As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
BICYCLE
As herein mentioned, a device having two tandem wheels of
a diameter not less than 10 inches and propelled by human power.
STREET
Includes all public highways, boulevards, streets, lanes,
alleys, and all public places within the Borough of West Reading.
No person shall ride or operate a bicycle upon any public street
within the Borough of West Reading unless said bicycle has been properly
registered, tagged and licensed as hereinafter provided.
A. The Police Department is hereby authorized and directed to issue
upon application bicycle licenses which shall be effective for the
period of the ownership of the bicycle by the applicant.
B. Every owner of a bicycle residing within the Borough of West Reading
shall list and register said bicycle with the Police Department of
West Reading at the Borough Hall and shall make application for such
registration to the Police Department on a form provided for that
purpose. If the owner be a minor under the age of 21 years, then his
parents, or one of them, or if said minor does not reside with his
parents, or either of them, then the adult person having care of said
minor or the adult person with whom said minor resides, shall make
such listing and registration, and the application therefor, on behalf
of said minor owner.
C. Registrations of bicycle shall be serially numbered and kept on file
by the Police Department in its office as a public record.
D. The Police Department, upon receiving proper registration of a bicycle,
shall affix, or cause to be affixed to the rear mudguard, frame or
other rear portion of the bicycle an identification tag or sticker
serially numbered to correspond to the bicycle registration, in such
position as to be plainly visible from the rear. A registration card
shall be issued to the owner of each properly registered bicycle.
E. A charge of $0.50 shall be made for the registration and tagging
of bicycles, and an additional charge of $0.25 shall be made for the
issuance of duplicate registration cards and/or tags or stickers.
All charges for registration or for duplicate registrations shall
be paid to the Police Department at the time of such issuance of the
registration, duplicate registration, or transfer of registration.
F. It shall be the duty of the owner to see that such tag or sticker
is attached to the bicycle for which it is issued and that it remains
attached thereto during the effective period of such license.
G. The Police Department shall keep a record of:
(1) The number of each registration;
(3) The name and address of the person to whom issued;
(4) The make and number of each bicycle frame;
(5) A record of all bicycle registration fees collected.
H. Within five days after the sale, transfer or dismantling of any registered
bicycle, such information shall be reported to the Police Department
and the registered owner shall return thereto the registration card
issued to such person as licensee thereof, together with the name
and address of the person to whom such bicycle was sold or transferred,
if that be the case.
I. It shall be the duty of any purchaser or transferee of any registered
bicycle to make application for a new registration of such bicycle
and for a new tag or sticker within five days after such sale or transfer.
J. Every person engaged in the business of buying or selling new or
secondhand bicycles in the
Borough of West Reading shall make a report within five days to the
Police Department:
(1) Of every bicycle purchased or sold by said dealer, giving the name
and address of the person from whom purchased or to whom sold;
(2) A description of such bicycle by name or make;
(3) The frame number thereof;
(4) The number of the identification plate, if any, found thereon.
K. 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 chapter.
L. It shall be unlawful for any person, wilfully or maliciously, to
remove, destroy, mutilate or alter the identification tag or sticker,
frame number of the bicycle, or the registration card issued to the
owner thereof.
[Amended 4-15-1969 by Ord. No. 544]
A. Every bicycle operated upon a public street at any time during the
period from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 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 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. Such reflector or lamp on the
rear shall be of a diameter of at least 1 1/2 inches.
B. No bicycle shall be registered nor shall any person operate a bicycle
upon the public streets of the Borough unless the same is equipped
with a mechanical braking device in good working condition.
It shall be unlawful for the operator of a bicycle to violate
any traffic rules or ordinances of the Borough of West Reading or
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that are applicable to bicycles
or to motor vehicles.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of a bicycle to permit any
child to operate his bicycle upon a public street of the Borough of
West Reading, unless such child or person is capable of operating
a bicycle with safety to himself and the public generally. If a child
shall have satisfactorily passed an oral examination given by the
Police Department of the Borough of West Reading to determine his
ability to ride a bicycle, and to determine his knowledge of safe
riding rules and practices prescribed under this chapter, the passing
of such examination shall be prima facie evidence under this chapter
of the ability of such child to operate a bicycle with safety.
Any bicycle owned and operated by a nonresident of the Borough
of West Reading shall not be required to be registered under the provisions
of this chapter, but shall be subject to all other provisions of this
chapter.
[Amended 4-15-1969 by Ord. No. 544]
A. If the owner of a bicycle registered pursuant to the terms of this
chapter shall violate any provision of this chapter, the registration
card so issued for such bicycle shall be revoked by the Police Department
for a period not exceeding 15 days upon the first offense, and for
a period not exceeding 30 days upon the occurrence of two or more
offenses within a one-year period, against any of the provisions of
this chapter. The period of such revocation, under the terms of this
section, shall be within the discretion of the Chief of Police. Operation
of a bicycle for which such registration card was issued during the
term of revocation shall be a violation of this chapter and shall
subject the registered owner of such bicycle to the penalties provided
in this section.
B. Any person, firm or corporation violating §
159-2I through
K shall, upon conviction thereof before the Magisterial District Judge, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $5 or more than $25 and costs of prosecution.
C. Any person violating any other provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof before the Magisterial District Judge, in addition to the penalty provided in Subsection
A of this section, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $5 and costs of prosecution. Provided, any violation of any provision of this chapter which shall also be a violation of any provision in the laws of Pennsylvania or in any other ordinance of the Borough shall be prosecuted under such law or other ordinance, as the case may be.
All monies payable under §
159-2E or
159-8 hereof shall be turned over to the Borough Treasurer of the Borough of West Reading to be deposited in the Borough's General Fund.