LAWS
City Bike Ordinances
City Ordinance does not allow bicycles to be ridden on sidewalks (except for law enforcement and
emergency personnel)
[City of San Antonio Ordinances Sec. 19-286]
State Bike Laws
Section 551.101 of
the Texas Motor Vehicle Handbook states:
"A
person operating a bicycle has all the rights and duties applicable to a
driver operating a vehicle..."
Cyclists must OBEY the law
- Obey
all traffic signals and signs
- A person operating a
bicycle slower than the flow of traffic must ride as near as practical
to the right curb or edge of the roadway.
- Riding against traffic
(wrong-way) is illegal in all 50 states.
- A bicyclist on a one-way
roadway with two or more traffic lanes may ride as near as practical to
the left curb edge of a roadway.
- Bicyclists on a striped
roadway must ride in a single file.
- Bicyclists riding at night
are required to equip their bicycles with a white light front lamp
visible from at least 500 feet and a rear red reflector or red lamp
visible from at least 500 feet.
- A person may not use a
bicycle to carry more persons than the bicycle is designed or equipped
to carry.
- Bicyclists must maintain at
least one hand on the handlebar while operating the bicycle
- A bicycle in motion may not
be attached to a streetcar or vehicle on a roadway
- Bike must be equipped with
brakes
- Like a motor vehicle, bikes
too must yield to pedestrians
In San Antonio, any
violation of these laws is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to
$200.
Pedestrian Law
- Pedestrians
must yield to a vehicle on the roadway if crossing the street at a place
other than a marked crosswalk or crossing. If you are hit while
jaywalking, the driver may not be liable, and you may not be compensated
for your injuries.
- Pedestrians have the right
of way in crosswalks.
- Stay on the right-hand side
of crosswalks when crossing a roadway
- Stay on sidewalks where
available
- On a road without
sidewalks, walk on the left side facing traffic.
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