Bicycle law is the parts of law that apply to the riding of bicycles.
Bicycle law varies from country to country, but in general, cyclists' right to the road has been enshrined in international law since 1968, with the accession of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Under that treaty, bicycles have the legal status of vehicles, and cyclists enjoy the legal status of vehicle operators.Vienna Convention on Road Traffic There are over 150 contracting parties to the treaty, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, almost all of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and China. In countries that are contracting parties, the treaty has the force of law, and its provisions have been incorporated into national law.
The position of British cyclists was first established by the Local Government Act in August, 1888. It removed the right of local councils to treat cyclists among the "nuisances" it could ban and defined them as "carriages"."The Bicycle, UK, 11 August 1943, p3
Bikeways One of the potential pitfalls for observers trying to interpret the operation of bikeways (or segregated cycle facilities) is that the same legal assumptions do not apply in all environments. For instance, in contrast to most English speaking countries, some European countries, including Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands have defined liability legislation.Road Safety Needs a New Vision, Road Safety Bill: A Safer Streets Coalition briefing for the House of Commons Standing Committee, Safer Streets Coalition (UK) 2006. Thus there is a legal assumption that motorists are automatically considered liable in law for any injuries that occur if they collide with a cyclist. This may hold regardless of any fault on the part of the cyclist and may significantly affect the behaviour of motorists when they encounter cyclists.
Cyclists in some countries are also given separate rules and light phases at traffic signals and cyclist-specific traffic lights. For instance, in Germany and elsewhere at junctions with segregated facilities all the traffic in a given direction (motorists, pedestrians and cyclists) may get a green signal at the same time.German Traffic Signs & Signals Brian's Guide to Getting Around Germany (accessed 7 June 2007) Turning motor traffic is obliged to wait for cyclists and pedestrians to clear the junction before proceeding. In this situation all the transport modes get equal green time. In contrast, UK and Irish practice restricts pedestrians to a dedicated signal phase, separate from and usually much shorter than the green phase for motorists (e.g. 6–12 seconds, vs. signal cycle times of up to 120 seconds).Pedestrian Facilities at Traffic Signal Installations: Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, Volume 8 Section 1 Part 1 – TA 15/81, UK DfT, 1981General Principles of Control by Traffic Signals Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, Volume 8 Section 1 – TA16/81, UK DfT, 1981 If cyclists were to be segregated and treated in a similar manner this would imply a significant reduction in green time for cycle traffic at every junction. In the English city of Cambridge the use of cyclist-specific traffic signals is reported to have resulted in increased delays for cyclists, leading some to ignore the cycle-facilities and stay on the road.Left Turn Lanes Cambridge Cycling Campaign, Document No. N9814 19 July 1989 A similar example occurred in a Parisian bikepath scheme in 1999. Cyclists faced twice the number of traffic signals as motorised traffic and were expected to wait over one minute to get seven seconds of green time.The scandal of Maréchaux, Opinion of bicyclists' organisations concerning the special corridor for the PC1 bus, Mouvement pour la défense de la bicyclette et al., October 1999 (accessed 8 March 2007) Conversely, in Copenhagen cyclist-specific traffic signals on a major arterial bike lane have been linked to provide green waves for rush hour cycle-traffic, which time the lights so cyclists going an average speed are much more likely to encounter green lights on their trip.
Legal significance of on-road cycle facilities for various countries Marked and reserved Marked limit, but not reserved Shared cycle facilities Description Motorists are typically excluded from driving or parking, and cyclists might be obligated to use if available. Motorists allowed to drive or park, cyclists not obligated to use. No lane marked, typically a painted symbol or sign with legal access for cyclists and motorists AustriaGesamte Rechtsvorschrift für Straßenverkehrsordnung 1960 Fassung vom 29. Oktober 2014 (Conceise Austrian traffic law of 1960, actually revised edition of 2014, in German) ("cycle lane"), continuous line, traffic sign "obligatory cycleway" ("multi-purpose lane", similar to shoulder) Belgium (Flemish) = (French), no distinction from cycletrack in Belgian legal terminology, marked by dashed lines on both sides = (suggested cycle lane), coloured ground (but never in red) with pictograms sharrows on a shared lane CanadaThunder Bay (Ontario): "Informations for motorists and cyclists on shared lanes and bike lanes" The use of bikelanes is not obligatory for cyclists in any Provinces. shared lanes, car lanes with shared lane markings ("sharrows"). Czech Republic or "reserved (cycle-) lane", limited by a continuous line, signed "cycletrack" = "cycle lane", limited by a dashed line, simple bicycle pictograms files of shared lane markings are called or , they have sharrows and no marked border France* In Légifrance: parties législative et réglementaire Code de la route sur codes-et-lois.fr Code-Route Liste et chronologie des éléments de signalisation routière en France ("obligatory cycle