By Maxine Carter
As a bicycle rider, Florida considers you to be a “driver,” and your bicycle is a “vehicle.” This means that you have the same rights that a motorist in a car or truck has. You also have the same responsibility to obey all traffic laws just like any other motorist. We will take a look at some of those laws now that are meant to keep you safe while you share the road with motor vehicles.
Things you are not allowed to do
You are not allowed to do several things as a bicycle rider. For instance, you may not hold on to a moving vehicle while you are riding on the street. Headsets or earplugs are permissible if their purpose is to improve your hearing, but you are not allowed to wear headsets or earplugs that do not perform this function. You may wear a headset that keeps one ear open to the sounds of the road.
If your bicycle has a child seat, you may not leave a child unattended within the seat. When transporting children under the age of four years or 40 pounds, you must place them in a sling, backpack or a seat.
The proper way to signal turns
When you come within 100 feet of making a turn, you must signal to other drivers. However, you are allowed to keep both hands on your bicycle if it would be unsafe to let go and signal to make a turn. To signal to drivers that you would like to make a left turn, you must extend your left hand and arm horizontally. To signal a right turn, you can either extend your left arm and hand upward, or you can extend your right hand and arm to the right horizontally.
Riders under the age of 16
Riders under the age of 16 are required to wear helmets when they ride bicycles. The helmet must be fitted for the child’s head, and it must be fastened by a strap. The strap is required to meet the federal safety standards for bicycle helmets.
Bicycles and other wheels
If you are riding a toy vehicle, a sled, roller skates, a coaster or a bicycle, you may not attach the vehicle or any part of your body to a moving vehicle on the road. This rule does not pertain to bicycle trailers or bicycle semitrailers that were designed to be attached to bicycles.
Riding bicycles in a group
When you ride with other bicyclists, only two people may ride next to each other unless you are on a bicycle path. If riding side-by-side would cause you to obstruct the road for motor vehicle drivers, you must ride in a single file line. Within a bicycle lane, you may ride next to another rider if both bicyclists remain within the bike lane. If not, you must ride single file and within the bike lane. If the lane is not sufficiently wide, two riders may ride next to each other only to avoid a hazard in the road or to pass a rider. There are also rules for groups of riders when coming to stop sign. You may pass through the intersection together, up to ten riders, after you having come to a complete stop.
Lighting
If you are going to ride between sunset and sunrise, your bicycle must have a light that motorists can see for at least 500 feet. The back of the bike must also have a red reflector and a red light that motorists can see for at least 600 feet. The front white lights may be flashing, and the red lights in the rear may also flash. You are allowed to add other lighting to your bicycle, and this is recommended. You are not permitted to have a blue light. Only law enforcement vehicles may have blue lighting.
Driving under the influence
In Florida, a bicycle is defined as a “vehicle,” so the DUI laws pertain to motor vehicles as well as bicycles.
