[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Jamestown 3-26-1962 as Art. VIII of Ch. 19 of the 1962 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Auctions — See Ch. 101.
Minors — See Ch. 185.
Secondhand dealers — See Ch. 235.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 252.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 290.
[Amended 8-10-1992 by L.L. No. 2-1992]
A. 
The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate any of the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
These regulations applicable to bicycles shall apply whenever a bicycle is operated upon any street or upon any public path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, subject to those exceptions stated in this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BICYCLE
Every device propelled by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels, either of which is over 20 inches in diameter.
A. 
Application generally. Any person may apply for a license for a bicycle in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 4-23-1973]
B. 
Application form; fee. Application for a bicycle license and sticker shall be made upon a form provided by the City and shall be made to the Chief of Police. An annual license fee of $3 shall be paid to the City Clerk/Treasurer before each license or renewal thereof is granted.
[Amended 3-21-1967; 4-23-1973; 3-9-1992 by L.L. No. 1-1992; 3-23-1992; 11-27-1995; 2-10-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006; 8-28-2017; 11-25-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2020]
C. 
Inspection before issuance. The Chief of Police shall inspect each bicycle before licensing the same and shall refuse a license for any bicycle which he determines is in unsafe mechanical condition.
D. 
Issuance; record to be kept by Chief of Police and information required.
(1) 
The Chief of Police, upon receiving proper application therefor, is authorized to issue a bicycle license, which shall be effective until the next succeeding first day of May.
(2) 
The Chief of Police shall not issue a license for any bicycle when he knows or has reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant is not the owner of or entitled to the possession of such bicycle.
(3) 
The Chief of Police shall keep a record of the number of each license, the date issued, the name and address of the person to whom issued and the number on the frame of the bicycle for which issued and a record of all bicycle licenses issued by him.
E. 
Renewal. Upon the expiration of any bicycle license, the same may be renewed upon application and payment of the same fee as upon an original application.
[Amended 3-23-1992]
A. 
The Chief of Police, upon issuing a bicycle license, shall also issue a license sticker bearing the license number assigned to the bicycle, the name of the City and the calendar year for which issued.
B. 
The Chief of Police shall cause such license sticker to be firmly attached to the frame of the bicycle for which issued, in such position as to be plainly visible.
C. 
No persons shall remove a license sticker from a bicycle during the period for which issued except upon a transfer of ownership or in the event the bicycle is dismantled and no longer operated upon any street in the City.
D. 
Upon the sale or other transfer of a licensed bicycle, the licensee shall remove the license sticker.
[Amended 3-23-1992]
A rental agency shall not rent or offer any bicycle for rent unless the bicycle is licensed and a license sticker is attached thereto as provided in this chapter, and such bicycle is equipped with the lamps and other equipment required in this chapter.
[Amended 3-23-1992]
Every person engaged in the business of buying or selling new or secondhand bicycles shall make a report to the Chief of Police of every bicycle purchased or sold by such dealer, giving the name and address of the person from whom purchased or to whom sold, a description of such bicycle by name or make, the frame number thereof and the number of the license sticker, if any, found thereon.
A. 
Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be subject to the provisions of the traffic ordinances of the City applicable to the driver of a vehicle,[1] except as to special regulations in this chapter and except as to those provisions of the ordinances which by their nature can have no application.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 290, Vehicles and Traffic.
B. 
Any person operating a bicycle shall obey the instructions of official traffic signals, signs and other control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise directed by a police officer.
C. 
Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating that no right, left or U-turn is permitted, no person operating a bicycle shall disobey the direction of any such sign, except where such person dismounts from the bicycle to make any such turn, in which event such person shall then obey the regulations applicable to pedestrians.
A. 
Position and number of riders.
(1) 
A person operating a bicycle shall not ride other than upon or astride the permanent and regular seat attached thereto.
(2) 
No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
B. 
Speed. No person shall operate a bicycle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing.
C. 
Riding on right side of roadway; passing a vehicle. Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right-hand side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
D. 
Precautions when emerging from alley or driveway. The operator of a bicycle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall, upon approaching a sidewalk or the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway, yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians approaching on such sidewalk area and, upon entering the roadway, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on such roadway.
E. 
Clinging, etc., to vehicles. No person riding upon any bicycle shall attach the same or himself to any streetcar or vehicle upon any roadway.
F. 
Operating in a group. Persons operating bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
G. 
Carrying articles while in operation. No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle or article which prevents such person from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebar.
H. 
Parking. No person shall park a bicycle upon a street other than upon the roadway against the curb or upon the sidewalk in a rack to support the bicycle or against a building or at the curb, in such manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic and motor vehicle traffic.
I. 
Use of roadways when adjacent bicycle path provided. Wherever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.
J. 
Operating on sidewalks prohibited; Chief of Police may prohibit operation on any roadway by erection of sign.
[Amended 3-23-1992]
(1) 
No person shall ride a bicycle upon any public sidewalk of the City of Jamestown, except for authorized police bicycles.
(2) 
The Chief of Police is authorized to erect signs on any roadway prohibiting the riding of bicycles thereon by any person, and when such signs are in place, no person shall disobey the same, with the exception of authorized police bicycles.
A. 
Lamps and reflectors required. Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be 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 with a red reflector on the rear which shall be visible from 50 feet to 300 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
B. 
Audible signal attachment required; sirens or whistles prohibited. No person shall operate a bicycle 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 any siren or whistle.
C. 
Brakes. Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the brake wheel skid on a dry, level and clean pavement.
[Amended 3-23-1992; 8-10-1992 by L.L. No. 2-1992]
Except as provided in the Vehicles and Traffic Law, every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than $25.