By the Ohio Bicycle Federation
Revised: 2 June 2002
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By the Ohio Bicycle Federation Revised: 2 June 2002 |
Title 45 of the Ohio Revised Code contains the laws that govern operation of vehicles on Ohio roads. The laws describe only what a driver is required to do or prohibited from doing. But laws do not tell people how to drive. That is the function of a driver’s manual.
There are a few books that make excellent driver’s manuals for cyclists: Street Smarts by John Allen is a concise booklet that summarizes what all cyclists should know. The booklet was issued by the Ohio Department of Public Safety as Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts. It was also used for the Pennsylvania Bicycle Driver's Manual. Street Smarts is available from Rubel Bikemaps, http://www.bikemaps.com/bss.htm
The books Effective Cycling and Bicycle Transportation by John Forester give a more complete treatment but are difficult reading for beginners. Effective Cycling is available at any good bookstore. Every active cyclist should have a well-worn copy of it on his bookshelf.
The people who follow the techniques in these books will reduce their accident rate by 80% compared to average untrained cyclists. Cycling in this way is also more effective and more enjoyable and it allows riding confidently in many more places than would otherwise be possible.
Below are annotated excerpts from Ohio traffic law of concern to cyclists. If you want to look-up Ohio traffic law for yourself, you can access the entire Ohio Revised Code online, http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com/revisedcode/. The traffic laws are in Title 45. You can also go directly to Chapter 4511 (the rules of the road) and Chapter 4513 (equipment rules).
§ 4501.01 Definitions.
(A) "Vehicles" means everything on wheels or runners, including
motorized bicycles, but does not mean vehicles that are operated exclusively on
rails or tracks or from overhead electric trolley wires and vehicles that belong
to any police department, municipal fire department, or volunteer fire
department, or that are used by such a department in the discharge of its
functions used in this chapter and in Chapter 4513. of the Revised Code:
Comment: A bicycle is defined as a vehicle and thus is governed
by a uniform set of rules common to all vehicles and a small set of specific
rules for bicycles. (There are other specific rules for other vehicle
types, such as trucks or busses.) The annotated list below summarizes the
most important parts of the traffic rules and equipment rules that govern
bicycle driving. People who try to make up their own rules have an
accident rate five times higher than experienced cyclists who follow the rules
of the road.
§ 4511.52 Bicycles.
Comment: Bicycle drivers are subject to almost all of the
driving laws as are drivers of other vehicles. These driving laws allow
safe, fast and efficient travel. Riding on sidewalks or multi-use bike
paths is moderately safe only if done very carefully and at extremely slow
speeds. Riding on paths is popular for recreation but provides limited
utility for transportation. Thus path riding is not covered in this
digest.
§ 4511.25 Lanes of travel upon roadways.
Comment: Section 4511.25(A) is a general rule that applies to
all vehicles, including bicycles. Some people think it is safer to ride on the
left to “see traffic coming”. Pedestrians walk facing traffic so
they can sidestep off the road if necessary. But you cannot sidestep a
bike. Riding on the left is both illegal and dangerous. Accident
statistics show that wrong way riding is about 3½ times as dangerous as
riding on the right.
Section 4511.25(B) simply means that slower vehicles should not unnecessarily
delay faster traffic. (See also § 4511.55 below.)
§ 4511.55 Riding bicycles; motorcycles abreast.
(B) Persons riding bicycles or motorcycles upon a roadway shall ride not more
than two abreast in a single lane, except on paths or parts of roadways set
aside for the exclusive use of bicycles or motorcycles.
Comment: Section 4511.55(A) is the most misunderstood law for
bicycle operation. Some people think this requires riding as close as
possible to the edge of the road. However, there are conditions
where it is much safer to ride further out in the lane. It is not
practicable (practice-able) to ride far to the right when passing or
turning left; or when avoiding objects, parked cars, moving vehicles,
pedestrians, animals, surface or other hazards; or when riding in a vehicle lane
too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to pass safely side by side within
the lane.
Many motorists are reluctant to cross a lane line when passing a
bicycle. A cyclist who “hugs the curb” unintentionally invites motorists
to pass with unsafe clearance. Riding near the middle of a narrow lane
“sends the message” that passing traffic must use the next lane.
The real purpose of this law is to prevent unnecessary delay to faster
traffic. Since the law cannot require unsafe operation, the phrase as
close as practicable is highly flexible, varying widely according to
conditions. Positions well away from the edge of the road can be in
compliance.
Section 4511.55(B) allows riding two abreast. However, cyclists are
still required to avoid unnecessary delay to other traffic. Please be
courteous and “single up” when other drivers wish to pass as long as such
passing is safe and reasonable. There is no violation if any of the
following apply: (1) If there is no traffic being delayed; (2) If the
cyclists are traveling as fast as other traffic; (3) If traffic can reasonably
pass by using another lane; (4) If the lane is too narrow or it is otherwise
unsafe for passing.
§ 4511.27 Rules governing overtaking and passing of vehicles.
(A) The operator of a vehicle or trackless trolley overtaking another vehicle
or trackless trolley proceeding in the same direction shall … pass to the left
thereof at a safe distance, and shall not again drive to the right side of the
roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle or trackless trolley.
