[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Valley Stream 6-7-1965 by Ord. No. 30. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any vehicle consisting of an arrangement or combination of
two wheels, supported by a frame, propelled by the feet acting upon
pedals.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any resident of the Village
of Valley Stream under 16 years of age to ride a bicycle upon the
public streets, parks,[1] avenues, and public highways[2] without first obtaining from the Village Clerk or his
duly designated representative a certificate authorizing the applicant
to ride a bicycle within the Village of Valley Stream.
B.
The application shall contain the name, address, date
of birth and the consent of parent or guardian.
C.
Said certificate shall be issued only upon the certification
by the Village Clerk or his duly designated representative that the
applicant has satisfactorily established qualification for riding
a bicycle and knowledge of the provisions of this chapter and of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York. If the applicant
shall fail to qualify, the parent or guardian shall be notified; the
applicant shall have the right to be reexamined in seven days thereafter.
It shall be unlawful for any resident of the
Village of Valley Stream to operate, use or permit to be used or operated
or rent for use any bicycle upon any of the public highways, streets,
avenues, parks or public places in the Village of Valley Stream without
first registering the bicycle with the Village Clerk or his duly designated
representative and obtaining therefor a certificate of registration
and identification plate.
Any person riding a bicycle on the public streets,
avenues or highways of the Village of Valley Stream shall comply with
and obey all rules and regulations applicable to the driver of any
vehicle under the laws of the state and other ordinances and regulations
of the Village and shall have all the rights accorded to such driver
under said laws, ordinances and regulations.
The operator of a bicycle shall obey all official
traffic-control signals, signs and other devices applicable to vehicles
unless otherwise directed by a police officer, except that signs restricting
or forbidding right turns, left turns or U-turns need not be complied
with by any person who dismounts from the bicycle, provided that such
person obeys and complies with the regulations governing pedestrians.
A.
Every person operating a bicycle on a public street,
avenue or highway of the Village shall ride as near to the right-hand
side of the road as practicable and shall exercise due care when passing
a standing vehicle or a vehicle traveling in the same direction.
B.
Persons operating bicycles along a roadway shall not
ride more than two abreast.
No person shall operate a bicycle at a speed
greater than 15 miles per hour, nor at a greater speed than is reasonable
and prudent under the conditions then existing.
The operator of a bicycle shall yield the right
of way to any pedestrian when approaching or crossing any sidewalk
area and shall yield the right of way to any motor vehicle upon entering
any roadway.
No person operating a bicycle shall hitch, cling
or attach himself to any moving vehicle of any kind upon a public
street, avenue, or highway in the Village.
No person operating a bicycle shall carry any
package or bundle or article which prevents the rider from keeping
at least one hand on the handlebars.
No person shall park a bicycle upon a street
other than upon a roadway against the curb, nor upon the sidewalk
other than in a rack regularly provided for bicycle parking or against
a building, in such a manner as to afford the least obstruction to
passing pedestrians.
A.
No person over the age of 13 shall ride a bicycle
upon any sidewalk in the Village of Valley Stream.
B.
Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon the sidewalk,
such person shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian and shall
give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.
No person shall ride a bicycle on a sidewalk within a business district.
A.
Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped
with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from
a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a lamp on the rear
which shall emit a red light visible from a distance of at least 300
feet to the rear.
B.
Every bicycle shall be equipped with a horn, bell
or other device capable of giving a signal audible for a distance
of at least 100 feet.
C.
Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake, maintained
in good working condition, adequate to stop such bicycle whenever
necessary.
Every bicycle used or operated in the Village
of Valley Stream shall be inspected and examined at any location designated
by the Police Department, and no license shall be issued for any bicycle
unless said bicycle shall have attached thereto the equipment specified
in this chapter. If upon inspection the Village Clerk shall find that
the bicycle does not contain the manufacturer's serial number stamped
or attached to the bicycle frame, they shall stamp a serial number
or identification mark on the frame of such bicycle, after ownership
is established, and such serial number or identification mark shall
not be removed, mutilated, altered or destroyed.
A.
Any person under 16 years of age who violates any
of the provisions of this chapter shall, for the first offense, be
reprimanded in writing by the Village Clerk or his duly designated
representative, addressed to the parents or guardian of the offender,
stating the nature of the violation, and request that the parent or
guardian should not knowingly permit such child or ward to violate
any of the provisions of this chapter and calling attention of the
parents or guardian that the child's license to operate a bicycle
may be suspended or revoked for violation of this chapter.
B.
The same shall apply on a second violation.
C.
On a third violation the Village Clerk or his duly
designated representative shall be empowered to suspend or revoke
the offender's bicycle-riding certificate for a period of 14 days,
and the Village Clerk or his duly designated representative may, in
addition thereto, order a test of the offender's riding ability and
knowledge of the safety rules and regulations of this chapter, suspending
certificate until such time as he is able to pass such test.
D.
Any person under 16 years of age, riding a bicycle,
not having a bicycle-riding certificate and not having an identification
plate on bicycle, shall, after ownership of the bicycle has been proven,
be warned that he is in violation of this chapter and that he must
secure both an operator's certificate to ride a bicycle and must also
have an identification plate for the bicycle, and his parents or guardian
shall also be so notified in writing.
This chapter shall take effect immediately.