Bicycle rules.

[coeceo.livejournal.com]

When you are riding a bicycle on public ways, state law subjects you to the same basic laws and regulations that apply to motor vehicle operators. The list below (dont know how to make the cut link deal) shows some other rules that I wasnt aware of, like sidewalk use, reflective ankle bands, etc...

Comments

[coeceo.livejournal.com]

You must obey all traffic signs and signals, ride single file with the flow of traffic, and yield to pedestrians.

You must ride on the right side of the roadway, unless you are turning left.

To turn left, signal, look, and move into the lane closest to the center line.

It is strongly recommended that you avoid listening to headphones while riding.

Before entering or crossing a roadway, you should stop, look left, look right, and look left again for traffic—even if it is a one-way street.

When preparing to merge, stop, or turn, use hand signals to communicate your intentions to other roadway users. You may use either hand to signal.

Use an audible signal bell, horn, or your voice to warn pedestrians.

For nighttime operation, your bike must be equipped with a white headlight, red taillight, and/or rear reflector, pedal reflectors, and side reflectors. In addition, you must wear reflective ankle bands.

You may use sidewalks outside business districts, unless there is a local ordinance prohibiting it. When operating on a sidewalk, you must yield the right of way to pedestrians.

This is all from the latest RMV driver's manual.

[ron_newman]

The single-file rule was repealed, and I really doubt there is any law requiring reflective ankle bands.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Agreed. The state law regarding bicycle operation did not mention reflective ankle bands the last time I looked at it.

Despite the word "must", this is a list of guidelines and recommendations. You will find that a recommendation like "you must ride on the right side of the roadway unless you are turning left" will produce more controversy than you may expect. Other than that, it's not a bad list of things to keep in mind.

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

I believe the latest bicycle bill allows for riding two abreast... tho I'm not finding the citation.

Now if only I can get pedestrians to follow this rule: Before entering or crossing a roadway, you should stop, look left, look right, and look left again for traffic—even if it is a one-way street.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Might want to actually put this in the body.

To LJ cut: [lj-cut] at the beginning of what you want cut, [/lj-cut] at the end of what you want cut. Just substitute < > for the brackets and you're set.

For the record, thanks for thinking of using a cut in the first place.

[mrboboto.livejournal.com]

It's missing some-

If you are riding a fixed gear bike with no helmet and no foot retention, I will call you an asshole under my breath. Then I will wait for your foot to slip.

If you run a red light, I will call you an asshole very loudly.

If you are riding the wrong way down a one way street while wearing headphones, I will hate you with the fire of a thousand suns.

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

the list isn't there... ?

[ron_newman]

I see no 'list below'.

Bikes are never 'mandated' to use the sidewalk, but in some places such as Davis Square they are mandated NOT to use the sidewalk.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

folks, the list is in the first comment.

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

yup.. we were just wicked quick to the draw and loaded our f-lists before he posted the comment... :-P

how to lj-cut

[ron_newman]

(dont know how to make the cut link deal)

For future reference: How to make an lj-cut

Re: how to lj-cut

[coeceo.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks.

[coeceo.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I dont know how to do the cool trick where the bulk of the message is "below the cut" so it doesnt all show up on the main Davis_Square page, etc...

I also took out the "mandatory sidewalk" part after I looked again at the list again.

Also this was all found in the April-2009 (latest) version of MA driver's manual, chapter 4 page 105. Found here:
http://www.mass.gov/rmv/dmanual/index.htm

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I absolutely believe you that it came from the RMV drivers' manual! I just don't think that the driver's manual is in sync with what state law actually requires. :-)

[makoshark.livejournal.com]

I think the manual was put together before the most recent bicycle law was past.

[dearsweetbriar.livejournal.com]

As Ron mentioned before, the single file rule was repealed, as was the hand signal thing:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st02/st02573.htm

And MassBike posted a really great page that explains what it means in practical terms:
http://massbike.org/bikebill/index.htm

It is a good list of general guidelines, but as someone who frequently commutes by bike (and hates assholes on bikes who don't follow any rules - especially since the only one I even give a damn about is ride somewhat predictably), I have a gross mistrust for anything that comes from the RMV or any motorist, for that matter. I just ride like every car on the road is out to kill me, and like none of them are willing to share the roadway, and so far I've avoided any serious injury.

