Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Bad Motorists!


I'm feeling good about riding on my bike, nothing can get me down when I'm in the downhill (in a good way) moment of environmentally friendly fun, until...
A car quietly pulls up behind me and honks their horn, then passes to vocalize their frustration about having a cyclist in the way. "Get on the (beeping) sidewalk." I immediately start to doubt my right to be in the road, am I supposed to ride on the sidewalk. I don't think I'm allowed to ride on the sidewalk. I take criticisms too personally, even if I know they're wrong. So I looked up the Denver Cyclist laws when I got home. Lemme share...

According to
COLORADOSTATUTE42-4-1412
Operation of bicycles and other human-powered vehicles.
(1) Every person riding a bicycle shall have all of the rights and duties
applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this article, except as
to special regulations in this article 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 section and section 42-4-221, and when
using streets and highways within incorporated cities and towns, shall be
subject to local ordinances regulating the operation of bicycles as pro-
vided in section 42-4-111.
(2) It is the intent of the general assembly that nothing contained in
House Bill No. 1246, enacted at the second regular session of the fifty-
sixth general assembly, shall in any way be construed to modify or
increase the duty of the department of transportation or any political sub-
division to sign or maintain highways or sidewalks or to affect or increase
the liability of the state of Colorado or any political subdivision under the
“Colorado Governmental Immunity Act”, article 10 of title 24, C.R.S.
(3) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the
number for which it is designed or equipped.
(4) No person riding upon any bicycle shall attach the same or himself
to any motor vehicle upon a roadway.
(5) 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 as practicable. Where a paved shoulder suitable for bicy-
cle riding is present, persons operating bicycles shall ride on the paved
shoulder. These provisions shall apply, except under any of the following
situations:
(a) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding
in the same direction;
(b) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road
or driveway;
(c) When reasonably necessary to avoid hazardous conditions, includ-
ing, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles,
pedestrians, animals, or surface hazards.
(6) (a) Persons operating bicycles on roadways shall ride single file;
except that riding no more than two abreast is permitted in the following
circumstances:
(I) When there is no motor vehicle traffic approaching from the rear with-
in 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 bicyclists;or
(II) When riding on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive
use of bicycles.
(b) Persons riding two abreast shall ride within a single lane.
(7) A person operating a bicycle shall keep at least one hand on the han-
dlebars at all times.
(8) (a) A person riding a bicycle intending to turn left shall follow a course
described in sections 42-4-901 (1), 42-4-903, and 42-4-1007 or may
make a left turn in the manner prescribed in paragraph (b) of this sub-
section (8).
(b) A person riding a bicycle intending to turn left 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
the the bicyclist had been using. After yielding and complying with any
official traffic control device or police officer regulating traffic on the high-
way along which he intends to proceed, the bicyclist may proceed in the
new direction.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this sub-
section (8), the transportation commission and local authorities in their
respective jurisdictions may cause official traffic control devices to be
placed on roadways and thereby require and direct that a specific course
be traveled.
(9) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (9), every person
riding a bicycle shall signal his intention to turn or stop in accordance with
the provisions of section 42-4-903.
(b) 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.
(10) (a) 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 pass-
ing such pedestrian.
(b) 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 pro-
hibited by official traffic control devices or local ordinances.
(c) 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.
(d) 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.
(11) (a) A person may park a bicycle on a sidewalk unless prohibited or
restricted by an official traffic control device or local ordinance.
(b) A bicycle parked on a sidewalk shall not impede the normal and rea-
sonable movement of pedestrian or other traffic.
(c) 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.
(d) 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 reason-
able movement of traffic.
(e) In all other respects, bicycles parked anywhere on a highway shall
conform to the provisions of part 11 of this article regulating the parking
of vehicles.
(12) (a) Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a
class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense; except that section 42-2-127 shall
not apply.
(b) Any person riding a bicycle who violates any provision of this article
other than this section which is applicable to such a vehicle and for which
a penalty is specified shall be subject to the same specified penalty as
any other vehicle;except the section 42-2-127 shall not apply.


Well, Mr. Hothead, looks like I win this round!
***Above photo is of musician, Jen Lapinski riding my cruiser on Sunday afternoon, what a silly girl!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Denver Cruisers: Duct Tape and Bubble Wrap




Denver Cruisers Meet every Wednesday night with a different costume theme during the warmer months of the year.