In 1959 I got my first bicycle. It was green, had fenders and a frame made of solid steel and tires so thick, they had more rubber than a semi-truck tire. On the rear fender was a rusted out hole where there once was a red reflector.
Of course being a young man with a need to leave rubber like the Indy Cars did on Memorial Day, I had to go as fast as I could and stand on the pedal brake hard enough to leave a deceleration tire mark on the sidewalk. The green tank was not exactly a speed demon.
The bicycle was not to be ridden in the street according to my Dad because it did not have the required headlights and reflectors. I did not want to break the law and get a ticket from a Montgomery County Deputy after all.
In 1964 for my birthday, I got a bicycle that was street legal. It was a yellow 3 speed; yes it had more than one gear. The fenders were still made of steel but it was a much lighter weight metal. The brakes were no longer on the pedal but were activated by hand and had to be tightened down when the rubber wore away since they actually made contact with the aluminum rims.
But what made this a legal bicycle was that it had a headlight and rear red light. Back then batteries did not last long so it had a generator.
That’s right a generator that one would engage the top to the tire and as the tire rotated, producing enough electricity to power the front headlight and rear red reflector/light. Now I could ride in the street.
After becoming a police, I learned that having a light and horn was actually covered by law and is a requirement. And all those years I just thought my dad made that up about it being a law.
Even my old green tank taught me why you wear shorts on a bicycle without a chain guard. Which remarkably is not a requirement. Enough about my childhood memories.
So if you provide your kid with an old green tank, use the ORC to make sure the kid doesn’t go too far from home since even crossing the street while riding would be “Against the law!” Here is the official Ohio Revised Code Statute dealing with bicycles. Just remember, Cities often have more restrictive rules so check with your local police department about those.
4511.56 Bicycle signal devices.
(A) Every bicycle when in use at the times specified in section 4513.03 of the Revised Code, shall be equipped with the following:
(1) A lamp mounted on the front of either the bicycle or the operator that shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front and three hundred feet to the sides. A generator-powered lamp that emits light only when the bicycle is moving may be used to meet this requirement.
(2) A red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from all distances from one hundred feet to six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle;
(3) A lamp emitting either flashing or steady red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear shall be used in addition to the red reflector. If the red lamp performs as a reflector in that it is visible as specified in division (A) (2) of this section, the red lamp may serve as the reflector and a separate reflector is not required.
(B) Additional lamps and reflectors may be used in addition to those required under division (A) of this section, except that red lamps and red reflectors shall not be used on the front of the bicycle and white lamps and white reflectors shall not be used on the rear of the bicycle.
(C) A bicycle may be equipped with a device capable of giving an audible signal, except that a bicycle shall not be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle.
(D) Every bicycle shall be equipped with an adequate brake when used on a street or highway.
(E) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of two or more predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 09-21-2006
