signaling: The signals required by this Section shall be given either by means of the hand and arm or by a signal lamp.

(P) Stop Requirements:

1. The driver of any bicycle approaching a stop sign at the entrance to, or within, an intersection, shall stop at a limit line, if marked, otherwise before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection.

2. If there is no limit line or crosswalk, the driver shall stop at the entrance to the intersection roadway.

(Q) Speed: No person shall ride a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.

(R) Obedience To Traffic-Control Signals: The rider of any bicycle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic signal applicable to him and placed as provided by law, unless otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer or when it is necessary for the purpose of avoiding a collision or in case of other emergency.

(S) Reckless Operation: No person shall ride any bicycle upon any roadway or public property in a wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.

(T) Intoxicated Operation:

1. It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of intoxicating liquor and/or any drug, to ride a bicycle upon any roadway.

2. It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of intoxicating liquor and/or any drug, to ride a bicycle upon other than a roadway.

(U) Bicycle Parking: No person shall leave a bicycle lying on its side on any sidewalk, or shall park a bicycle on a sidewalk in any other position, so that there is not an adequate path for pedestrian traffic. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)