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City of Westbrook, ME
Cumberland County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
Zoning Map New Laws (4) Index Notes (1)
[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Westbrook 7-13-1965 (Ch. 5 of the 2007 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
STATE LAW REFERENCES
Bicycle regulations generally — 29-A M.R.S.A. § 2321 et seq.
A. 
It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this chapter.
B. 
The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate any of the provisions of this chapter.
C. 
These regulations applicable to bicycles shall apply whenever a bicycle is operated upon any highway or upon any path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, subject to those exceptions stated herein.
Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by the laws of this state declaring rules of the road applicable to vehicles or by the traffic ordinances of the City applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except as to special regulations in this chapter and except as to those provisions of the laws and ordinances which by their nature can have no application.
A. 
Any person operating a bicycle shall obey the instructions of official traffic-control signals, signs and other control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise directed by a police officer.
B. 
Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating that no right, left or U-turn is permitted, no person operating a bicycle shall disobey the direction of any such sign, except where such person dismounts from the bicycle to make any such turn, in which event such person shall then obey the regulations applicable to pedestrians.
A. 
Bicycles shall be outfitted with equipment as outlined in 29-A M.R.S.A. § 2084. A person under 16 years of age who is an operator or a passenger on a bicycle shall wear a helmet as required by 29-A M.R.S.A. § 2323.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
B. 
No person shall operate a bicycle unless it is equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a signal audible for a distance of at least 100 feet, except that a bicycle shall not be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle.
C. 
Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Secs. 5-5 through 5-12, which immediately followed this section and dealt with bicycle licenses, were repealed 3-18-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-54. Original Sec. 5-13, Reports by dealers, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
A. 
Every person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto.
B. 
No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
A. 
Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.
B. 
Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
C. 
Wherever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.
No person shall operate a bicycle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing.
The operator of a bicycle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall, upon approaching a sidewalk or the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway, yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians approaching on such sidewalk or sidewalk area and, upon entering the roadway, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on such roadway.
No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle or article which prevents the rider from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebars.
No person shall park a bicycle upon a street other than upon the roadway against the curb or upon the sidewalk in a rack to support the bicycle or against a building or at the curb, in such manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic.
No person shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk in any district.
Any person 17 years of age or over who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be punished in accordance with § 1-8 of this Code. The Chief of Police, when satisfied that a juvenile under the age of 17 years has ridden a bicycle in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, may impound the bicycle for a period not to exceed five days for the first offense, for a period not to exceed 10 days for a second offense, and for a period not to exceed 30 days for any subsequent offense.