Lincoln Bicycle Laws

Chapter 10.48

BICYCLES

Sections:

10.48.010 Traffic Laws Applied to Persons Riding Bicycles.

Every person operating 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 under Title 10 of the Lincoln Municipal Code, except as to special regulations in Chapter 10.48, and except as to those provisions of Title 10 of the Lincoln Municipal Code which by their nature can have no application, or which are expressly excluded. (Ord. 15649 §1; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.005: Ord. 10246 §5; September 7, 1971).

10.48.020 Registration; Number Plate.

(Repealed by Ord. 17088 §1; November 12, 1996: Ord. 15649 §2; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.010: Ord. 10246 §6; September 7, 1971: Ord. 5699 §1501; April 12, 1954).

10.48.030 Application for Registration; Fees.

10.48.040 Issuance of Registration Certificate.

10.48.050 Issuance and Attachment of Registration Number Plates.

10.48.060 Term of Registration.

10.48.070 Duties of Police Department.

10.48.080 Representative of Police Department; Fees.

10.48.090 Sale of Abandoned or Seized Bicycles.

10.48.100 Transfer of Bicycle Ownership.

10.48.110 Equipment on Bicycles; Brakes and Lights.

10.48.120 Inspection.

(Repealed by Ord. 17718 §2; August 21, 2000: prior Ord. 15649 §12; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.090: Ord. 10246 §8; September 7, 1971: Ord. 5699 §1509; April 12, 1954).

10.48.130 Right-of-Way.

The operator of a bicycle emerging from any alley, building, driveway, or road shall, upon approaching a sidewalk, sidewalk space, or shared-use path extending across any alleyway, driveway, or road, yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians approaching on said sidewalk, sidewalk space, or shared-use path. Where a shared-use path crosses a highway, a pedestrian, who is in the crossing in accordance with the traffic control device, shall have the right-of-way within the crossing with respect to vehicles and bicycles. An operator of a bicycle on a sidewalk or shared use path or in a crosswalk shall have all of the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. No operator of a bicycle shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and move into the path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for the driver to safely stop. Nothing in this section shall relieve the bicyclist or the driver of a vehicle from the duty to exercise due care. (Ord. 20395 §7; December 12, 2016: prior Ord. 18776 §5; July 31, 2006: Ord. 15649 §13; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.100: Ord. 10246 §9; September 7, 1971: Ord. 5699 §1510, as amended by Ord. 7305; October 3, 1960).

10.48.140 Right Turn Lanes.

A person operating a bicycle approaching an intersection in a lane of traffic designated for right turns only who desires to proceed straight through the intersection shall, before reaching the intersection and after yielding the right-of-way to any approaching motor vehicle which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard, move into the first lane to the immediate left which is lawfully available for traffic moving straight through the intersection, shall enter the intersection in said lane, and shall leave the intersection as near to the right hand side of the roadway as practicable; or said person shall dismount and proceed across the street in the crosswalk. (Ord. 15649 §14; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.101: Ord. 10246 §10; September 7, 1971).

10.48.150 Left Turns.

A person operating a bicycle upon any public street or public way who intends to turn left at any intersection shall, before reaching the intersection and after yielding the right-of-way to any approaching motor vehicle which is so close behind as to constitute an immediate hazard, move as far as practicable to the left of the traveled portion of the roadway available for his or her direction of travel and shall then enter the intersection and execute his left turn according to law; or shall dismount and proceed across the street in the available crosswalks. (Ord. 15649 §15; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.102: Ord. 10246 §11; September 7, 1971).

10.48.160 Bicycles on Arterial Streets.

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a bicycle upon any arterial street during such hours as may be designated for said street by resolution of the City Council. The Director of Public Works and Utilities shall cause appropriate regulatory signs to be erected upon any arterial street designated by resolution made pursuant to this section. (Ord. 16951 §89; March 11, 1996: prior Ord. 15649 §16; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.103: Ord. 10246 §12; September 7, 1971).

10.48.170 Riding on Sidewalk and Sidewalk Space Regulated.

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to ride a bicycle upon the sidewalks along any of the streets within the following bounds, to wit: (1) From the south line of "K" Street to the north line of "R" Street and from the east line of 16th Street to the west line of 9th Street; also from the south line of "O" Street to the north line of "R" Street and from the east line of 9th Street to the west line of 7th Street; (2) Havelock Avenue from the west line of 61st Street to the east line of 63rd Street; (3) 48th Street from the southline of Baldwin Avenue to the north line of Madison Avenue, and the west side of 48th Street from Prescott Street to Cooper Street; (4) Prescott Street from 47th Street to 48th Street; and (5) the west side of 66th Street from Holdrege Street to Fairfax Street. The City Council may, by resolution, prescribe such further regulations for the use and operation of bicycles within the city as may be deemed proper, from time to time. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a bicycle within any sidewalk space except: (1) When the bicycle is being operated upon a sidewalk as defined in Section 10.02.340. (2) When there is no sidewalk as defined in Section 10.02.340. (3) When the sidewalk is obstructed by any means. (4) At a permanent or temporary driveway. (c) Any person operating a bicycle upon a sidewalk or within any sidewalk space shall do so at his own risk and shall yield the right-of-way to any and all pedestrians. (Ord. 15917 §1; July 1, 1991: prior Ord. 15649 §17; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.110: Ord. 14476 §1; August 18, 1986: Ord. 10246 §13; September 7, 1971: Ord. 5699 §1511, as amended by Ord. 7305; October 3, 1960).