lane"), continuous line, traffic sign "obligatory cycleway". (recommended & reserved cycle lane), non-oblligatory, dashed line, sign "facultative cycleway", pictograms like on shared lanes (shared lanes) with shared lane markings. Germany2013 version of German traffic law (in German)Allgemeine Verwaltungsvorschrift zur Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (VwV-StVO) (General administrative rule for the application of the traffic law – in German) ("cycle lane"), continuous line, traffic sign "(obligatory) cycleway" ("protective lane"), dashed line and simple bicycle pictograms: Normally cars have to keep left, cyclists right of the border, but for certain reasons it may be traversed, mutually. The traffic laws provide shared use only in bus lanes, but do not forbid shared lane markings in ordinary lanes;Landkreis Grafschaft Bentheim, Kompetenzzentrum Radverkehr und VIA Köln : Die neuen ERA (Empfehlungen für Radverkehrsanlagen) – Radverkehrsführung auf der Strecke und im Verkehrsknoten (PDF) , poster 11 – Fahrbahnführung simple bike pictograms Italy (cycle path) NetherlandsDutch RVV, §1 – alphabetical list of termsFietsersbond: Wat is een fietspad en wat is een fietsstrook? (What's a cycletrack and what's a cycle lane – in Dutch) , "bicycle lane with continuous line". , "bicycle lane with dashed line", also obligagtory for cyclists but shared by motorists ("suggested cycle lane"), no obligation nor reservation, no bicycle pictograms, red ground (and mostly a dashed line) or distinctive texture PolandSejmu RP: Prawo o ruchu drogowym Switzerland , colloquially (both mean "cycle lane"), limited by yellow continuous lines (only exceptional) , colloquially (both mean "cycle lane"), limited by yellow dashed lines rare use because disapproved by federal law United KingdomThe Highway Code, 59–82: Rules for cyclistswww.gov.uk: Department for Transport: Know Your TRAFFIC SIGNS Official EditionCambridge Cycling Campaign:Cycle lanes mandatory cycle lane, reserved but not obligatory, limited by a continuous line Advisory cycle lane, not reserved, limited by a dashed line United StatesU.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2009 Edition: Chapter 9C. Markings In all states the use of bikelanes is not obligatory for cyclists. Dashed cycle lanes still only have an "experimental" status. In contrast to shared lanes, the equality of rights for cyclists here is limited to a lane-in-lane.Bicycle Facilities and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices: Dashed Bicycle Lanes shared lanes, car lanes with shared lane markings ("sharrows")
National
Australia
Cyclists in every state in Australia are required to follow normal road rules, including using traffic lights correctly and observing give way and stop signs while riding on the road. Cyclists in every state must also wear helmets while in motion. All cyclists must only use the left hand lane, except in Queensland. All states require only one passenger per bicycle unless the bicycle is designed otherwise. They are required to use a bike light when riding at night in Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland (that is not New South Wales, Victoria and the Capital Territory).
Bike users in Western Australia and Tasmania must use both hand signals, while in Victoria, Queensland and Northern Territory cyclists must signal when turning right but it is not compulsory when turning left. New South Wales cyclists over 18 must carry personal identification. Cyclist must have at least one hand on handle bars in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland.
Cyclist may ride on standard footpaths in Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory. In Victoria and New South Wales cyclists can only ride on a footpath if they're under the age of 12 or supervising a child under 12, or have a disability which restrains them from being able to ride on the road. In Queensland cyclists can ride on any path as long as there isn’t a sign stating otherwise. Cyclists may ride in pairs in South Australia and the two rows must be no more than 1.5 meters apart in Western Australia and Queensland. Cyclists must ride single file in Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory unless overtaking. Cyclists across Australia must follow the same rules as motor vehicle drivers in regards to using mobile phones and consuming alcohol.
Europe Belgium and France allow cyclists to pass some red lights with red-as-yield signs.
Cycle tracks typically exclude all motorized vehicles for most countries. Some exceptions are made, such as in the Netherlands, for light motorbikes. Some jurisdictions require cyclists to use cycle tracks if present (obligatory cycle tracks) or allow cyclists to either use the cycle track or a parallel roadway (facilitative cycle tracks).
In the United Kingdom, cycletracks are defined as cycleways physically separated from the carriageway. Their usage is not obligatory, I. e. cyclists may also ride on the parallel carriageway. They may not ride on the sidewalk, but pedestrians are allowed to walk on the cycletrack, if there is no sidewalk. In the Netherlands, most major roads have cycletracks and most cycletracks () exclude motorized vehicles and cyclists are required to use them if available. Light motorbikes are allowed and obliged to use some cycle tracks marked as . Non-obligatory cycletracks are rare but where they exist, they are indicated by signs using the word fietspad instead of a bicycle logo.Fietsersbond: Wat is een fietspad en wat is een fietsstrook? In Belgium, the traffic law does not distinguish roadside cycletracks from cyclelanes on the carriageway. All roadside cycletracks exclude motorized vehicles and cyclists are obliged to use them.