Is it illegal for bicycles to go through red lights?

Michelle

yes, bicycles are supposed to follow the same laws as cars.

AdreanaInLongBeach

In most states, yes, because the person "driving" the bicycle has to obey the same laws as the person "driving" a motorized vehicle. Check out the quote below from the Bicycle Transportation Institute.

Vince M

I can answer that, in California, bicycles are subject to the exact same laws and cars.

The answer to both of those questions is yes, it is illegal. Bicylists often try to cheat the laws by darting on and off the sidewalk (pavement, to you Brits) and pretending to be pedestrians.

Bikers, for example, need to pull over to the curb, get off the bike, and walk across the street if they want to go left. They cannot ride across the cross walk, to the left, anymore than a car can do it.

They can get, and have gotten, ticketed for this.

And, "redwingb" is as much a cop as I am the QEII.

countrykarebare

yes,and yes.

In Ca, that would be illegal. Bicycle riders must fallow the same rules as autos.

waplambadoobatawhopbamboo

yes, you follow the same rules as if you were driving a car.

Simba,s old man

I think that most states laws about red lights say that all vehicles must stop.They do not say all motor vechiles.

tami!

yep.you dont want to be hit by a car do you. otherwise i think you could just stand in the middle of an intersection. LOL

twistedmouse

Yes, it is illegal. Bicyclists must obey all traffic laws. Usually you can get around the annoying laws by getting off the bike and walking it. Pedestrians have more rights relating to traffic.

morehugh

I think anyone who runs red lights will probably get what they deserve . . .
pedestrian, bike or car . . .

However . . .
Nevada state law used to have as a maximum speed limit . . .

"reasonable and proper" . . .

without restrictions . . .
which meant whatever the current conditions would safely allow.

I see that Montana now uses this same policy.
(See below)

caveat emptor

abfabmom1

Yes.

Bicycles must follow all of the rules of the road that cars follow.

randyrich

yes, they are supposed to stop, too.

Common Sense

Yep..

tampico

yes.. bikes are governed by the same laws as cars/trucks... they can even get "moving violations" tickets for speeding.

andeygirl

Not only is it illegal, it's dangerous! Bicyclists are supposed to abide by the same road rules as drivers of cars and motorcycles.

LDude7

It depends. In most locations at most times bicycles must follow the same rules as cars, and should thus remain stopped at red lights, and cannot turn right on red.

However, in some cases there are legal exceptions for cyclists. For example, in Idaho, a cyclist may go through a red light when safe to do so after coming to a complete stop. In Cupertino, California, there are many places where an intersection allows a bike to turn or go straight where cars are prohibited from so doing. (These are usually clearly marked.) Also, in Cupertino and Davis, CA, some intersections have separate bike signals that permit a bike to go somewhere where cars are prohibited. All of these should be clearly marked.

Additionally, cyclists can switch from being a "vehicle" to being a "pedestrian" simply by dismounting. Thus a cylists could dismount walk around the corner on the sidewalk, and then re-emerge on the road and start riding.

Skinny

Yes it is illegal...just as you can get a speeding ticket or DUI on a bike...case is you are the motor, so it is a motor vehicle that must obey those laws in effect for such, and you are a pedestrian so also so you can't cross a crosswalk without the walk sign lite...there you go

site23

if you hit one its two points. ha ha!!!

redwingboy13

gas scooters arent even allowed to go on the road at all which is gay. oh yeah the bike question; no they don't im a cop.

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