Somehow I’ve never made it over to one of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s monthly Know Your Rights! bike legal clinics but I’m FINALLY heading to one tonight.
Portland bike lawyer Ray Thomas (download his bike law guidebook here) leads the workshop on the finer points of bike law—where you should be riding, what to do if you’re hit, etc. Questions, anyone? I’ll ask Thomas to answer them tonight and post his response on the blog tomorrow.
Is it legal to ride with one headphone bud in your ear? WELL?!?
At some intersections with a stoplight and a bike lane, there is a bike symbol and an arrow, almost taunting me to continue on with a red light. Example on Barbur:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q…
Is that legal to go through on a Red? I’m thinking technically, no, but everyone does it anyway…
Continuing on doesn’t endanger anyone because there’s no blocking of traffic, assuming no Pedestrians…
What’s the law’s on biking on the sidewalks? I have heard different answers.
Are buses legally required to yield to bikes in a bike lane before pulling to the curb?
Was Portland actually cooler before all these damn hipsters and their fixed gears moved here?
@BruceWang: As I’ve heard it, it’s legal to ride on the sidewalk anywhere you would not feel safe to ride in the road, except downtown where it’s illegal to ride on the sidewalk at all.
With regards to riding your bike on sidewalks, I understand it is illegal to do so “DOWNTOWN.” What streets define DOWNTOWN?
The ones with bike cops riding on sidewalks, of course.
Bikes!
RIDING a bikes is basicly banned in the bus mall on
5th and 6th streets between nw irving and sw harrison
sidewalk bicycling is off limits in the “core” (gridlocked) between
13th Ave and naito parkway from NW Hoyt to SW Jefferson
most of the time the police “warn” bicyclists rather than “cite” them
unless the cycler gets pissy with the cop , then its $300 ,,
Portland Ordinance 16.70.320E
a sidewalk bicycler must Ride at a walking speed (3MPH ) , or walk the bike .
If a running motor vehicle is near the sidewalk’s transition to a street
the biker has to slow to walking speed and so it is yielding ??
yes this is in conflict with Oregon Revised Statute 811.050
$300 fine Class & B traffic infraction for the motorist
to (”Fail to yield to rider on bicycle lane”) or on a sidewalk,