10.48.180 Riding to Right of Roadway.

Bicycles proceeding with the normal flow of traffic shall be operated in the right-hand travel lane of a roadway. Bicycles proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall stay as close as practicable to the right-hand side of the right-hand travel lane except when passing or preparing for a left turn. (Ord. 15649 §18; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.120: Ord. 11981 §7; May 16, 1977: prior Ord. 5699 §1512; April 12, 1954).

10.48.190 Riding in Group.

Persons riding bicycles upon a street or roadway shall ride single file, except on paths or parts of roadway set aside for exclusive use of bicycles. (Ord. 15649 §19; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.130: Ord. 5699 §1513, as amended by Ord. 7305; October 3, 1960).

10.48.200 Holding on to Moving Vehicles.

It shall be unlawful for any person riding a bicycle to take hold of or hold onto any other vehicle in motion. (Ord. 15649 §20; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.140: Ord. 5699 §1514; April 12, 1954).

10.48.210 Number of Persons on Bicycle.

It shall be unlawful for more than one person to ride a bicycle, unless said bicycle is constructed to carry the number of persons being conveyed. (Ord. 15649 §21; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.150: Ord. 5699 §1515; April 12, 1954).

10.48.220 Control of Bicycle.

At no time shall a cyclist operate a bicycle with less than one hand on the handlebars. (Ord. 15649 §22; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.160: Ord. 11981 §8; May 16, 1977: prior Ord. 5699 §1516; April 12, 1954).

10.48.230 Parking.

It shall be unlawful for any person to park a bicycle upon a roadway, sidewalk, or other public way in such a position as to interfere with the safety or movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, and when parked upon a sidewalk such bicycle shall be parked within four feet of the curb. This section shall not apply to bicycles parked within areas officially designated by the city for the purpose of parking bicycles. (Ord. 15649 §23; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.170: Ord. 10246 §14; September 7, 1971: prior Ord. 5699 §1517; April 12, 1954).

10.48.240 Attachment of Bicycle to Fire Hydrant.

It shall be unlawful for any person to attach, tie, chain, or secure a bicycle to a fire hydrant in any manner whatsoever. (Ord. 15649 §24; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.175: Ord. 10246 §15; September 17, 1971).

10.48.250 Rental Agencies.

It shall be unlawful for any rental agency to offer any bicycle for rent which is not equipped by such agency with lights and other safety equipment as is required by this title or one which is not in good and safe working order. (Ord. 17718 §3; August 21, 2000: prior Ord. 15649 §25; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.180: Ord. 5699 §1518; April 12, 1954).

10.48.260 Bicycle Dealers.

All persons engaged in the business of buying secondhand bicycles are hereby required to make a written report to the Police Department on the first Tuesday of each month giving the name and address of the person from whom each bicycle is purchased, the description of each bicycle purchased, the manufacturer's serial number on the frame thereof, the number on the registration number plate, sticker, or decal found thereon, if any. All persons engaged in the business of selling new or secondhand bicycles are hereby required to make a written report to the Police Department on the first Tuesday of each month, consisting of a list of all sales made by such dealer of new or secondhand bicycles made by such dealer during the previous month giving the name and address of each person to whom sold, the kind of bicycle sold, together with a description and the manufacturer's serial frame number thereof; the number of the registration number plate, sticker or decal attached thereto, if any, and the Lincoln Police Department serial number found thereon, if any. (Ord. 15649 §26; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.190: Ord. 11981 §9; May 16, 1977: Ord. 5699 §1519; April 12, 1954).

10.48.270 Malicious Destruction.

It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or maliciously remove, destroy, mutilate or alter the manufacturer's serial frame number of any bicycle registered pursuant to the provisions hereof. It shall also be unlawful for any person to remove, destroy, mutilate or alter any registration number plate during the period when such registration is operative, or any Police Department serial number placed on the frame of a bicycle by the city. (Ord. 15649 §27; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.200: Ord. 5699 §1520; April 12, 1954).

10.48.280 Penalty.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter, or who shall fail, neglect, or refuse to perform any duty imposed upon him or her, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof may, in lieu of the penalty elsewhere in this title provided, be ordered to surrender his or her bicycle for impounding for a period of not to exceed six months. (Ord. 17718§4; August 21, 2000: prior Ord. 15649 §28; July 9, 1990: P.C. §10.64.210: Ord. 5699 §1521; April 12, 1954).