Ask A Cop: Bike safely and enjoy your summer ride

This week, I will talk about something relevant to the season: bicycle safety. I have always enjoyed bicycle riding, even when I was riding in the backseat of my mother's bicycle. She often took me to the monument on the Prairie View Trail. When I was age 6, I was given a bicycle for my birthday and I wore that thing out riding it all over the place, including the Prairie View Trail. I ride a bicycle today, I ride to work, and even the Prairie View Trail.

Sgt. Philip Eckerberg is with the Scottsbluff Police Department. He answers questions submitted by readers each week. To submit a question for consideration, email [email protected].

It concerns me though, as I see a lot of bicycle riders taking unnecessary risks, and not following basic safety rules. I recently stopped someone riding on Highway 26 all dressed in black with no lights or reflectors.

So here are the laws and my safety recommendations for bicycle riding:

There are both state statutes and city ordinances for bicycles. There are some that are specific to Scottsbluff and where the state laws and city ordinances are in conflict I have listed the most restrictive. Nebraska bicycle laws can be found in 60-6,313 to 60-6,319. Scottsbluff bicycle ordinances are in Chapter 3, Articles 1 and 2.

The highlights of these laws:

Have good working brakes.

When riding at night, you must have a white headlight and a red rear reflector.

Do not ride on downtown sidewalks, downtown is from 20th Street to Railway, Avenue B to Second Avenue.

Ride on the right side of the street, as far to the right as practical. Ride single file on streets and no more than two abreast (side by side) on pathways or bicycle lanes.

Yield to pedestrians. Yield to vehicles before entering the street.

There should be no passenger on the bicycle, one person per seat.

Do not hold onto a moving vehicle.

Keep both feet on the pedals and at least one hand on the handle bars.

Do not carry a package that prevents you from having both hands on the handle bars.

Obey stop signs, traffic lights, speed limits and general traffic rules.

Note that the speed limit on the pathways is 15 mph, you can be cited for going over that.

Please register your bicycle with the police department so if it gets stolen, we know who to return it to if it is recovered.

Next up are not laws, but bicycle safety recommendations:

Wear a helmet.

Wear bright-colored and reflective clothing.

Use a headlight and a flashing red tail light both at night and in the daytime.

Lock your bicycle when left unattended. I have never taken a report of a locked bicycle being stolen in Scottsbluff.

Do not wear headphones or earbuds. You need to be able to hear approaching cars, horns, sirens, whistles, or other warnings.

Keep your head up and look around, make eye contact with car drivers.

Assume that drivers of cars and trucks do not see you.

Use hand signals to indicate turns, if you don't know the hand signals stop by and ask to see me, I will teach you.

Do not talk on phones or text while riding. Watch for road hazards or obstacles.

Use a bell or speak to warn pedestrians of your presence.

Drink plenty or water.

Do not ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Keep your bike well maintained and in good working order.

Have a fun summer and enjoy the ride.

Sgt. Philip Eckerberg is with the Scottsbluff Police Department. He answers questions submitted by readers each week. To submit a question for consideration, email [email protected].

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