"I saw a new sign at an intersection that I frequent. 225th street and Broadway. The sign says, ""Bicycles must dismount and walk"" Then it refers to VTL 1110. I am very confused where I am supposed to walk my bicycle as there isn't any indication. I also cannot figure out when I can start riding again. At this intersection, I am always in the left lane of traffic because I am about to make a left at the next intersection. I am not sure what I am supposed to do. So I looked up the VTL code and this is what I found. I read it several times and I cannot figure out what it has to do with walking bicycles.
§ 1110. Obedience to and required traffic-control devices.
(a) Every person shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable to him placed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in this title.
(b) No provision of this title for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official sign is not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does not state that signs are required, such section shall be effective even though no signs are erected or in place.
(c) Whenever official traffic-control devices are placed in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this chapter, such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.
(d) Any official traffic-control device placed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and purporting to conform to the lawful requirements pertaining to such devices shall be presumed to comply with the requirements of this chapter, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.
(e) For purposes of this article, ""intersection"" shall include the area embracing the juncture of a highway with a private road or driveway and ""intersecting roadway"" shall include an intersecting private road or driveway."
VTL Help - What the heck does this mean
The statute requires you to obey the posted sign, which appears to require you to walk your bike through the intersection. Although maybe you are confusing the sign, which has been there for years, which forbids riding a bike acroos the Broadway bridge (many NYCC route sheets tell you to use the sidewalk at this bridge).
The sign is on the North bound side, just past the bridge. And the sign is facing North. It is a brand new full color sign.
I always thought the sign by the bridge meant that you cannot ride you bicycle on the sidewalk. I never thought it meant not to ride over the bridge. I have seen many cyclists riding over the bridge and I do so myself all the time.
The cops don't enfore the traffic rules at this intersection, so we will seee if they enfore this rule.
Someday, there will be a cop there who needs the tickets and you'll get one.
If you want to know why bikes aren't allowed on the bridge, try this:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildot.html
"The sign says ""Bicycles must dismount and walk""?
Tell the court if the law relies on any one thing, it is clear, unambiguous language, that a bike can't walk, that the sign requires an impossibility, that if the city wanted CYCLISTS to dismount and walk, they should change the sign to read, ""Cyclists must dismount and walk.""
...On the other hand I dropped out of law school twice."
There are no D.A.s in this court and the judge isn't going to laugh when fining you for the violation (btw, this bridge and the Willis Ave. bridge probably ban bikes because of the unpaved surfaces, making it dangerous for bikes).
