Dubuque Bicycle Club - Laws

The following was taken from the City of Dubuque Bicycle Safety Rules & Ordinance brochure. For a free copy of this brochure, contact

The city finds and declares that the regulation of the use of bicycles and the licensing of bicycles is in the public interest for the following reasons:

(1) To provide for the registration of all bicycles owned by residents;

(2) To facilitate the identification and location of bicycles reported stolen or missing;

(3) To assist the police department in its efforts to prevent the theft of bicycles;

(4) To establish safety equipment requirements for the operators of bicycles; and

(5) To establish regulations governing the operation of bicycles on streets, bike lanes and sidewalks of the city.

As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following definitions;

Bicycle shall mean a device as defined in section 32-2 of this Code.

Bicycle path shall mean a separate path that has been designated for use by bicycles by a traffic-control device or other sign and that is separated from the street for other vehicular traffic by open space or a barrier.

Bicyclist shall mean a person operating or in actual physical control of a bicycle, including a person on foot walking a bicycle.

Frame number shall mean a unique identifying number permanently stamped or cast on the frame of a bicycle.

(a) Each bicycle, when in use on the streets of the city at any time from sunset to sunrise, and at such other times when conditions such as fog, snow, sleet, or rain provide insufficient lighting to render clearly discernable persons and vehicles at a distance of five hundred (500) feet ahead, shall be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from at least three hundred (300) feet to the front and with a lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of three hundred (300) feet to the rear; except that a red reflector of a type approved by the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission may be used in lieu of a rear light. Other lamps are permissible if no red light is directed towards the front, nor white light to the rear.

(c) No person shall drive a bicycle unless it is equipped with a functional brake. Unicycles are exempt from the brake requirement.

(d) A person propelling a bicycle on the streets of the city shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached to the bicycle.

(e) Each bicycle driven along the streets of the city shall have such other equipment, and the equipment shall be in such condition, as will allow it to be operated safely.

(a) No bicycle shall be used by either the driver or any passenger to carry more passengers than the number for which it is designed or equipped.

(b) An adult riding a bicycle may carry a child securely attached to the person in a backpack or sling.

(c) Every person driving a bicycle shall keep at least one hand on the handlebars at all times and shall not carry a package, bundle or article that obstructs the driver's vision or prevents the use of both hands in the control and operation of the bicycle.

No bicyclist shall attach the bicycle or himself to any vehicle upon a roadway, sidewalk or bike path. This section shall not prohibit attaching a trailer or semi-trailer to a bicycle if that trailer or semi-trailer is designed for such attachment.

No person riding a bicycle shall follow any fire apparatus travelling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred (500) feet or drive into or park such bicycle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in response to a fire alarm or other emergency.

(1) Cause an obstruction to or impede the flow of traffic or of pedestrians on public or private sidewalks;

(2) Hinder or restrict access to handrails or ramps;

(3) Lock the bicycle to a tree or fire hydrant;

(4) Park on a street except in an area designated for bicycle parking

(5) Leave the bicycle locked to a pole or post owned by the city for more than twelve (12) consecutive hours.

(b) Persons stopping or parking bicycles shall obey all the provisions of law regulating those activities on streets, but are exempt from other parking provisions unless specifically mentioned.

(a) Every person driving a bicycle shall ride in the right-hand through lane of the roadway except under any of the following conditions:

(1) When driving a bicycle in a bicycle lane;

(2) When preparing for a left turn;

(3) When reasonable necessary for safety;

(4) When overtaking and passing on the left of another vehicle;

(5) When on a one-way street driving in the left through lane;

(6) When driving on a sidewalk as permitted by section 9-22.

(b) If any person drives a bicycle so slow as to impede or block the normal and legal forward movement of traffic proceeding immediately behind such vehicle, then such person shall drive within the right four (4) feet of the street until such impeded traffic has passed by, except when reasonable necessary for safety. A person driving on a one-way street may satisfy this requirement by driving in the left-hand four (4) feet of the street.

(c) A bicycle may be driven on a paved shoulder if such driving does not violate any section of law for passing or direction of traffic.

The driver of a bicycle is exempted from giving the hand and arm signal continuously if the hand is needed in the control or operation of the bicycle, but it shall be given for a substantial period while stopped waiting to turn. The driver of a bicycle may signal a right turn by extending the right hand and arm horizontally.

