[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Palmer 9-24-1962 as Ord. No. 47. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this ordinance, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A device having two tandem wheels of a diameter not less than 16
inches and propelled by human power.
A.
No person who resides within this municipality shall
ride a bicycle or operate it upon any street or public place within this municipality
unless said bicycle has been properly registered and tagged in accordance
with the following regulations:
(1)
Every owner or operator of any bicycle within the Township
of Palmer shall make application for the registration of said bicycle to the
Chief of Police on a form provided for that purpose.
(2)
Registrations of bicycles shall be serially numbered
and kept on file by the Chief of Police on a form in his office as a public
record.
(3)
The Chief of Police shall then issue an identification
tag or plate serially numbered to correspond to the bicycle registration.
This identification tag or plate must then be affixed to the rear mudguard
or frame of the bicycle in such a position as to be plainly visible from the
rear. A registration card shall be issued to the owner of each properly registered
bicycle.
C.
Bicycles registered under the provisions hereof shall
be registered on or before November 1, 1962, and annually on April 1 thereafter.
A general registration may be applied for on the morning of the first Saturday
of each month at 9:00 a.m. at the Municipal Building. A temporary registration
for a new bicycle may be obtained from the Chief of Police and shall be valid
until the first Saturday of the succeeding month, when the vehicle shall be
inspected and the registrant required to pass an examination.
D.
Within 10 days after the sale or dismantling of any registered
bicycle, such information shall be reported to the Chief of Police by the
person in whose name the bicycle was registered. Such a person in whose name
the bicycle was registered may have the identification tag or plate of his
former bicycle transferred to another bicycle owned by him upon registration
of such bicycle with the Chief of Police.
E.
Every person engaged in the business of buying and selling
new or secondhand bicycles shall make a report within five days to the Chief
of Police of every bicycle purchased or sold by such dealer, giving:
F.
A rental agency shall not rent or offer any bicycle for
rent unless the bicycle is properly registered and tagged and unless such
bicycle is provided with the equipment required under the terms of this ordinance.
G.
It shall be unlawful for any person willfully or maliciously
to remove, destroy, mutilate or alter the identification tag or plate, frame
number of the bicycle or the registration card issued to the owner thereof.
Before issuing a bicycle registration, the applicant shall be required
to demonstrate personally, in such a manner as the Chief of Police shall direct,
that he or she is the proper person and is capable of riding a bicycle; further,
such applicant shall satisfactorily pass an examination to determine his knowledge
of safe-riding rules and practices as the Chief of Police may prescribe.
A.
A bicycle shall be operated only on the roadway, as near
to the right-hand side as possible.
B.
Bicycles whose wheel diameter is 16 inches or over shall
not be operated on the sidewalks.
C.
The operator of a bicycle shall obey all official traffic
signals, signs and other control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise
directed by a police officer.
D.
The operator of a bicycle emerging from a driveway or
building shall yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians on the sidewalk and
to all vehicles on the roadway.
E.
The operator of a bicycle shall not carry any other person
upon the handlebar, frame or any part of the bicycle. This provision shall
not be construed to prohibit the use of bicycles built to be operated by two
or more persons.
F.
The operator of a bicycle shall not indulge in any abnormal
or trick riding and shall keep at least one hand on the handlebar at all times
while in use.
G.
Operators of bicycles shall not ride in any manner other
than single file except on paths or parts of roadway set aside for the exclusive
use of bicycles.
H.
Operators of bicycles shall not hitch onto vehicles or
buses upon a roadway.
I.
The operator of a bicycle shall park same upon the roadway
at the curb, or upon the sidewalk in a rack to support the bicycle, or against
a building, except windows or glass doors thereof, in such a manner as to
afford the least obstruction to pedestrians or vehicular traffic.
The Chief of Police or his duly authorized representatives shall inspect
each bicycle presented for registration and shall report to the Chief of Police
any bicycle found to be in an unsafe mechanical condition or lacking the equipment
specified as necessary under the terms of this ordinance and shall refuse
to register such bicycle until and unless it is brought into conformance with
the requirements of this ordinance.
Every bicycle operated upon a street or public place at any time during
the period one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, and at any other
time when there is not sufficient light under normal atmospheric conditions
to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the street or public
places at a distance of 500 feet ahead, shall be equipped with a lighted lamp
on the front thereof, and shall also be equipped with a red reflector or lamp
on the rear exhibiting or reflecting a red light visible, under like conditions,
from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear of such bicycle. Said reflector
or lamp on the rear shall be of a diameter of at least 1 1/2 inches. Every
bicycle shall also be equipped with brakes in good condition and with a bell,
horn or other warning device. All mechanical parts of the bicycle shall be
in working condition.
[Amended 10-25-1988 by Ord.
No. 227]
A.
Any person convicted in a summary conviction before an
Alderman or Magistrate of a violation of any provision of this ordinance shall
be subject to the following penalties:
(1)
Impounding of the bicycle for not more than seven days
for the first violation; impounding of the bicycle for not more than 14 days
for the second violation; impounding of the bicycle for not more than 30 days
for the third violation.
(2)
A fine of not more than $600 or, for minors, revocation
of license plates for not more than six months.
(3)
Removal and detention of the license plate from the bicycle
as a penalty for habitual offenders.
B.
Each day of violation of the particular code or ordinance
applicable shall be considered a separate offense, for which the fines and
penalties stated herein may be imposed on a daily basis.
Any bicycle owned and operated by any resident of any other municipality
shall not be required to be registered hereunder, but shall be subject to
all other provisions of this ordinance.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed insofar as they may conflict with this ordinance.
