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RIDGEFIELD, Conn. A bevy of laws pertain to bicycling in Connecticut, but the question is whether cyclists, motorists and even police departments are aware of them.
Its the cyclists responsibility and the drivers responsibility to be safe, said Mike Ahern, service manager at Ridgefield Bicycle Company. Cyclists need to be predictable. The easiest way for people to drive with cyclists is if the cyclist is in control and obeys the traffic laws that cars and other vehicles have to.
Thats because accidents can and do occur, such as the July 7 incident on Route 53 in Redding, in which a motorist struck a cyclist who was hospitalized with a nonlife-threatening injury. The driver violated state law 14-232, which mandates safe passing distance not less than three feet when the driver of a vehicle overtakes and passes a bicyclist, police said.
The main laws that pertain to motorists also pertain to cyclists, because bicycles are considered vehicles: Bicyclists traveling on roadways have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists, according to law 14-286b. This means bicycles cannot go through red lights, turn right at prohibited intersections or travel at fast speeds in slow-moving traffic.
Among the laws that pertain specifically to bicyclists are those stating that persons shall not ride more than two abreast, according to 14-28b, and carrying large packages is restricted because one hand must remain on the handlebars, 14-28c.
When riding at night, bicyclists must have front lights and rear reflectors, according to law 14-288. Any bicyclist under 16 must wear a helmet, states law 14-286d.
I think were going to see an increase in awareness, so safety concerns will hopefully go down, Ahern said, adding that his shop does its best to make sure new and experienced cyclists alike understand the rules.
A new law that could have a great impact on bicycling in Connecticut is the Complete Streets Law, which was passed in 2009 and took effect late in 2010. The law mandates that at least 1 percent of transportation funding goes to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
Kelly Kennedy, executive director of Bike Walk Connecticut, believes the new law will bring Connecticut towns up-to-date with larger cities that are bike-friendly.
Other towns are striping lanes for bikes or painting sharrows (shared lane street markings), and we want to move Connecticut in that direction, she said.
For Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi, its about getting safe areas created specifically for bikers, including the Norwalk River Valley Trail. Marconi said that he has looked into creating bike trails for the towns cyclists, but money has been tight and the project has yet to get underway.
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