question- with bicycle laws

[Chefdavies]

I know from talking with my co-workers that ride bikes there are certain laws that bicyclist abide by. Our question arose after watching the OKC police dept police cops ride down the sidewalks, hop curbs, run red lights, not signaling etc. Just wondering do the police bicycle ppl not have to abide by the same rules as normal bicyclists. Your thoughts...

[MadMonk]

Are you serious? You have nothing more important to complain about?

[Chefdavies]

Haha, i'm not complaining just a thought. Sorry if upset ya. Someone poo in your corn flakes this morning?

[FRISKY]

Bicycles are required to follow all the regular vehicle traffic laws including stopping at stoplights and stop signs, signaling and speed limits. They are also required to ride on the right side of the roadway going the same direction as other vehicles. All other vehicles are required to share the road with bicycles because they have the same privileges as the motorized vehicles.

[jsenter]

Do the police have to follow any of the laws? Of course not. They're above the law, remember?

[MadMonk]

Haha, i'm not complaining just a thought. Sorry if upset ya. Someone poo in your corn flakes this morning?

Nah, I'm not upset. You asked for thoughts and that's the first thing that popped in my head when I read your post.

I find it difficult to get upset with a bike cop doing what you describe and I doubt many people get tickets for doing the same.

[Chefdavies]

Yeah, it was more of a second person posting. The ppl I was around were complaining about how they (bicyclists) would get yelled at or cut off etc if they were doing the same thing. So they basically thought it would be comical if they yelled at the cops.

[Karried]

So they basically thought it would be comical if they yelled at the cops.

ha.ha... laughing all the way to jail.

It is too bad that the cops won't set a better example..

But, I guess that's true of a lot of people.. ie Parents setting examples for their kids.. easy to say but not so easy to do sometimes..

[SWOKC 4 me]

Law enforcement vehicles sit in highway medians. You and I are not allowed to do that. Law enforcement vehicles at times drive down alley-ways that regular vehicle traffic is not allowed to drive down.

Point is ... Police are allowed to do things when patrolling that John-Q-Citizen cannot. Are they damaging property or causing danger to others when they ride on sidewalks etc...? Not that I have seen. I do not have a problem with them riding their bicycles or driving cars where others can't. At least they are out there patrolling, being visible, and hopefully pro-active.

Whether you like it or not this city and every city needs it's cops. Give them a break. They work hard to make this city a great place to live.

And besides I have never seen any of the police officers in my neighborhood pull over a kid on a bicycle when he was riding down the sidewalk!

[Karried]

cops ride down the sidewalks, hop curbs, run red lights, not signaling etc

I think there was a little more to it than just riding down the sidewalk ..... but I agree, they do a fine job protecting our citizens and if they want to run a few red lights ..... well, I guess we can cut them a break.. if they're chasing a criminal .. .they need all the help they can get on a bike..lol

[OKCTalker]

Bicyclists can also ride two abreast - the law says "no more than two abreast" - on public streets, so they are within their rights doing so. As a cyclist who rides regularly with groups, it is actually much safer for us to ride this way, especially on wider, busier, multiple-lane streets (think May Avenue, Classen Boulevard, etc.) because it causes the motorist to change into another lane instead of tempting the motorist to remain in the lane and accidentally strike the cyclist(s). Just so you know - we're not doing it to be obnoxious; we're doing it because it's safe and legal, and the law was written for this reason. BTW - Thanks for watching out for us!

[FRISKY]

Bicyclists can also ride two abreast - the law says "no more than two abreast" - on public streets, so they are within their rights doing so.

Link to changes in Bicycle Laws passed May 2006:
http://www.statewatch.com/www/OK/50R...HB02926SFS.pdf

Persons riding two abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.

When overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction, a person driving a motor vehicle shall exercise due care by leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three (3) feet until the motor vehicle is safely past the overtaken bicycle.

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[Cid]

..... but I agree, they do a fine job protecting our citizens and if they want to run a few red lights .....

Actually, there is very little the police can do to protect you. This isn't a slam on the police, it's just the facts. This is a big misconception about the police. Every day they do what they can to protect. However, there is really very little they can do to protect the individual citizen.