(a) The driver of a bicycle turning left in accordance with law may approach the turn anywhere within any separate left turn lane and may finish the turn by moving to the right lane as soon as it can be done in safety.

(b) In addition to any other method specified by law, the driver of a bicycle may make a left turn by crossing the intersection as close as practicable to the right-hand curbline to the far curb and then turning left to proceed in the proper position on the other roadway. A person making a left turn under the provisions of this subsection may do so only after complying with all the obligations of drivers of vehicles approaching in the new direction on the other roadway.

In addition to the permissible passing on the right specified in the Code of Iowa, the following overtaking and passing is permitted if completed in safety on unobstructed paved streets of sufficient width, and the overtaking vehicle is not stopped or slowed for a pedestrian:

(1) The overtaking vehicle is a bicycle in a bike lane.

(2) The overtaking vehicle is a bicycle that is travelling to the right of vehicles stopped or moving in the right-hand lane of travel, but the bicycle may not pass the first vehicle stopped at an intersection unless the bicycle is preparing to turn right and the vehicle is not signaling a right turn, nor may the bicycle pass a moving vehicle that is signaling a right turn, nor may the bicycle pass vehicles within an intersection except a vehicle signaling a left turn.

Bicyclists on a street or a bicycle path shall not ride more than two (2) abreast. Bicyclists operating bicycles two (2) abreast on a laned street shall do so within a single lane. Bicyclists operating vehicles two (2) abreast on a street should not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.

Persons driving bicycles across a street and along a crosswalk from a sidewalk or bike path have all the duties applicable to pedestrians under the same circumstances and similarly have such rights, but only when the approach and entry into the street are made at a speed no greater than an ordinary walk so that other drivers may anticipate the necessity to yield when required.

No person shall drive or ride a bicycle in or about Town Clock Plaza. Nor shall any person park a bicycle in Town Clock Plaza except at a bicycle-parking device in an area set aside for bicycle parking.

No bicyclist shall operate a bicycle recklessly or at a speed faster than is reasonably proper or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb or property of the bicyclist or of any other person.

(a) A person driving a bicycle upon a sidewalk or in a crosswalk shall, yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian.

(b) A person shall not drive a bicycle upon a sidewalk or in a crosswalk in those areas of the city where there is pedestrian congestion or at times in other areas of the city where there is pedestrian congestion. In such event, a bicyclist shall walk the bicycle if there is no street upon which a bicycle may be driven with safety.

Every person driving a bicycle has all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle except as modified by this chapter.

(a) Every bicycle owned or ridden within this city shall be registered pursuant to the provisions of this article within ten (10) days of the date the bicycle is acquired or the residency of the owner is established.

(b) Registration of bicycles shall be made at the office of the city clerk and at such other places and times as the police chief may determine to be in the best interest of the public.

(a) The fee for a bicycle registration is one dollar ($1.00), valid for two (2) years, beginning in May of each even year.

(a) The chief of police shall prescribe a form of sticker or decal bearing the registration number to be attached to the bicycle. The chief of police or chief of police' s designee may also prescribe an identifying marking to be stamped into the frame of the bicycle if the bicycle does not have a unique number stamped by the manufacturer.

(b) The owner or operator of a bicycle shall firmly attach the sticker or decal to the frame of the bicycle for which issued.

In the event of loss or destruction of the original registration sticker or decal, the owner of the bicycle may secure a replacement upon the payment of a fee of one dollar ($1.00).

In the event a bicycle registered pursuant to this article shall be sold or transferred, the registration sticker or decal shall pass on to the new owner or transferee and the sale or transfer of such bicycle shall be reported to the chief of police or City Clerk's office by the new owner or transferee with five (5) days after such sale or transfer together with the name of the new owner or transferee of such bicycle.

Any police officer may inspect a bicycle for required safety equipment if the police officer has reason to believe that the bicycle is in an unsafe mechanical condition and/or does not display the required safety equipment.

(1) The bicycle is registered;

(2) A registration sticker or decal is attached to the frame of the bicycle; and

(3) The bicycle is equipped with the lamps and other equipment required by state law or this chapter.