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 bicycles - bikes

State Requirements electric bicycle electric bike rules

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bi·cy·cle n. A vehicle consisting of a light frame mounted on two wire-spooked wheels one behind the other and having a seat, handlebars for steering, brakes, and two pedals or a small motor by which it is driven.
 

Rules and regulations regarding use of light electric vehicles vary from state to state. The information below is from the Federal, Maryland, DC, and Virginia governments. For more detailed information, contact the local officials in your area.

• National Highway Transportation Safety Administration: 49 CFR Part 571, [Docket No. NHTSA 98-3949], RIN 2127-AG58
  PRECIS OF SUMMARY: (for full text of Summary, see 63 FR 33913). Responding to a growing public interest in using small 4-wheeled passenger vehicles to make short trips within retirement or other planned communities, NHTSA has issued Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 500 Low-speed vehicles (LSV) based on its January 1997 proposal. Standard No. 500 requires basic safety equipment including lights, windshields windshield wipers, and seat belts on motor vehicles, other than trucks, whose maximum speed is between 20 and 25 miles per hour. The rule is effective June 17, 1998. The principal vehicle in this class is the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). The rule does not apply to golf carts because their speed, as manufactured, is less than 20 mph. However, if any golf cart is modified on and after June 17, 1998, so that its maximum speed is over 20 mph, it must be conformed to Standard No. 500.
• Federal Highway Administration: TEA-21  Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century - Public Law 105-178
          Definitions [1202(a)(7)]
  • Clarifies the permissibility of motorized wheelchair use on trails and pedestrian walkways that otherwise prohibit motorized use and also permits the use of electric bicycles on these facilities where State or local regulations permit.
  • Electric bicycles are defined as any bicycle  or tricycle with a low-powered electric motor weighing under 100 pounds, with a top motor-powered speed of 20 miles per hour.  
       

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Note: A few motorists, bicycle riders, or sometimes policemen who believe that bicycles belong on the sidewalk and have no right to the roadway, the truth is that cyclists were granted the right to use the roadways before the automobile was invented and are recognized as having those rights in every country of the world and every state of the United States. 
Motorists who take it upon themselves to run cyclists off of the road are engaged in criminal assault.

Your responsibilities: equipping your bike

• Your bike must have a permanent, regular seat attached to it.
• Your brakes must be good enough to bring you to a stop, from a speed of 15 miles an hour, within 30 feet of braking. This distance assumes a dry, clean, hard, level surface.
• At night, your headlight must emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet. A generator-powered lamp that shines only when the bike is moving is ok.
• At night, your taillight must be red and must be visible from a distance of at least 600 feet.
• At night, your reflectors must be visible in the low beams of a car's headlights from a distance of at least 600 feet. Reflectors and reflective material on your bike must be visible from the back and sides.

Your responsibilities: you MUST do these things

• You must obey all traffic laws and regulations.
• You must use hand signals to let people know you plan stop or turn.
• You must give pedestrians the right of way.
• You must give pedestrians an audible signal before overtaking or passing them.
• You must ride single file unless passing.
• You must ride astride a regular, permanent seat that is attached to your bicycle.
• You must keep one hand on your handlebars at all times.
• If you are 16 years old or younger, you must wear a helmet that meets ANSI requirements on any bike, anywhere, at all times. The helmet must fit your head and the chin strap must be fastened.
• You must have your headlight and taillight on if you are riding anytime from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise.
• You must wear reflectors on both ankles if there are no reflectors on your pedals.
• You must notify the police of any accident involving personal injury or property damage over $100. 

USA Only:   DOT rules state that electric powered bikes can not excess 20 MPH on public roads. 
 It is the responsibility of the bicycle operator to adhere to these rules.

Mopeds differ from e-bikes in that they generate more speed, risk, range, expense, and legal issues. Mopeds top out at 30 mph and often require a driver's license and registration to operate.
 

NIGHT RIDING RECOMMENDATIONS

To ride at night, you need lights. Even when streetlights show you the way, you need lights so other people can see you against the glare of car headlights.  A white headlight identifies the fronts of all vehicles.
All states require a bicycle to have a headlight at night.

TYPES OF BICYCLE LIGHTS
Three major types of lights are available for bicycles: small battery lights, generator systems and the high-powered battery systems. Choose your lights depending on where you ride.
      Small battery lights are most useful for riding under streetlights. Aim the headlight so its looks as bright as possible to people ahead of you. Nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries will cut the cost of operating small battery lights. Most hardware stores sell these batteries and chargers for them.
      Unlike small battery lights, a good generator system is bright enough to light your way on dark roads. It's the best choice for long-distance touring, where you may not be able to buy or recharge batteries. Most generator systems go dark when you stop riding; a disadvantage in stop-and-go city riding. Some generator systems have a battery backup that keeps them lighted when you stop.
      High-powered battery lights are brightest of all. They're best for night riding under demanding conditions: on dark roads or off-road. They're more expensive and heavier than other bicycle lights, and they need recharging frequently.

NIGHT-RIDING TACTICS

When riding at night, you can't see drivers inside their cars to make eye contact, but you can flash your headlight at them by twitching the handlebars. Flash your headlight when you need to get the attention of a driver pulling out of a side street.
  In some cities, the risk of theft and physical attack in dark, empty places like parks, pedestrian overpasses and industrial areas is generally greater than the risk of crashes on streets with a reasonable amount of traffic, in residential areas and business districts. Choose routes accordingly.
   Rural riding at night is the most demanding of your equipment and technique. Most generator lights are not bright enough to allow you to ride downhill at full speed on an unlighted road. Stay within the limitations of your lights.
   Two-lane, shoulder less rural roads with moderate to heavy traffic have a bad record for nighttime bicycle crashes. On the other hand, quiet rural roads can be very pleasant to ride at night if your headlight is powerful enough to show you the way.
   At night there are generally fewer drivers on the roads; but of these drivers, a much larger percentage are drunk drivers. A useful trick on an unlighted road is to look at your shadow as a car approaches from behind. If the shadow moves to the right, the car is passing to your left.