Your Rights & Rules as a Cyclist

Self-Assured and Safe

Cycling is growing in popularity ever year: as a choice for fun, healthy and affordable transportation. It's important to remember that the simplicity and enjoyment of riding a bike is pared with a responsibility to keep yourself and others safe.

When riding a bike, remember that you're a vehicle. This means two things, both of which can be empowering:

1. You have to obey traffic laws.
2. Other people in vehicles have to treat you as a slow(er)-moving vehicle.

Learning what you're entitled to, and what rules to follow, can make you feel a lot more comfortable on the road. It's a good idea to wear a properly-fitted helmet (the law for 17-and-under cyclists) and keep your bike well-maintained. 

Equipment

The provincial law requires that people have certain features and equipment on their bicycles:

• A bell or horn
• Working brakes (at least one brake on the rear wheel capable of skidding the tire on dry, level pavement)
• A white front light visible from a distance of at least 150 meters
• A red rear light
• Two 5"x1" strips of white reflective tape on the front fork
• Two 5"x1" strips of red reflective tape on seat stays (aka rear triangle)

It's the law for every person under the age of 18 to wear an approved bicycle helmet. Although it isn't the law for adults, it's strongly recommended that you wear a helmet. In accidents, a helmet can decrease your chances of head injury or death.

Be a Defensive Cyclist

By keeping the following three behaviors in mind, you can prevent collisions:

• Be Seen, Day and Night. Make yourself and your bike visible to motorists. Eye contact and bike lights are key.
• Be Predictable. Ride in a straight line and avoid dodging between parked cars and obstacles. Follow traffic rules. Use the universal arm signals for left, right and stop. Remember your shoulder checks and make eye contact with drivers.
• Think Ahead. Know where you're headed to avoid make last-minute lane changes through traffic. When a vehicle ahead of you signals to turn right, don't ride between the car and the curb: carefully ride around the left side of the car, or allow the motorist to complete the turn. Watch for obstacles like potholes and debris.

The Rules of the Road

The Ontario Highway Traffic Act grants cyclists the same rights as any other vehicle on the road. With that right comes the responsibility of following the same rules of the road as all other vehicles. Here are a few laws that apply strictly to cyclists:

• Bicycles can't be ridden on sidewalks or pedestrian crosswalks. 
• There's a good reason for this: sidewalks are actually one of the most dangerous places to ride! In Peterborough, there are a few exceptions to this law: there are some marked multi-use sidewalks for high-traffic roads, like Lansdowne St.
  
• Cyclists should ride as close to the right curb as possible except when:
  • traveling the normal speed of traffic
  • avoiding hazardous conditions
  • the roadway is too narrow for a cyclist and a car to travel safely side by side
  • preparing to make a left turn
  • passing another vehicle
  • using a one-way street.
• No passengers are permitted on a bicycle designed for a single person.
• Attaching yourself to the back of a vehicle is strictly prohibited and extremely dangerous.