With the arrival—more or less—of spring and higher temperatures, Chesterton
Police Chief Dave Cincoski wants both motorists and bicyclists to watch out
for each other as they share the town’s streets.
“Did you know that bicyclists have the same duties and responsibilities to
operate bicycles as the drivers of cars do?” Cincoski said in a statement
released to the Chesterton Tribune. “”That means that bicycles are to
be ridden on the right side of the roadway, with the flow of traffic.
Bicycles are to be ridden in compliance with all traffic laws. Bicyclists
are required to stop at stop signs, ride the proper direction on one-way
streets, and signal turns or slowing down.”
The following hand signals should be used by bicyclists and recognized by
motorists:
•Right turn: extend the left hand out with the elbow bent at a right angle
so that the left hand and palm are pointing straight up in the air.
•Left turn: extend the left hand straight out from the body, pointing to the
left.
•Slowing or stopping: extend the left hand out with the elbow bent at a
right angle so that left hand and palm are pointing straight to the ground.
Hard-shell helmets are not required by state law but Cincoski urges all
bicyclists to wear them anyway. “Although accidents involving bicycles are
rare in the Town of Chesterton, chances of head injuries from an accident or
even from a fall are greatly diminished when wearing a helmet,” he said.
Unless specifically designed to do so, a bicycle may not carry more than one
person, Cincoski added, and when a group of bicyclists is traversing any
roadway, they must ride single file and no more than two abreast.
“Specifically, with regard to the operation of bicycles within the Town of
Chesterton, bicycles are not to be ridden upon the sidewalk in front of any
business in town, and in general if bicycles are ridden on the sidewalk in
allowed areas, they are to be ridden in a manner which does not interfere
with pedestrians,” Cincoski emphasized.
On the subject of pedestrians:
•“Pedestrian” refers to any person traversing a roadway, whether walking,
jogging, or running. Under Indiana Code, a pedestrian may not walk or run in
the roadway when a sidewalk is available.
•If a sidewalk is not available or is under repair, the pedestrian may walk
in the roadway but must do so as close to the edge of the roadway as
possible. If the road is a two-way street, the pedestrian must walk on the
left side of the roadway, or against the flow of traffic.
•Unless using a marked crosswalk or other regulated pedestrian crossing,
pedestrians must yield the right-of-way to vehicles.
•Crossing a roadway should be done safely. When crossing an intersection,
the preferred manner is to do so at a crosswalk or at a regulated
intersection. In the absence of these, look both ways. Do not presume that
the driver of a vehicle can see you just because you can see him.
“Please be careful,” Cincoski concluded. “Try to dress in light colored
clothing, and in twilight or dusk hours wear reflective clothing.”
