2020 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 347. Equipment of vehicles.
347.489 Lamps and other equipment on bicycles and other vehicles and devices.
347.489 Lamps and other equipment on bicycles and other vehicles and devices.
(1) No person may operate a bicycle, motor bicycle, personal delivery device, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device upon a highway, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bicycle way during hours of darkness unless the bicycle, motor bicycle, personal delivery device, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device is equipped with or, with respect to a bicycle or motor bicycle, the operator is wearing, a lamp emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front of the bicycle, motor bicycle, personal delivery device, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device. A bicycle, motor bicycle, personal delivery device, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device shall also be equipped with a red reflector that has a diameter of at least 2 inches of surface area or, with respect to an electric scooter or an electric personal assistive mobility device, that is a strip of reflective tape that has at least 2 square inches of surface area, on the rear so mounted and maintained as to be visible from all distances from 50 to 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. A lamp emitting a steady or flashing red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in lieu of the red reflector.
(1m) No person may operate a personal delivery device upon a sidewalk unless the device is equipped with a braking system that, when engaged, will enable the personal delivery device to come to a controlled stop.
(2) No person may operate a bicycle, motor bicycle, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device upon a highway, bicycle lane, or bicycle way unless it is equipped with a brake in good working condition, adequate to control the movement of and to stop the bicycle, motor bicycle, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device whenever necessary.
(3) No bicycle, motor bicycle, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device may be equipped with nor may any person riding upon a bicycle, motor bicycle, electric scooter, or electric personal assistive mobility device use any siren or compression whistle.
(3m)
(a)
1. After January 1, 2018, a manufacturer or distributor of electric bicycles shall permanently affix to the electric bicycle a label containing all of the following information in Arial font of a minimum size of 9 point:
a. The classification number of the electric bicycle.
b. The speed at which the motor will cease to provide assistance or power.
c. The wattage of the motor equipped to the electric bicycle.
2. If a person modifies an electric bicycle so as to change the classification of the electric bicycle, the person shall prepare and affix to the electric bicycle a revised label satisfying the requirements of subd. 1.
(b) An electric bicycle shall meet the requirements of 16 CFR Part 1512, as if the electric bicycle were a bicycle as defined under 16 CFR 1512.2 (a).
(c) An electric bicycle shall operate so that the motor ceases to provide assistance or power when the brakes are applied or the motor ceases to provide assistance or power when the rider stops pedaling.
(d) No person may operate a class 3 electric bicycle unless the electric bicycle is equipped with a speedometer that with reasonable accuracy registers the speed of the electric bicycle in miles per hour.
(4) No person may operate a personal delivery device upon a sidewalk unless the device is equipped with a plate or marker that is in a position to be clearly visible and that identifies the name and contact information of the personal delivery device operator.
History: 1973 c. 182, 333; 1977 c. 208; 1983 a. 243 s. 39; Stats. 1983 s. 347.489; 1995 a. 138; 2001 a. 90; 2011 a. 73; 2017 a. 13; 2019 a. 11, 34.
