(A) Effect of regulations.
(1) The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate any of the provisions of this section.
(2) These regulations applicable to bicycles are operated upon any street or upon any public path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, subject to those exceptions stated herein.
(B) Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles. Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by the laws of this state declaring rules of the road applicable to vehicles or by the traffic ordinances of this town applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except as to special regulations in this section and except as to those provisions of laws and ordinances which by their nature can have no application.
(C) Obedience to traffic control devises.
(1) Any person operating a bicycle shall obey the instructions of official traffic control signals, signs, and other control devices applicable to vehicles unless otherwise directed by a police officer.
(2) Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating that no right or left or U-turn is 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.
(D) Riding on roadways and bicycle paths.
(1) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right-hand side as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
(2) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall ride only in single file except on paths or a part of roadway set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
(3) Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and not use the roadway.
(E) Speed. No person shall operate a bicycle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing.
(F) Emerging from alley or driveway. The operator of a bicycle emerging from an alley, driveway, or building shall upon approaching a sidewalk or sidewalk area extending across the alleyway, yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians approaching on said sidewalk or sidewalk area, and upon entering the roadway, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on said roadway.
(G) Clinging to vehicles. No person riding upon any bicycle shall attach the same or himself or herself to any passenger bus or vehicle upon the roadway.
(H) Carrying articles. No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle, or article which prevents the rider from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebars.
(I) Parking. No person shall park a bicycle upon a street other than upon the roadway against the curb, or upon the sidewalk in a rack to support the bicycle, or against a building, or at the curb in such a manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic.
(J) Riding on sidewalks.
(1) No person shall ride a bicycle upon the sidewalk within the central business district.
(2) Whenever any person is riding upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.
(K) Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(1) Every bicycle, when in use at night time, shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible for a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear, of the type which shall be visible from all distances from 50 feet to 300 feet to the rear when directly in front of the upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the reflector.
(2) No person shall operate a bicycle unless it is equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal not to be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a bicycle, any siren or whistle.
(3) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the brake wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
(Ord. 107, passed 5-18-1962) Penalty, see § 73.99