Bicycle Safety

Welcome to the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 191 Bicycle Safety Page! Here are some tips and information on the latest laws on bicycle safety for riders and parents alike.

1. Before you start riding, check your bicycle’s condition:

- tires and wheels: inspect tires for proper inflation, sufficient tread, and bulges or worn spots. Safe tire inflation pressure levels can be found on the sidewall of most bicycle tires. Also check your rims and spokes for misalignment and broken spokes. Replace or repair as needed BEFORE you have an emergency on the road.

- chain: clean, lubricate and check for tightness.

- nuts and bolts: check all nuts and bolts at least once a year at the beginning of the riding season, tighten as needed. Don't forget the axle and handlebar bolts!

- reflectors: your bicycle should have, at a minimum, a front clear reflector, a red rear reflector, and at least one amber reflector on the front wheel, and at least one red one on the rear wheel (clear ones are OK too….something is better than nothing!). Later in this page we will cover requirements and suggestions for night time riding.

- pedals: ensure these are tight and built-reflectors are intact. If equipped with a foot strap, check the condition of the strap for excess wear.

- brakes: whether coaster or caliper/pull brakes, check to make sure you can stop! Failure of this important component can get you killed. Section 625 ILCS 5/11-1503(c) of the Illinois Vehicle Code (IVC) states that every bicycle operated on the roadway shall be equipped with a brake which will adequately control movement of and stop the bicycle!

- seats: check to see if your seat is secure and the height properly adjusted...the seat should be high enough so that your knees are slightly bent when the pedals are in the lowest position.

- gears: check to ensure the gears shift correctly, if so equipped. A qualified bicycle dealer can help you with this if you don't know how to do it already.

- helmet: while a helmet may not be required by state law, its use is strongly recommended by the Woodstock Fraternal Order of Police Lodge! Check the diagram below for proper wear:

INCORRECT                                 CORRECT

2. OK, you've checked your bike out, now you're ready to hit the road, right? First let’s cover a few basic rules of the road:

- treat your bicycle as the same as a vehicle when on the roadway (including sidewalks)! IVC Section 625 ILCS 5/11-1502 states that a person riding a bicycle upon a highway shall be granted all of the rights, and be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle. What does this include?

- one seat for each passenger....Section 625 ILCS 5/11-1503(a) of the IVC states that for each passenger on a bicycle, there must be a regular seat attached to the bicycle. Silver pegs and handlebars do not qualify as a regular seat! Parents can carry small children on a backpack or similar device.

- Equip your bike with a horn, bell or whistle if biking in crowded areas. DO NOT USE A SIREN, THEY ARE ILLEGAL (IVC SECTION 625 ILCS 5/11-1503(b)).

- Watch for road hazards such as potholes, glass, and sand. Be especially alert for doors of parked cars opening unexpectedly or cars pulling out of driveways.

- Carry emergency items such as: a tube or patch kit; mini screwdriver or Leatherman tool; coins or a cell phone for emergency phone calls; and identification in case of an accident.

- A uniformed POLICE OFFICER may at any time upon reasonable cause to believe a bike is unsafe or not equipped by law, and require the person riding the bicycle to stop and submit to an inspection. The police officer may, at his/her discretion, issue a traffic citation to an unsafe rider just the same as an unsafe motor vehicle driver.

- All bicycle owners should equip and use a locking device to secure their bicycle when not stored at home. We also recommend that everyone obtain a bicycle registration card, fill it out (including the serial number) and turn it in to the Police Department at 656 Lake Avenue. A great percentage of bicycle theft incidents we investigate involve unsecured bicycles, and the owners have not recorded the serial numbers of the bicycles on their owner’s manual or on a registration card. The serial number is the only surefire way that we can return a bicycle to its rightful owner if it is recovered.

We hope you have found this article useful. Please send any comments or suggestions on this article to webmaster@fop191.org.

Your Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 191 Bike Patrol members:

Sergeant Steve Gorski

Sergeant Daniel Wesolek

Officer Brian Wood (Author)

Officer Charles (Chip) Amati

Officer Jeffrey Parsons

Officer Richard Dolan

Officer John Lieb

Officer Constantino (Tino) Cipolla

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