First of all, bikes ARE vehicles. And take it from a bike lawyer: knowledgeable cyclists tend to be safer cyclists! Read on to be better prepared for your next cycling adventure.
Bicycles and electric bicycles (e-bikes, which have electric motors) as defined in Title 45 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) are legal road “vehicles” § 4501.01(A)(K) (2019), § 4511.01(A)(G) (2019). Bikes are legal on Ohio roadways, except on divided, controlled access freeways. § 4511.07(A)(8) (2006), § 4511.051(A)(2) (2019), § 4511.01(YY) (2019). As road users, to ensure safe operation, cyclists should follow traffic laws, including riding in the direction of road traffic and obeying traffic control devices.
What if There Are Bicycle Lanes Available?
Bike lanes are optional for cyclists. As legal road vehicles, bikes and e-bikes can ride on the road (except on divided, controlled access freeways) in the regular lanes for traffic even when there is a bike lane present and even if the road is single lane. Bikes and electric bicycles must ride in the direction of/with the flow of traffic. Wrong way riding, also known as contraflow riding, is not legal except in a two-way bike lane.
Can Cyclists Be Forced to Ride on the Sidewalk?
Cyclists can’t be forced to ride on sidewalks! Ohio Law provides that persons riding bicycles cannot be restricted to riding on a sidewalk § 4511.711(A) (2021). But many local Ordinances have a ban on sidewalk riding, making it illegal for a bicycle operator to ride on a sidewalk, especially in a designated business district!
To summarize: It is perfectly legal for cyclists to ride on sidewalks (absent a local ordinance prohibiting it or a temporary restriction which could be indicated by official signage or a law enforcement officer); be sure to research your local traffic regulations – don’t rely on your knowledge of neighboring cities, which might have different laws applicable. However, municipalities cannot force you to ride on the sidewalk § 4511.711(A) (2021).
Please note: Per the ORC, even when sidewalk riding is allowed, safe operation is the law: cyclists must yield to pedestrians, who legally have the right of way (ROW) on sidewalks § 4511.441(A) (2018). Many municipalities, such as Cleveland, require an audible signal from a cyclist passing a pedestrian. Cleveland, Ohio, Municipal Code, Part Four-Traffic Code, Title IX-Pedestrians, Bicycles and Motorcycles, Chapter 473-Bicycles, Motorcycles, Mobility Devices, § 473.09(c) (2020).
Cyclists Cannot Be Required to Ride on the All Purpose Trail
Beyond traditional sidewalks, cyclists also can’t be confined to riding on the “all purpose” trails in the Metroparks or elsewhere. § 4511.07(A)(8) (2006). So, when driving a motor vehicle please keep in mind that the avid cyclists you see riding their bikes on the road such as in the Cleveland Metroparks are doing so legally. Remember—the trail is not exclusively a “bike trail”. It’s an all purpose trail for walkers, hikers, and leashed dogs—generally with no posted speed limit (note: Cuyahoga Valley National Park is 15mph)—and users tend to go at a comparatively slow speed; and depending on the riders, bikes are sometimes also slower vehicles and are definitely allowed on the all purpose trail (except for Class 3 e-bikes). That said, cyclists often constitute faster traffic than pedestrians due to the miles per hour capabilities of their bikes and the higher maximum speeds of bikes.
Regarding road riding in the Metroparks, bicycle traffic IS traffic and by law, motorists must maintain both a safe distance from and a safe passing distance around bikes. This includes adequate sight distance when passing cyclists, and NEVER passing on blind curves. Valley Parkway is a road, and bikes are legal on it! It’s a park, not a freeway; motorists don’t own Valley Parkway! Cyclists have a legal right to ride on the road including in the Metroparks, following all traffic rules applicable.
Cyclists and Keeping to the Right of a Lane + Taking the Lane
Some motorists, some police officers, and even some courts are of the erroneous belief that, regarding lane position, cyclists must ride as far to the right as possible for operation of bicycle to be safe. This is simply not true.
Ohio law provides that cyclists must ride as near to the right side of the roadway as is “practicable” i.e., basically reasonable. Riding to the right side is not required if it will constitute unsafe operation. The comfort of bicyclists is accounted for, and many valid reasons exist for not staying at the road’s right side. For bicyclist safety, additional space might be needed to avoid fixed or moving objects—such as parked or moving vehicles—and hazardous surfaces.
Also, in a narrow lane—one too narrow for a motor vehicle to safely pass a cyclist—the cyclist can take the full (whole) lane, and the motorist must wait for an opportunity to safely pass the cyclist (or group of cyclists). The best way to know when a lane is too narrow for a car to safely pass a cyclist is when a local authority posts a sign stating that the cyclist may take the full lane.
Knowledge is Power . . . and Safety
The Wrap-up . . .
Take it from an experienced car accident attorney—nobody likes to think about fatal bicycle crashes. Not bicycle operators, not motor vehicle operators, and definitely not any of their loved ones! Yet the bike accident rate remains far too high. Greater understanding between road users regarding where cyclists can ride their bikes on the road in Ohio can help keep driving safer for all, particularly the more vulnerable lives of bicycle riders.
