Saturday, April 24, 2010

Ventnor NJ Bicycle Regulations

If you're bringing your bike to Ventnor this Summer you should be aware of these regulations.

http://www.ventnorcitypolice.org/bicycles_rollerskates_skateboards.htm

Chapter 75

Article I

Bicycles

75-2. Registrations and inspections.

A. All bicycles, unicycles or adult tricycles owned by residents of the City of Ventnor City and operated on the highways and Boardwalk of the city shall be inspected by and registered with the Department of Public Safety. Registration shall take place at the same time the bicycle is inspected, which inspection shall take place at the Ventnor City fire house on Winchester Avenue in the city of Ventnor City, New Jersey, on Fridays at the prescribed times as designated by the Commissioner of Public Safety. Such initial registration and inspection will be considered permanent to the effect that only in the event of a change in ownership shall a new registration and inspection be required.

B. Registration certificates shall be maintained on file with the Police Department. Upon registering and inspecting the bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle, a registration decal and inspection sticker to be placed on the bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle will be issued by the inspecting personnel, shall show the date of registration and inspection only and shall be maintained on the bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle at all times.

75-3. Audible signaling devices.

No person shall operate a bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle 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, unicycle or adult tricycle any siren or whistle.

75-4. Lights and reflectors.

No person shall operate a bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle at nighttime unless it is 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 a lamp on the rear which shall emit a red light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear. In addition to the red lamp, a red reflector may be mounted on the rear 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.

75-5. Brake requirements.

No person shall operate a bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle unless it is equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the brake wheel skid on dry, level and clean pavement.

75-6. Riding restrictions.

A person propelling or riding on a bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto, nor shall he/she ride with his/her feet removed from the pedals or with both hands removed from the handlebars. No bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.

75-7. Attaching to other vehicle prohibited.

No person riding upon any bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle shall attach the same or himself/herself to any vehicle upon a roadway, and no operator of any such vehicle shall knowingly allow any person riding upon any bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle to attach the same or himself/herself to any such vehicle.

75-8. Caution and circumspection required.

It shall be unlawful to operate a bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle on any public highway, the boardwalk or the approaches thereto or on any other public right-of-way or public grounds in a careless manner or without due caution and circumspection or in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or property.

75-9. Time and place restrictions.

A. It shall be unlawful to operate a bicycle, unicycle or adult bicycle upon the Boardwalk or the approaches thereto, except in the designated bicycle path. The aforementioned vehicles shall be permitted to operate in the designated bicycle path during the daylight hours from Labor Day to June 30. From July 1 to Labor Day, the aforementioned vehicles shall be permitted to operate from 6:00 am to 12:00 noon from Sunday to Saturday, with additional hours on Monday through Friday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, prevailing time.

B. It shall be lawful to operate a bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle upon any sidewalk.

There is no central clearinghouse of local bicycle ordinances. As such some local regulations may be redundent or in conflict with the state laws. We intend to post more of these types of municipal regulations on the internet as we find them.

4 comments:

Andrew J. Besold said...

Take note of the first sentence. To paraphrase it says "bicycles owned AND operated by local residents are subject to the safety inspection, etc. etc."

If you're just visiting or passing through on your bike you this law does not apply to you.

Still, I don't see where a town comes off regulating something already regulated by the state. They can require permits but all that does is act as a barrier to cycling in the town and is a money loosing program since it would cost more to manage then anyone would be willing to pay in permit fees. Such permit requirements are also known to be used to harass otherwise law abiding cyclist (This is well documented in Los Angeles).

Andrew J. Besold said...

Also,

Most of these regulations are taken nearly verbatim from New Jersey Law.

The only thing Ventnor should be regulating is bicycling on their boardwalk and sidewalks. Still, it is bad policy to have a sidewalk riding ban that doesn't exclude small children. Ordinance 75-9 subsection B forces small children to ride in the street! I know I wouldn't want a 5yo riding in the street as he learning with training wheels.

Anonymous said...

Andy B. Read it again! It's lawful not unlawful. As written anyone can ride on the sidewalks.
B. It shall be lawful to operate a bicycle, unicycle or adult tricycle upon any sidewalk.

Andrew J. Besold said...

Woops! Your right! My bad. Bike riding on Ventnor sidewalks would seem to be completely legal outside of the boardwalk. I did misread that section.