Veloquacity

When I first thought about getting a bike here in the Boston area, my first thought was to look at what the laws are here. That makes sense because I’m a lawyer, and it makes no sense because I’ve seen how people drive around here. Nevertheless, I turned to the statutes, and here’s what I found:

Cyclists may:
Use all public roads and highways, unless there’s a posted sign “specifically prohibiting bicycles.”
Pass motor vehicles on the right (not other cyclists).
Use the bike lane.

Cyclists must:
Obey all applicable traffic laws and regulations (e.g. stopping at reds).
Give hand signals for turning and stopping.
Ride single-file except when passing.
Ride on a regular seat.
Give audible signals (but no sirens or whistles) when necessary for safety.
Have one hand on the handlebars at all times.
Have brakes capable of stopping from 15 MPH in 30 feet on dry, level pavement.
Run a minimum of a white headlight, a red taillight or reflector, and pedal or ankle reflectors from 1/2 hour past sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise.
Report accidents resulting in personal injury and/or more than $100 in property damage to the police.
Yield to and audibly signal pedestrians when on the sidewalk (but see below).

Cyclists must not:
Ride on the sidewalk for any reason other than when it’s necessary for safety.
Ride on the sidewalk (even for safety’s sake) in a business district or other designated areas.
Park so that they obstruct traffic or pedestrians.
Tow or be towed (unless you’re towing a proper trailer).
Carry things, unless they’re doing so in a device designed for doing exactly that.
Ride with handlebars that put their hands above their shoulders.
Lengthen their forks.

Kids:
Kids under four or who weigh less than 40 pounds go in a baby seat.
Cyclists under 16 must wear helmets (unless they’re in a protective trailer behind the bicycle).
Parents may not knowingly allow their kids to violate any of the rules.

Racing:
Races on public ways are OK if they’re affiliated with an organization and cleared with the police.
Race organizers can modify the rules of the road for races by agreement with the police.

Penalties:
There’s a $20 fine for violation of the above bicycle-specific laws.
Police can impound bicycles of cyclists under 18 who are in violation of the above bicycle-specific laws.

Other (dedicated to Boston drivers):
Bike lanes are for bicycles only.
Right turns on red are legal, unless otherwise marked.
Left turns on red, when you’re turning both from and to a one-way street, are legal, unless otherwise marked.

If you can think of any other things I’ve missed, leave a comment. Also, if you’d like citations, I’ll put ‘em in. Remember, this is not legal advice; it’s just a summary of what the statutes seem to say. I haven’t done any research into how they’ve been interpreted.