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 regulations of this City applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except as to special regulations in this Article and except as to those provisions of laws and articles which by their nature can have no application.
(A) A 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.
(B) 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.
(C) A person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto.
(D) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time that the number for which it is designed and equipped.
(E) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right hand side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
(F) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast, except on paths or parts of the roadway set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
(G) Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.
(H) No person shall operate a bicycle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing.
(I) No person riding upon any bicycle shall attach the same or himself to any vehicle upon a roadway.
(J) No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle, or article which prevents the rider from keeping at least one hand upon the handle bars.
(K) 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 bicycles, or against a building, or at the curb, in such a manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic.
(L) (1) No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district.
(2) The Chief of Police is authorized to erect signs on any sidewalk, street or roadway prohibiting the riding of bicycles thereon by any person, if it constitutes a hazard to traffic or pedestrians, and when such signs are in place, no person shall disobey the same.
(M) Whenever any person is riding a bicycle 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.
(N) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime, shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type which shall be visible from all distances from 50 feet to 300 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.
(O) No person shall operate a bicycle unless it is equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal audible for a distance of at least 100 feet, except that a bicycle shall not be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle.
(P) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
(Q) (1) No person shall operate, park, store, or own any bicycle within the City of Mt. Vernon without first registering the bicycle with the Police Department of the City and having the registration number stamped or placed thereon.
(2) Upon written application by an owner (or, if the owner is under 18 years of age, then by his parent or other adult guardian), and upon payment of a One Dollar fee, the Police Department of the City of Mt. Vernon shall stamp or place a registration number on the frame of each bicycle, and shall keep a record of each application, the name and address of the owner of the bicycle and the registration number.
(3) When any bicycle is transferred from one owner to another, the new owner shall make a written application to the Police Department for transfer of registration, but no fee shall be imposed for the change of registration.
(4) (a) Any person who fails to register his bicycle and obtain a registration number thereon or who fails to change a registration upon transfer of a bicycle, thereby implicitly consents to confiscation and retention of the bicycle by the Police Department of the City of Mt. Vernon until the Department determines the lawful owner of the bicycle and the bicycle is properly registered.
(b) Any confiscated bicycle may be delivered by the Police Department to the owner as shown by the registration records. The burden of proof as to ownership shall be upon the individual asserting ownership of the bicycle.
(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, destroy, or alter any registration number without first reporting same to the Police Department.
(6) Any police officer or other agent of the City shall not be held to answer or be liable for damages in any action arising from enforcement of this ordinance.
(Prior Code, Art. 18, § 18.14)