Cortland City Bike Code

87-5 Bicycle operation restrictions. [Amended 10-2-1973 by Ord. No. 1973-6]

The following restrictions on the operation of bicycles upon any street, public way or other public place in the City of Cortland shall be observed by any person operating a bicycle.

• Every person operating a bicycle in the City of Cortland shall at all times operate said bicycle with due regard for the safety of other persons and vehicles lawfully upon the streets, highways, parkways and public places, as well as for his own or her own safety, and shall at all times and under all conditions yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on the streets, highways, parkways, public places and on the crosswalks of the City of Cortland. Every person operating a bicycle shall comply with all vehicle and traffic laws, City ordinances, except where such laws or ordinances by their nature, do not apply to bicycles, and all vehicle traffic signs and signals erected for the regulation of vehicular traffic.

• It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a bicycle upon the streets, highways, parkways, and other public places of the City of Cortland during the period of 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise unless such bicycle is equipped with a front light, casting a beam of white light in front of such bicycle visible for not less than 500 feet, also a rear signal, i.e., a state-approved reflector or red light visible for not less than 300 feet.

• It shall be unlawful to operate a bicycle upon the streets, highways, parkways and public places of the City of Cortland that is not equipped with adequate brakes and warning signal and when driving during the period of 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise as to be in conformance with Subsection C of this section, all of which are in proper working order during all of the time of the operation of such bicycle that has the approval and has passed inspection by the Police Department.

• Riding
  • All persons operating a bicycle must operate it in single file, in a straight line and as near the right-hand edge of the roadway as possible.
  • If a roadway is designated for one-way traffic, all persons operating a bicycle thereupon must operate it as near the right-hand edge of the roadway as possible, unless the roadway is divided into two or more lanes for vehicular traffic, and in that event any person operating a bicycle may so operate the bicycle as near either the right-hand edge of the roadway or the left-hand edge of the roadway as possible.

• Before turning or changing the direction of any bicycle upon any street, highway, parkway or public place, it shall be the duty of the bicycle rider to give the appropriate hand signal as required by operators of motor vehicles.

• It shall be unlawful for any person operating a bicycle upon any street, highway, parkway or public place to attach himself or herself to any other moving vehicle.

• It shall be unlawful for any person operating a bicycle equipped for carrying only the rider to carry another person on the front or rear frame or handlebar of a bicycle.

• It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a bicycle without maintaining full control of such bicycle by keeping at least one hand on the handlebar, nor with his feet removed from the pedals.

• It shall be unlawful for any person operating a bicycle to ride upon any one-way roadway designated and marked as such, except in the direction permitted on such roadway.

• The following are hereby designated for one-way traffic:
  • Central Avenue, from Main Street to Church Street, in an easterly direction
  • Elm Street, from Clinton Avenue to Greenbush Street, in an easterly direction
  • Main Street, from Groton Avenue and Clinton Avenue to Tompkins Street and Port Watson Street, in a southerly direction
  • Charles Street, from Clinton Avenue to Grant Street, in a northerly direction
  • Hill Street, from Prospect Terrace to Clayton Avenue, in a northerly direction
  • Pleasant Street, from Clayton Avenue to West Court Street, in a northerly direction

It shall be unlawful for any person over the age of 12 years operating a bicycle to operate such bicycle on any sidewalk in the City of Cortland other than incident to the normal course of business