Bicycle law in the United States
In 1895, George B. Clementson, an American attorney, wrote The Road Rights and Liabilities of Wheelmen, the first book on bicycle law, in which he discussed the seminal cases of the 1880s and 1890s, which were financed by Albert Pope of Columbia Bicycles, and through which cyclists gained the right to the road.
The development of the bicycle occurred over a period of some seventy years, during which time it enjoyed three separate booms in popularity.
[3] Municipalities passed restrictive ordinances, and eager to collect a new source of revenue from fines, law enforcement agencies set creative traps to ensnare unwary cyclists.
[6] The Uniform Vehicle Code provides, essentially, that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as operators of automobiles, except where the law specifies otherwise or where it can naturally have no applicability.
[7] A basic statement of cyclists' rights and responsibilities has been adopted in the vehicle codes of most American states.
The main purpose is usually to facilitate the quick identification and return of stolen property, since bicycle theft is one of the most common crimes in many areas.
Other laws require bicycles to be confiscated and returned to their registered owners if they are "abandoned", which can mean parked for an extended period of time (like 7 days).
At least one state also mandates an "audible signal", day or night, which can be heard not less than 100 feet away (but not a whistle or siren).
Riding on the edge of a travel lane is a modern phenomenon based on the often misunderstood statute "As far to the right hand side of the boundary or curb as practicable".
Bicycles by their very nature can not take up more than half and all statutes mandating "As far to the right as practicable" leave the caveat of "Allowing reasonably free passage to the left".
This modern day misunderstanding of a statute which was a product of its time, has led to many a cyclist being killed or critically injured.
[11] Many laws require bicyclists to remain as close to the edge of the roadway as practicable, in the normal direction of travel.
When it has come up in courts, many judges have decided that riding a bicycle across a crosswalk is covered under the specific laws for pedestrians rather than those concerning vehicles.
Some freeways have minimum speeds to use the normal lane, but it rarely affects bicyclists because they virtually always use the shoulder, except when crossing over entry and exit ramps.
Cyclists are always advised to give right-of-way to motor vehicle operators in these situations, even stopping and waiting if necessary, for safety.
The guidelines and requirements for safely moving and stowing the bicycle are sometimes incorporated into the general law on using the public transportation.
For example, in Tempe, AZ, USA, failing to follow the storage rules on the light rail can be considered being on the train without paying the proper fare.
