Calling All Cyclists in St. Charles!

Weigh in on the proposed St. Charles County bike ban. Wish the roads in your area were safer? As a cyclist and resident of St. Charles County, your opinion matters! Attend the upcoming public meeting in your area and let your legislators and neighbors know where you stand on the issue.

• Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. – New Melle Community Club map
• Monday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. – St. Charles County Council Chambers map
• Monday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. – Trinity Lutheran School map

Multiple proposals are on being discussed with the intention of improving road safety in St. Charles County. Options under consideration include a color-designation system for roadways, educational programs, permit requirements for large groups of cyclists, and a selective bicycle ban.

Trailnet would like to remind cyclists of their rights on the road in response to the proposed bicycle ban by St. Charles County.  In Missouri, bicycles have the same rights and duties of a motor vehicle (Missouri Revised Statute 307.188).  Motor vehicles must leave a safe distance when overtaking a bicycle on a roadway.  Therefore, if it is a single lane road with no shoulder or bike lane and this is violated, the driver is guilty of an infraction (Missouri Revised Statute 304.678).  Just as a car cannot drive on the sidewalk, neither can a bicycle within a business district (Missouri Revised Statute 300.347).  While bicyclists should ride in their defined bicycle lanes or to the right side of the road, the bicycle must take the lane when turning, riding through an intersection, avoiding parked cars or roadside debris, when the bicycle lane is obstructed, or when the road is too narrow (Missouri Revised Statute 307.190). You may want to print out and laminate these statutes so you are prepared if you ever encounter an uninformed motorist.

In response to the proposed bicycle ban, Melissa Anderson, P.E., Non-Motorized Transportation Engineer for MoDOT, explained that counties do not have the authority to ban bicycling on MoDOT highways, and MoDOT has no intention of banning bicycles on any of their roadways.

From Trailnet's perspective, certainly the signed speed limit as well as the typical actual speeds of vehicles on certain roads should be re-evaluated in light of accidents.

As always, remember to bike defensively, be aware of motorists and other cyclists, use your hand signals to indicate the direction you are turning, and most importantly, wear a helmet.  Your safety always comes first.

Missouri Revised Statutes Involving Bicyclists Defined:

 
• Distance to be maintained when overtaking a bicycle--violation, penalty.
304.678. 1. The operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, as defined in section 300.010, RSMo, shall leave a safe distance, when passing the bicycle, and shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.
2. Any person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of an infraction unless an accident is involved in which case it shall be a class C misdemeanor.
• Vehicle shall not be driven on a sidewalk--prohibition on obstruction of bicycle lanes--drivers to yield to bicycles in designated bicycle lanes.
300.330. The driver of a motor vehicle shall not drive within any sidewalk area except as a permanent or temporary driveway. A designated bicycle lane shall not be obstructed by a parked or standing motor vehicle or other stationary object. A motor vehicle may be driven in a designated bicycle lane only for the purpose of a lawful maneuver to cross the lane or to provide for safe travel. In making an otherwise lawful maneuver that requires traveling in or crossing a designated bicycle lane, the driver of a motor vehicle shall yield to any bicycle in the lane. As used in this section, the term "designated bicycle lane" shall mean a portion of the roadway or highway that* has been designated by the governing body having jurisdiction over such roadway or highway by striping with signing or striping with pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use of bicycles.
• Riding bicycle on sidewalks, limitations--motorized bicycles prohibited.
300.347. 1. No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district.  
• Rights and duties of bicycle and motorized bicycle riders.
307.188. Every person riding a bicycle or motorized bicycle upon a street or highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle as provided by chapter 304, RSMo, except as to special regulations in sections 307.180 to 307.193 and except as to those provisions of chapter 304, RSMo, which by their nature can have no application.  
• Bicycle required to give hand or mechanical signals.
307.192. The operator of a bicycle shall signal as required in section 304.019, RSMo, except that a signal by the hand and arm need not be given continuously if the hand is needed in the control or operation of or to control or operate the bicycle. An operator of a bicycle intending to turn the bicycle to the right shall signal as indicated in section 304.019, RSMo, or by extending such operator's right arm in a horizontal position so that the same may be seen in front of and in the rear of the bicycle.  
• Riding to right, required for bicycles and motorized bicycles.

307.190. Every person operating a bicycle or motorized bicycle at less than the posted speed or slower than the flow of traffic upon a street or highway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as safe, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction, except when making a left turn, when avoiding hazardous conditions, when the lane is too narrow to share with another vehicle, or when on a one-way street. Bicyclists may ride abreast when not impeding other vehicles.

Click here for more information on Bicycle Safety.

Click here to read Ann Mack's memo to the St. Charles County Council.

Pedal the Cause

Come ride or show your support for friends and family. "Pedal the Cause" along one of two courses (25 miles or 60 miles). 100% of the proceeds stay in St. Louis to fund cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Learn more, view the course and register at www.pedalthecause.org.
 
Saturday, October 9, 8 a.m.
Beginning and ending near Soldiers Memorial, Downtown St. Louis

Giro della Montagna

Sunday, September 5
Registration: 7:30 - 9:00 AM

Start: Shaw Visual and Performing Arts Community Education Center on “The Hill”
5329 Columbia Ave
St. Louis, MO 63139 map

Volunteer for Bicycle Fun Club Rides!

Great volunteers assist before each ride by helping staff set up the tables, tents, selling tickets, handing out maps, and answering general questions. Volunteers ride free at the close of registration AND receive a free ride voucher for a regularly priced BFC ride of their choice!

If you would like to help out at one of our rides, please call Amy at 314/416-9930 x 114 or email amyschmidt@trailnet.org.