71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 175
 
                         Senate Bill 25
 
Printed pursuant to Senate Interim Rule 213.28 by order of the
  President of the Senate in conformance with presession filing
  rules, indicating neither advocacy nor opposition on the part
  of the President (at the request of Senator Gary George)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Authorizes riding bicycle against traffic in properly marked
bicycle lane.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to bicycles; creating new provisions; and amending ORS
  814.430.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + Section 2 of this 2001 Act is added to and made
a part of ORS 814.410 to 814.480. + }
  SECTION 2.  { + (1) A person may operate a bicycle in the
direction opposite to the lawful direction of adjacent motor
vehicle traffic if the person is in a bicycle lane that the
Department of Transportation has marked or signed as open to
bicycle traffic in both directions.
  (2) The department may mark or sign a bicycle lane as open to
bicycles operating in both directions if the department decides
that the bicycle lane is safe for bicycles operating in both
directions. + }
  SECTION 3. ORS 814.430 is amended to read:
  814.430. (1) A person commits the offense of improper use of
lanes by a bicycle if the person is operating a bicycle on a
roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic using the
roadway at that time and place under the existing conditions and
the person does not ride as close as practicable to the right
curb or edge of the roadway.
  (2) A person is not in violation of the offense under this
section if the person is not operating a bicycle as close as
practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway under any of
the following circumstances:
  (a) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle that
is proceeding in the same direction.
  (b) When preparing to execute a left turn.
  (c) When reasonably necessary to avoid hazardous conditions
including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or
moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards
or other conditions that make continued operation along the right
curb or edge unsafe or to avoid unsafe operation in a lane on the
roadway that is too narrow for a bicycle and vehicle to travel
safely side by side. Nothing in this paragraph excuses the
operator of a bicycle from the requirements under ORS 811.425 or
from the penalties for failure to comply with those requirements.
  (d) When operating within a city as near as practicable to the
left curb or edge of a roadway that is designated to allow
traffic to move in only one direction along the roadway. A
bicycle that is operated under this paragraph is subject to the
same requirements and exceptions when operating along the left
curb or edge as are applicable when a bicycle is operating along
the right curb or edge of the roadway.
  (e) When operating a bicycle alongside not more than one other
bicycle as long as the bicycles are both being operated within a
single lane and in a manner that does not impede the normal and
reasonable movement of traffic.
  (f) When operating   { - on - }   { + in + } a bicycle lane
 { - or bicycle path - } .   { +  This paragraph does not
authorize a person to operate a bicycle in a direction opposite
to that of adjacent motor vehicle traffic. + }
  (3) The offense described in this section, improper use of
lanes by a bicycle, is a Class D traffic violation.
                         ----------