Golden Municipal Code

10.85.010 Operation of bicycles Every person riding a bicycle shall have all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this title, except as to special regulations in this title and except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application. Said riders shall comply with the rules set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 1067, 1989.)

10.85.020 General rules of operation

The following general rules of operation of bicycles shall be required.

a) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed or equipped.

b) No person riding upon any bicycle shall attach the same or himself to any motor vehicle upon a roadway.

c) Any person riding a bicycle shall ride in the right hand lane. When being overtaken by another vehicle, such person shall ride as close to the right hand side of the roadway as practicable. Where a paved shoulder suitable for bicycle riding is present, persons operating bicycles shall ride on the paved shoulder. These provisions shall apply, 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 hazardous conditions, including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, or surface hazards.

d) Persons operating bicycles on roadways shall ride single file, except that riding no more than two abreast is permitted in the following circumstances:

(1) When there is no motor vehicle traffic approaching from the rear within a distance of three hundred feet and the sight distance on the roadway at the time and place and under the conditions then existing is a minimum of three hundred feet to the front and to the rear of the bicyclist,

(2) When riding on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles,

(3) Persons riding two abreast shall ride within a single lane.

e) A person operating a bicycle shall keep at least one hand on the handlebars at all times.

f) A person riding a bicycle intending to turn left shall follow either of the following courses:

(1) The rider shall approach the turn in the extreme left hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of such vehicle. Whenever practicable, the left turn shall be made to the left of the center of the intersection so as to leave the intersection or other location in the extreme left hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction as such vehicle on the roadway being entered.

(2) The rider shall approach the turn as closely as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the intersecting roadway to the far corner of the curb or intersection of the roadway edges the bicyclist shall stop, as much as practicable, out of the way of traffic. After stopping the bicyclist shall yield to any traffic proceeding in either direction along the roadway that the bicyclist had been using. After yielding and complying with any official traffic device or police officer regulating traffic on the highway along which he intends to proceed, the bicyclist may proceed in the new direction.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (g) every person riding a bicycle shall signal his intention to turn or stop in accordance with the provisions of state statutes.

g) A signal of intention to turn right or left when required shall be given continuously during not less than the last one hundred feet traveled by the bicycle before turning and shall be given while the bicycle is stopped waiting to turn. A signal by hand and arm need not be given continuously if the hand is needed in the control or operation of the bicycle.

h) A person riding 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 an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.

i) A person shall not ride a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk where such use of bicycles is prohibited by official traffic control devices.

j) A person riding or walking a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk shall have all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

k) A person riding a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk shall dismount before entering any roadway and, when crossing any such roadway, shall observe all the rules and regulations applicable to pedestrians.

l) A person may park a bicycle on a sidewalk unless prohibited or restricted by an official traffic control device.

m) A bicycle parked on a sidewalk shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of pedestrian or other traffic.

n) A bicycle may be parked on the road at any angle to the curb or edge of the road at any location where parking is allowed.

o) A bicycle may be parked on the road abreast of another bicycle or bicycles near the side of the road or any location where parking is allowed in such a manner as does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.

p) In all other respects bicycles parked anywhere on a highway shall conform to the laws regulating the parking of vehicles. (Ord. 1067, 1989.)

10.85.030 Bicycle equipment

a) Every bicycle in use at the times when lamps are required for other vehicles by state statutes shall be equipped with a lamp on the front emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front.

b) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a red reflector of a type which shall be visible for six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.

c) Every bicycle when in use at the times when lamps are required for other vehicles by state statutes shall be equipped with reflective material of sufficient size and reflectivity to be visible from both sides for six hundred feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle or, in lieu of such reflective material with a lighted lamp visible from both sides from a distance of at least five hundred feet.

d) A bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this section.

e) A bicycle shall not be equipped with, nor shall any person use upon a bicycle, any siren or whistle.

f) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake or brakes which will enable its rider to stop the bicycle within twenty-five feet from a speed of ten miles per hour on dry, level, clean pavement.

g) A person engaged in the business of selling bicycles at retail shall not sell any bicycle unless the bicycle has an identifying number permanently stamped or cast on its frame. (Ord. 1067, 1989).

10.85.040 Penalties Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof punished in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.04.040 of this code. (Ord. 1067, 1989).