Downtown Rochester’s Most-Often Broken Law
It's always been on the books and as of last year, there's been a focus on enforcing it in Rochester's downtown district, but this law is STILL violated... a lot!
The law to which I'm referring is the 'Riding Your Bike On The Sidewalk Downtown Is Illegal' law-- or, city ordinance, to be more specific. (In fact, it's Rochester city ordinance 131.02, if you're curious.) And, as of last year, it's being enforced here in the Med City. But, I'm here to tell you, many cyclists STILL break it all the time!
Last year, signs just went up in the downtown district alerting everyone that you're not supposed to fly down the often-times crowded sidewalks on your bike. You can still find these signs on various street lights and signposts as well as spray-painted on the sidewalk, all in an effort to alert bicyclists who perhaps aren't aware you're not supposed to do that. But, of course, people still do.
The enhanced 'enforcement' is a response to various complaints by downtown sidewalk-users who've nearly collided with cyclists riding their bikes on the sidewalk. I can relate. I was nearly hit by a couple of bicyclists while waiting for the traffic lights to change along 2nd Street Friday afternoon. They were both going WAAAAY too fast for those crowded sidewalks downtown.
It's not that bikes aren't welcomed downtown, though. What you CAN do, is WALK your bike along the sidewalk, or simply ride it in the street. Not exactly brain surgery here, is it?
BTW, If you're caught violating the ordinance, it'll cost you $75 plus the "associated court costs," according to this Post-Bulletin article. So WALK those bikes or get out in the streets, bicyclists! (At least in the downtown district, that is.) After all, it IS the law!
Listen to Curt St. John from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5
and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 103.9 The Doc
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