Well if you enjoy cycling as much as I do then you are probably preparing to watch the start of the Tour de France. You know the great annual road race that takes professional cyclists across France for three weeks. Well even if you are not a professional but enjoy riding around the Islands I thought it would be an appropriate time to provide a little insight on bicycle safety, in particular some of the rules of the road for cyclist.

Quick Summary

• Bicyclists have the same rights to the roadways, and must obey the same traffic laws as the operators of other vehicles. These laws include stopping for stop signs and red lights, riding with the flow of traffic, using lights at night, and yielding the right-of-way when entering a roadway.
• When riding on sidewalks or in crosswalks, a bicyclist has the same rights and duties as a pedestrian.
• A bicyclist riding on sidewalks or in crosswalks must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and must give an audible signal before passing.
• Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast shall not impede traffic when traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions existing, and shall ride within a single lane.
• Moving violations, such as running stop sign or signal, riding against traffic have a civil penalty of $52

If you would like a more in-depth review you can always visit the City of Tampa’s website on Bicycle Law Highlights or Florida Uniform Traffic Control Law Chapter 316 Florida Statues