2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 14-286. Use of bicycles and bicycles with helper motors. Regulations re bicycles on bridges. Use of high-mileage vehicles.

      Sec. 14-286. Use of bicycles and bicycles with helper motors. Regulations re bicycles on bridges. Use of high-mileage vehicles. (a) Each person operating a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or across any roadway upon and along a crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal within a reasonable distance before overtaking and passing a pedestrian. Each person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall within a reasonable distance give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian or another bicycle operator. No person shall operate a bicycle upon or along a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk if such operation is prohibited by any ordinance of any city, town or borough or by any regulation of the State Traffic Commission issued or adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 14-298.

      (b) No person shall ride a bicycle with a helper motor unless that person holds a valid motor vehicle operator's license. No person shall operate a bicycle with a helper motor at a rate of speed exceeding thirty miles per hour; nor shall any bicycle with a helper motor be operated on any sidewalk, limited access highway or turnpike.

      (c) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may issue to a person who does not hold a valid operator's license a special permit that authorizes such person to ride a bicycle with a helper motor if (A) such person presents to the commissioner a certificate by a physician licensed to practice medicine in this state that such person is physically disabled, as defined in section 1-1f, other than blind, and that, in the physician's opinion, such person is capable of riding a bicycle with a helper motor, and (B) such person demonstrates to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles that he is able to ride a bicycle (i) without a helper motor on level terrain, and (ii) with a helper motor. (2) Such permit may contain limitations that the commissioner deems advisable for the safety of such person and for the public safety, including, but not limited to, the maximum speed of the helper motor such person may use. No person who holds a valid special permit under this subsection shall operate a bicycle with a helper motor in violation of any limitations imposed in the permit. Any person to whom a special permit is issued shall carry the permit at all times while operating the bicycle with a helper motor. Each permit issued under this subsection shall expire one year from the date of issuance.

      (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of any statute or regulation to the contrary, the State Traffic Commission shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 determining the conditions and circumstances under which bicycle traffic may be permitted on those bridges in the state on limited access highways which it designates to be safe for bicycle traffic. Bicycle traffic shall not be prohibited on any such bridges under such conditions and circumstances.

      (e) As used in this section: (1) "Sidewalk" means any sidewalk laid out as such by any town, city or borough, and any walk which is reserved by custom for the use of pedestrians, or which has been specially prepared for their use. "Sidewalk" does not include crosswalks and does not include footpaths on portions of public highways outside thickly settled parts of towns, cities and boroughs, which are worn only by travel and are not improved by such towns, cities or boroughs or by abutters; (2) "bicycle" includes all vehicles propelled by the person riding the same by foot or hand power or a helper motor; and (3) "helper motor" means a motor having a capacity of less than fifty cubic centimeters piston displacement, rated not more than two brake horsepower, capable of a maximum speed of no more than thirty miles per hour and equipped with automatic transmission.

      (f) Any person who pleads not guilty of violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be prosecuted within fifteen days of such plea.

      (g) No person may operate a high-mileage vehicle as defined in section 14-1 on any sidewalk, limited access highway or turnpike.

      (h) Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction.

      (1949 Rev., S. 2505; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 75; 1971, P.A. 119; P.A. 75-577, S. 108, 126; P.A. 76-250, S. 1, 4; 76-381, S. 5; P.A. 77-375, S. 1; P.A. 81-394, S. 6; P.A. 82-88; P.A. 96-167, S. 46, 49; P.A. 97-321, S. 2; P.A. 03-171, S. 13.)

      History: 1971 act clarified ban on use of bicycles and tricycles on sidewalks; P.A. 75-577 deleted provision requiring that prosecutions for violations be instituted within fifteen days after offense committed and added statement that violation is infraction unless not guilty plea made in which case prosecution to be made within fifteen days; P.A. 76-250 added provisions re bicycles with helper motors; P.A. 76-381 replaced provision for twenty dollar maximum fine with statement that violator deemed to have committed an infraction and deleted the later provision re commission of infraction now rendered redundant; P.A. 77-375 excluded tricycles from consideration under provisions, restated rules governing operation of bicycles, deleting ten m.p.h. speed limit and allowing operation on sidewalks if allowed by ordinance or state traffic commission regulation, deleted definition of "park" and "square" and placed statement re violation as infraction in separate Subsec. (b); P.A. 81-394 inserted new Subsec. (b) limiting the operation of high-mileage vehicles and relettered former Subsec. (b) accordingly; P.A. 82-88 included provision regarding the adoption of regulations concerning bicycles on bridges; P.A. 96-167 amended Subsec. (a), deleting requirement of operable pedals in definition of "bicycle", effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 97-321 reorganized Subsec. divisions, inserted new Subsec. (c) re issuance of special permit to ride bicycle with helper motor and amended Subsec. (e) clarifying definition of "sidewalk" and "helper motor" (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (c) references to "helper's motor" were replaced editorially by the Revisors with "helper motor" to conform language with existing references); P.A. 03-171 amended Subsec. (b) to delete "or motorcycle operator's license".

      See chapter 881b re infractions of the law.

      Care required of a bicycle rider. 90 C. 710.

      Cited. 9 CA 686, 691.