Students: Bicycle Laws
55-8-172. Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles — Penalty. —
(a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway is granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter and chapter 10, parts 1-5 of this title, except as to special regulations in §§ 55-8-171 — 55-8-177, and except as to those provisions of this chapter and chapter 10, parts 1-5 of this title which by their nature can have no application.
(b) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 72; T.C.A., § 59-873; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113.]
55-8-173. Riding on bicycles — Playing and use of play vehicles — Penalties. —
(a) A person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto, except for a certified police cyclist who is performing duties that require riding in a side dismounting position.
(b) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one (1) time than the number for which it is designed or equipped.
(c) No person shall play on a highway other than upon the sidewalk thereof, within a city or town, or in any part of a highway outside the limits of a city or town, or use thereon roller skates, coasters or any similar vehicle or toy or article on wheels or a runner, except in such areas as may be specially designated for that purpose by local authorities.
(d) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 73; T.C.A., § 59-874; Acts 1985, ch. 138, § 3; 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 1995, ch. 140, § 4.]
55-8-175. Riding on roadways and bicycle paths — Penalty. —
(a) (1) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following situations:
(A) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
(B) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or
(C) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For purposes of this section, “substandard width lane” means a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(2) This subsection (a) does not apply to a certified police cyclist engaged in the lawful performance of duty relating to traffic control.
(b) (1) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two (2) abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two (2) abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.
(2) This subsection (b) does not apply to a certified police cyclist engaged in the lawful performance of duty relating to traffic control or in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.
(c) (1) This subsection (c) shall be known and may be cited as the “Jeff Roth and Brian Brown Bicycle Protection Act of 2007.”
(2) The operator of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet (3¢) and shall maintain the clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.
(d) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 75; T.C.A., § 59-876; Acts 1985, ch. 138, § 5; 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 1995, ch. 140, §§ 5, 6; 2007, ch. 81, § 1.]
55-8-177. Bicycle lamps and brakes — Penalties. —
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500¢) to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the department of safety which shall be visible from all distances from fifty feet (50¢) to three hundred feet (300¢) to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
(b) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake or brakes which will enable its driver to stop the bicycle within twenty-five feet (25¢) from a speed of ten miles per hour (10 mph) on dry, level, clean pavement.
(c) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 77; T.C.A., § 59-878; Acts 1985, ch. 138, § 6; 1989, ch. 591, § 113.]
(a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway is granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter and chapter 10, parts 1-5 of this title, except as to special regulations in §§ 55-8-171 — 55-8-177, and except as to those provisions of this chapter and chapter 10, parts 1-5 of this title which by their nature can have no application.
(b) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 72; T.C.A., § 59-873; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113.]
55-8-173. Riding on bicycles — Playing and use of play vehicles — Penalties. —
(a) A person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto, except for a certified police cyclist who is performing duties that require riding in a side dismounting position.
(b) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one (1) time than the number for which it is designed or equipped.
(c) No person shall play on a highway other than upon the sidewalk thereof, within a city or town, or in any part of a highway outside the limits of a city or town, or use thereon roller skates, coasters or any similar vehicle or toy or article on wheels or a runner, except in such areas as may be specially designated for that purpose by local authorities.
(d) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 73; T.C.A., § 59-874; Acts 1985, ch. 138, § 3; 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 1995, ch. 140, § 4.]
55-8-175. Riding on roadways and bicycle paths — Penalty. —
(a) (1) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following situations:
(A) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
(B) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or
(C) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For purposes of this section, “substandard width lane” means a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(2) This subsection (a) does not apply to a certified police cyclist engaged in the lawful performance of duty relating to traffic control.
(b) (1) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two (2) abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two (2) abreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.
(2) This subsection (b) does not apply to a certified police cyclist engaged in the lawful performance of duty relating to traffic control or in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.
(c) (1) This subsection (c) shall be known and may be cited as the “Jeff Roth and Brian Brown Bicycle Protection Act of 2007.”
(2) The operator of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet (3¢) and shall maintain the clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.
(d) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 75; T.C.A., § 59-876; Acts 1985, ch. 138, § 5; 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 1995, ch. 140, §§ 5, 6; 2007, ch. 81, § 1.]
55-8-177. Bicycle lamps and brakes — Penalties. —
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500¢) to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the department of safety which shall be visible from all distances from fifty feet (50¢) to three hundred feet (300¢) to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
(b) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake or brakes which will enable its driver to stop the bicycle within twenty-five feet (25¢) from a speed of ten miles per hour (10 mph) on dry, level, clean pavement.
(c) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
[Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 77; T.C.A., § 59-878; Acts 1985, ch. 138, § 6; 1989, ch. 591, § 113.]
