State
Laws
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Riding on sidewalks and crosswalks
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Tailgating and attaching to a vehicle
Town
Ordinances
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Riding bicycles or
skateboards on sidewalks
Skateboard Safety Tips
§
46.2-904. Use of roller skates and skateboards on sidewalks
and shared-use paths; operation of bicycles, electric
power-assisted bicycles, and electric personal assistive
mobility devices on sidewalks and crosswalks and shared-use
paths; local ordinances.
The governing body of any
county, city, or town may by ordinance prohibit the use of
roller skates and skateboards and/or the riding of bicycles,
electric personal assistive mobility devices, or electric
power-assisted bicycles on designated sidewalks or crosswalks,
including those of any church, school, recreational facility, or
any business property open to the public where such activity is
prohibited. Signs indicating such prohibition shall be
conspicuously posted in general areas where use of roller
skates and skateboards, and/or bicycle, electric personal
assistive mobility devices or electric power-assisted bicycle
riding is prohibited.
A person riding a bicycle,
electric personal assistive mobility device, or an electric
power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or across
a roadway on a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any
pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking
and passing any pedestrian.
No person shall ride a
bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, or an
electric power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, or across a
roadway on a crosswalk, where such use of bicycles, electric
personal assistive mobility devices, or electric power-assisted
bicycles is prohibited by official traffic control devices.
A person riding a bicycle,
electric personal assistive mobility device, or an electric
power-assisted bicycle on a sidewalk, shared-use path, or across
a roadway on a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties
of a pedestrian under the same circumstances.
A violation of any ordinance
adopted pursuant to this section shall be punishable by a civil
penalty of not more than $50.
§
46.2-932. Playing on highways; roller skates, skateboards,
toys, or other devices on wheels or runners; persons riding
bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric
power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, etc., not to attach to
vehicles; exception.
A. No person shall play on a
highway, other than on the sidewalks thereof, within a city or
town or on any part of a highway outside the limits of a city or
town designated by the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner
exclusively for vehicular travel. No person shall use roller
skates, skateboards, toys, or other devices on wheels or
runners, except bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility
devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, and
motorcycles, on highways where play is prohibited. The governing
bodies of counties, cities, and towns may designate areas on
highways under their control where play is permitted and may
impose reasonable restrictions on play on such highways. If the
highways have only two traffic lanes, persons using such
devices, except bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility
devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, and
motorcycles, shall keep as near as safely practicable to the far
right side or edge of the right traffic lane so that they will
be proceeding in the same direction as other traffic.
No person riding on any
bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric
power-assisted bicycle, moped, roller skates, skateboards, toys,
or other devices on wheels or runners, shall attach the same or
himself to any vehicle on a roadway.
B. Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection A of this section, the governing body
of any county having a population of at least 170,000 but less
than 200,000 may by ordinance permit the use of devices on
wheels or runners on highways under such county's control,
subject to such limitations and conditions as the governing body
may deem necessary and reasonable.
Town Ordinance 78-16. Riding
bicycles or skateboards on sidewalks.
(a) It shall be unlawful for
any person to ride a bicycle or skateboard on any sidewalk of
the town.
(b) A violation of this
section shall constitute a traffic infraction punishable by a
fine of not less than $5.00 nor more than $25.00 (Code 1982, §
18-8)
State law reference -
Authority of town to prohibit operation of bicycles on
sidewalks, Code of Virginia, § 46.2-904.