By Black H.B. No. 2929
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to bicycle safety.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Article 6701d, Sec. 178, V.T.C.S., is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 178. (a) It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any
1-7 act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this Article.
1-8 (b) The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward
1-9 shall not authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to
1-10 violate any of the provisions of this Act.
1-11 (c) These regulations applicable to bicycles shall apply
1-12 whenever a bicycle is operated upon any highway or upon any path
1-13 set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles subject to those
1-14 exceptions stated herein.
1-15 (d) All provisions of this Act applicable to bicycles also
1-16 apply to motor-assisted bicycles unless because of their nature
1-17 they can have no application to those vehicles.
1-18 (e) A person convicted of a violation of this Article shall
1-19 pay $2.00 in addition to other fines and costs assessed by the
1-20 court. This additional amount shall be deposited to a death
1-21 benefits fund for deceased peace officers.
1-22 SECTION 2. Article 6701d, Sec. 179, V.T.C.S., is amended to
1-23 read as follows:
2-1 Sec. 179. (a) Every person riding a bicycle shall be
2-2 granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties
2-3 applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this Act, except as to
2-4 special regulations in this Article and except as to those
2-5 provisions of this Act which by their nature can have no
2-6 application.
2-7 (b) Convictions of persons riding a bicycle in violation of
2-8 this Act or other law regarding the operation of bicycles shall be
2-9 reported to the department in accordance with Section 152.
2-10 (c) However, organized, competitive bicycle races may be
2-11 held on public roads, provided that the sponsoring organization
2-12 shall have obtained the approval of the appropriate local law
2-13 enforcement agencies. The sponsoring organization and the local
2-14 law enforcement agency may establish by agreement special
2-15 regulations regarding the movement of bicycles during such races,
2-16 or in training for races, including, but not limited to, permission
2-17 to ride abreast and other regulations to facilitate the safe
2-18 conduct of such races or training for races. "Bicycle" as used
2-19 herein means a nonmotorized vehicle propelled by human power.
2-20 SECTION 3. Article 6701d, Sec. 182, V.T.C.S., is amended to
2-21 read as follows:
2-22 Sec. 182. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this
2-23 section, a person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than
2-24 the speed of the other traffic on the roadway at that time shall
2-25 ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the
3-1 roadway, except when:
3-2 (1) the person is overtaking and passing another
3-3 vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
3-4 (2) the person is preparing for a left turn at an
3-5 intersection or onto a private road or driveway; or
3-6 (3) conditions on the roadway, including fixed or
3-7 moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals,
3-8 surface hazards, or substandard width lanes, make it unsafe to ride
3-9 next to the right curb or edge of the roadway.
3-10 (b) For the purpose of Subsection (a) of this section, a
3-11 substandard width lane is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle
3-12 and a motor vehicle to travel in the lane safely side by side.
3-13 (c) A person operating a bicycle on a one-way roadway with
3-14 two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near as practicable to
3-15 the left curb or edge of the roadway.
3-16 (d) A person may not operate a bicycle on a state highway
3-17 unless the highway has a shoulder.
3-18 (e) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride
3-19 more than two abreast except on paths or part of roadways set aside
3-20 for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast
3-21 shall not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic on the
3-22 roadway. If persons are riding two abreast on a laned roadway,
3-23 they must ride in a single lane.
3-24 (f) It is a Class A misdemeanor for persons riding bicycles
3-25 in groups of five or more to intentionally impede the normal and
4-1 reasonable flow of traffic on the roadway.
4-2 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
4-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.