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Safer Streets
A message for all users of our city streets from Bikeatoga!
Bicycles, joggers, and pedestrians including (dog walkers) have the right to use our streets.
We are all in this together!
Please do not vent frustration at vulnerable users (walkers/cyclists/joggers) from motor vehicles by excessive shouting or horn honking unless it is an emergency. It is alarming and could cause an accident. (Motor vehicles are prohibited from using excessive horns.
Wearing masks, affects one’s senses. Please keep that in mind when following these guidelines.
At night: Please wear bright clothing, reflective material and/or lights. It is helpful when pets are visible too!
- Please keep your pets on a short leash, whether on city streets, sidewalks or in the parks. Others passing by do not know what your well-behaved pet may do.
For Bicycles:
- Helmets: passengers and operators under the age of fourteen, must wear protective headgear.
- Passengers on bicycles under one year of age are prohibited
- Do not ride bicycles on downtown sidewalks
- Bicycles are vehicles and must obey traffic laws:
- Stop at Stop signs, and obey traffic lights.
- Ride with traffic - not facing it ( this includes Roller Bladders
- On multi-use paths such as in the State Park - all users keep right -it is best to follow this principle to assist the flow of traffic/avoid accidents
- Please use hand signals to communicate to others where you are going
- Cyclists must use audible or verbal signals when passing (also a good idea for joggers)
- Cyclists must always keep one hand on the bicycle (please do not uses cellphones while in motion)
- Cyclists can only use one earbud for headphones
- Front headlights and rear lights are required one-half hour before sunrise and sundown.
- All bicycles must have front and rear reflectors
For Motorists:
**TEXTING OR USING A HANDHELD CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING IS ILLEGAL IN NEW YORK The consequences can be deadly.
- Never right hook a cyclist to make a turn (wait for the cyclist to clear the intersection)
- Do not make a left-hand turn in front of an oncoming cyclist - the cyclist has the right of way
- Obey posted Speed Limits or slow down when passing joggers, cyclists or pet walkers
- Give cyclists and pedestrians distance, but not so much as to unnecessarily impede oncoming traffic
- Please look before opening your door- always!
- Do not park in bike lanes
Cyclists are allowed to "Use an entire" for their safety. This may include but not limited: o avoiding debris on the side of road
- potholes
- sewer covers/grates
- a road too narrow to allow a motor vehicle and a bicycle to safely ride side by side (Example: Excelsior from Veterans Way)
- Stopping at a one lane Stop Sign (Please stop behind a cyclist who takes the lane - it may not be immediately apparent if the cyclist is making a turn or not. If they are in front of you, they have the same rights as any other vehicle.)
- We hope you’ll join us in making our great city a healthier, happier & safer community.
Please do not litter! Throw your used protective gloves in a trash receptacle! Putting glass or other injurious substances on highway prohibited.
Homeowners:
- Lawn debris can be a serious traffic hazard - especially at night.
- Please obey the local ordinance and keep sticks smaller than 4 feet. Debris needs to be in a container after May 15.
- Do not put lawn debris in bike lanes
- Debris should not take up an entire shoulder used by joggers and cyclists
- Receptacles are easier to see than dead leaves. Please consider marking your debris.
Online Resources:
https://www.dot.ny.gov/display/programs/bicycle/safety_laws/laws
https://nybc.net/education/bike-law/2-uncategorised/68-a-summary-of-ny-state-bike-laws https://ecode360.com/SA0110?needHash=true
https://dot.ny.gov/bicycle
https://bikeatoga.org
For Electric Bikes:
https://www.evelo.com/new-york-state-electric-bike-laws-definition/
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO BIKEATOGA.ORG