(B) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the
operator of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the
overtaking vehicle at the latter's audible signal, and he shall not increase the
speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
Comment: Since cyclists usually ride near the right side of the
road, beginners are tempted to pass slow or stopped traffic on the right.
Passing on the right is usually dangerous and, in many cases, illegal.
§ 4511.36 Rules for turns at intersections.
(A) Approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as
practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.
(B) At any intersection where traffic is permitted to move in both directions
on each roadway entering the intersection, an approach for a left turn shall be
made in that portion of the right half of the roadway nearest the center line
thereof and by passing to the right of such center line where it enters the
intersection and after entering the intersection the left turn shall be made so
as to leave the intersection to the right of the center line of the roadway
being entered. Whenever practicable the left turn shall be made in that
portion of the intersection to the left of the center of the
intersection.
Comment: The rules for turns are exactly the same
for bicycles as for other vehicles – merge to the appropriate position (right
for right turns, left for left turns), yield to any traffic that has the right
of way, and turn.
Getting into position for a left turn involves merging across lanes of
traffic. If traffic is heavy, you may need to start doing this early to
take advantage of gaps in traffic. Otherwise, there may not be a gap when
you need it. Beginners, who have not yet developed the skill to merge in
traffic, may make pedestrian-style turns instead.
§ 4511.39 Turn and stop signals.
When required, a signal of intention to turn or move right or left shall be
given continuously during not less than the last one hundred feet traveled by
the vehicle or trackless trolley before turning.
Comment: Never turn or change lanes without first yielding
to any traffic that has the right of way, and then give a signal if
possible. Skip the signal if your hand is needed for control or brakes,.
§ 4511.40 Hand and arm signals.
(1) Left turn, hand and arm extended horizontally;
(2) Right turn, hand and arm extended upward;
(3) Stop or decrease speed, hand and arm extended downward.
(B) As an alternative to division (A)(2) of this section, a person operating
a bicycle may give a right turn signal by extending the right hand and arm
horizontally and to the right side of the bicycle.
Comment: The right-arm turn signal described in (B) above is more easily
understood.
§ 4511.54 Prohibition against attaching bicycles and sleds
to vehicles.
§ 4511.56 Signal devices on bicycle.
(1) A lamp on the front that shall emit a white light visible from a
distance of at least five hundred feet to the front;
(2) A red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the director of public
safety that shall be visible from all distances from one hundred feet to six
hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head
lamps on a motor vehicle;
(3) A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet
to the rear shall be used in addition to the red reflector;
Comment: An unseen cyclist is in great danger. About 30
percent of serious cycling causalities occur at night although only about four
percent of cycling is done then. The reflectors that come with new bikes
are grossly inadequate for nighttime visibility. Always use both a
headlight and taillight when you ride in the dark.
§ 4511.711 Driving upon sidewalk area.
Comment: Although this section allows riding on sidewalks, don’t
do it. Accident studies show that even low-speed sidewalk riding has about
double the accident rate as riding on the road. The danger increases with
speed. If you ride on the sidewalk, every intersection and even every
driveway is a potential collision site. Motorists crossing your path do
not look for conflicting traffic on the sidewalk, especially if you are coming
from the “wrong way”.
This guide was produced by the following Ohio Bicycle Federation Members:
As used in this chapter and Chapters 4503., 4505., 4507., 4509., 4511.,4513., 4515., and 4517.
of the Revised Code, and in the penal laws, except as otherwise provided:
Sections 4511.01 to 4511.78, inclusive, 4511.99, and 4513.01 to 4513.37,
inclusive, of the Revised Code which are applicable to bicycles apply whenever a
bicycle is operated upon any highway or upon any path set aside for the
exclusive use of bicycles.
(A) Upon all roadways of sufficient width, a vehicle
or trackless trolley shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway …
(B) Upon all roadways any vehicle or trackless trolley proceeding at less
than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions
then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic,
or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except
when overtaking and passing another vehicle or trackless trolley proceeding in
the same direction or when preparing for a left turn.
(A) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the
right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules applicable to
vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one
proceeding in the same direction.
The following rules govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles or
trackless trolleys proceeding in the same direction:
The driver of a vehicle intending to turn at an intersection shall be
governed by the following rules:
No person shall turn a vehicle or trackless trolley or move right or left
upon a highway unless and until such person has exercised due care to ascertain
that the movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an
appropriate signal in the manner hereinafter provided.
(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, all signals required
by sections 4511.01 to 4511.78 of the Revised Code, when given by hand and arm,
shall be given from the left side of the vehicle in the following manner, and
such signals shall indicate as follows:
No person riding upon any bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, or toy
vehicle shall attach the same or himself to any streetcar, trackless trolley, or
vehicle upon a roadway.
(A) Every bicycle when in use at the times specified in section 4513.03 of
the Revised Code, shall be equipped with the following:
No person shall drive any vehicle, other than a bicycle, upon a sidewalk or
sidewalk area except upon a permanent or duly authorized temporary
driveway.
Fred Oswald
Gordon Renkles
Steve Magas
Chuck Smith
Cal Kirchick
Don Burrell
James Swaney
Gary Boulanger