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Bicyclist Rights and Safety in Lakewood One of the cool things that has come out of staying home waiting out the virus is that we’ve seen an increase of individuals and families biking around Lakewood. All ages out having fun together in nature. It’s been a great outlet during these trying times. However, there have been some things happen that have jeopardized our bicyclists’ safety. So we’d like to address what rights and responsibilities bicyclist have and what responsibilities those driving other vehicles have toward their safety. The main streets in Lakewood are the under the jurisdiction of the City of Lee’s Summit. After years of work and coalition building by the Lee’s Summit Livable Streets Advisory Board and recommendations from MoBikeFed, BikeWalkKC, and other local and national bicycle groups, in October 2014, the City passed a comprehensive Bicycle Law Update, Anti-Harassment Law, 4-Foot Passing Law, Improved ‘Keep Right’ Law, Dead Red, and Equipment Regulations.
Here’s a summary of that law. Every person riding a bicycle upon any roadway in the City of Lee’s Summit shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by the laws of this State. Every person operating a bicycle or motorized bicycle on a street or highway may ride in the center of the right lane of travel or may ride to the right side of the roadway; such person may use the left lane of travel to prepare for making a left turn, or when on a one-way street. Every person operating a bicycle or motorized bicycle on a roadway shall exercise due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction, when making turns, and when streets or lanes are too narrow to share with motor vehicle. Bicycles may ride abreast in the lane of travel. Strong anti-harassment provision – this prohibits throwing things at cyclists and pedestrians, shouting or honking in order to threaten, frighten or intimidate, and putting cyclists and pedestrians in fear of danger or risk
of injury or death (i.e. by swerving close). Safe passing of bicyclists – the operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway or on the shoulder of the roadway, shall leave a safe distance, but in no case less than 4 feet clearance, when passing the bicycle, and shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle. Dead Red Law for bicyclists and motorcyclists – bicyclists and motorcyclists may ride through a red light after stopping and waiting if the light has apparently failed to detect the rider and traffic is clear on the cross street. Improved and modernized equipment requirements for bikes – allowing, for example, lights or reflectors for front, rear and side visibility rather than required side/rear reflectors as the old law does. No person shall ride a bicycle on any street without having at least one hand on the bicycle at all times when the bicycle is in motion.
You can view the entire document at https://mobikefed.org/sites/default/files/lees-summit-comprehensive-bicycle-ordinance-update-2014-10.pdf. Note that in Lakewood, many of our roads have wide shoulders - this is not a bike lane, though walkers and bikers may use it. Bicyclists have the same right to ride in the road as other vehicles. So please be kind, know the rules and help keep our bicyclists safe.
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The Ripples // August 2020
