Within the Borough there are a substantial number of bicycle owners
and it is in the interest of the Borough that persons operating bicycles do
so with safety, and registration would aid the Police Department in identifying
owners, reducing the number of thefts of bicycles and assisting in the recovery
of lost or stolen bicycles.
Any bicycle owned by a resident of the Borough may be registered at
the Police Department in accordance with the terms of this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
BICYCLE
Any device, propelled by human power, upon which any person may ride,
having two tandem wheels, either of which is more than 14 inches in diameter.
(This definition does not apply to toy bicycles or velocipedes.)
The Chief of Police or his designated representatives, who shall in
all cases be members of the Police Department, shall inspect each bicycle
offered for registration. If any bicycle offered for registration is found
by the Police Department not to be in rideable condition or not to be properly
equipped as provided for in this chapter, registration of such bicycle may
not be issued until it shall be determined to be in such rideable condition
and to be properly equipped.
The Police Department is hereby authorized and directed, upon written
application to it, to issue to the residents of the Borough registration certificates
for bicycles, which certificates shall run to June 30 of each calendar year.
All such registration certificates shall be dated the date of issue.
The Police Department shall provide each year a registration decal,
together with registration certificate cards, that shall have numerical numbers
stamped thereon in numerical order beginning with number one and shall indicate
the years for which they were issued and letter indicating that they were
issued by the Borough of Shrewsbury. The registration decal shall be suitable
for attachment to the frame of the bicycle at the headsetting or at any location
where it will always be plainly visible, and it shall also be the duty of
the owner to attach the decal in a secure manner as to make difficult its
removal. The Police Department shall also provide and issue a registration
card with numbers corresponding to the numbers on the license decal.
It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation or other entity to
willfully destroy, mutilate or alter the number of any registration decal
issued pursuant to this chapter. It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation
or other entity to willfully destroy, mutilate or alter the number of any
bicycle frame registered pursuant to this chapter from removing the same registration
decal. The Police Department may also stamp on the frame of any registered
bicycle a number which shall be the secret number of the Police Department,
if so required in the administration of this chapter to prevent bicycle larceny
and to recover stolen bicycles.
No fee is required. There shall be no fee charged by the Police Department
or by any other department or agency of the Borough in connection with the
administration of this chapter.
The following rules and regulations shall be observed in the operation
of a bicycle in the roadways, streets and public places in the Borough. These
rules and regulations are intended to supplement the laws of the State of
New Jersey and do not alter them. The laws of the State of New Jersey are
incorporated herein as if set forth in detail.
A. Every person operating a bicycle shall at all times operate
the bicycle with due regard for the safety of other persons and vehicles lawfully
upon the streets, highways, and public places, as well as for
his safety, and shall at all times and under all conditions yield the right-of-way
to pedestrians on the streets, highways and public places and on the crosswalks.
B. Every person operating a bicycle shall comply with all
vehicle traffic laws which apply to bicycles and all vehicle traffic signs
and signals erected for the regulation of traffic.
C. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a bicycle
upon the streets, highways and public places of the Borough during the period
from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise unless such bicycle
is equipped with a front light which shall emit a white light visible from
a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a lamp on the rear which
shall emit a red light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the
rear. In addition to the red lamp, a red reflector may be mounted on the rear,
of a type approved by the police, which shall be visible from all distances
from 50 feet to 300 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper
beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.
D. It shall be unlawful to operate upon the streets, highways
and public places of the Borough a bicycle that is not equipped with adequate
brakes which will enable the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry,
level, clean pavement.
E. Before turning or changing the direction of any bicycle
upon any street, highway, parkway or public place, it shall be the duty of
the bicycle rider to give a signal by the extension of the hand to indicate
the direction it is the intention to proceed.
F. It shall be unlawful for any person operating a bicycle
upon any street, highway or public place to attach himself or attach the bicycle
to any other moving vehicle.
G. It shall be unlawful for any person operating a bicycle
which is equipped to carry only the operator to carry another person on the
front or rear frame or handlebars or on any part not intended to carry a passenger.
H. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a bicycle
without maintaining full control of such bicycle, keeping both hands on the
handlebar, except when necessary to signal.
I. It shall be unlawful for any person to 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.
J. 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.
Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall ride in single file.
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as requiring the
issuance of registration certificates or decals to the owners or operators
of bicycles owned or operated within the Borough of Shrewsbury.