The one about riding on sidewalks, though - I moved to Inman Square where it happens more frequently than I ever saw in Davis, and that one KILLS me. I want to throw sticks in their spokes.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

To be clear, signaling is not required WHEN it is necessary to have both hands on the handlebars, it's still a good idea so that motorists who might actually be paying attention have some clue where you are going :)

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Regardless if the single file rule was repealed, looking at most streets around here, it's probably a good idea! You can hardly fit 2 cars, much less 2 cars and 2 cyclists on most streets in Somerville, Cambridge, or Boston!

two bikes are narrower than one car...

[turil.livejournal.com]

Actually, when biking in a large group, it's better for everyone for the group to "mass up" into one blob, rather than spread out into a very long single line, especially in a road with only one lane in each direction. This way faster traffic can pass more easily.

And since most lanes in the Boston area are too small for a car to share with a cyclist, it's more compact to mass up even when there are only two or three cyclists biking together, since each one will be taking up a whole lane anyway.

Same roads. Same rules. Same rights.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Yep. The only real difference in traffic laws for cyclists are:

1. No biking on limited access highways where signs are posted prohibiting biking. (Route 1 in Saugus is legal to bike on, as it's not limited access, but I-93 is totally off limits as it's limited access and there are signs prohibiting it.) Otherwise ALL public streets and all lanes are legal to bike on in the proper direction.

2. Passing on the right is legal. But generally a bad idea. Bike lanes notwithstanding.

Of course equipment laws are different, but the traffic laws really are the same for all kinds of vehicles, be it human powered, motorized, or powered by magic pixie dust...

Re: Same roads. Same rules. Same rights.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

If we could just get all cyclists to CARRY A LIGHT I think it'd make a HUGE difference to their level of safety! Why are we so obsessed with helmet laws while the night time illumination problem seems to fall completely by the way-side?

[turil.livejournal.com]

Also: here's a bicycle map and guide for Somerville (http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/CoS_Content/documents/somervillebybicycle.pdf). Newly updated with some small bits of info about road markings a proposed stuff.

And to everyone who uses this map for navigating around the hills, I apologize for ignoring the largeness of the hill by Sullivan Square, and not depicting it properly on the map. Clearly I was lame when I designed the map, and didn't think anyone cared about the Sullivan Square area. I'm surprised whomever redid the map this time didn't fix it, but maybe no one noticed...

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

For the record, I'm really surprised that Willow Street is a recommended bike route. It has very heavy car traffic (as it's a major through street), and there's not really enough room for 2-way traffic + bike traffic + parked cars. I'm thinking specifically of the stretch between highland ave and broadway.

[ominousfairy.livejournal.com]

And for the record, these rules are not just for the cyclist's safety, but also for the safety of motorists and pedestrians, as well. We all (cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians alike) get so frustrated with other people and into what WE need to do that we tend to only focus on ourselves. Let's ALL have a broader scope of thought and consideration so that everyone stays safe!

[buckturgidsen.livejournal.com]

Totally agree. One thing about riding a bike is that you are completely exposed -- you're sharing the road with cars, but without the 3000-lb shell of metal and glass -- and I find that this helps you tune in more to the people and environment around you. Provided I ride safely (and plenty of riders don't), the thing that poses the biggest risk to me on the bike is the person in the cocoon-like safety of their car who is on the phone, or texting, or fiddling with their Sirius trying to find Howard Stern. Our cars are so quiet and comfortably appointed that it's easy for drivers to develop a false sense of security and forget how crucial a role we all play in the safety of everyone else around us.

Yesterday, in the rain, a guy made a wide left turn across the bike lane and cut me off -- he was steering with the left hand and typing an address into his handheld GPS with the right. Those things happen all the time out there. These aren't bad people; I think it's just that the deceptively secure shell of the car makes it easy to lose focus on other people around you and you end up paying just enough attention to get where you're going.