by Linda Straker
Police in Grenada are concerned about the increasing number of unlicensed bicycles using public roads, and have indicated that they are cracking down on those who riding illegally.
“The illegal operations of bicycles are a risk to the general public and the RGPF is reminding persons that legislation in respect of licensing and the illegal use of bicycles on the nation’s roads are still in effect,” said a press release from the Police which confirmed that already several unlicensed bicycles have had to be confiscated by the police.
“The public is hereby warned that the police will continue to impound bicycles which are unlicensed and that there is no exemption or protection in law for riders/owners of unlicensed bicycles once ridden on the nation’s road. Owners / holders of bicycles which are not yet licensed are encouraged to visit the nearest police station to do so now,” said the release which appealed to all bicyclists to operate within the law.
Inspector in charge of operations at the Traffic Department Linford Kingston explained that the licensing process for bicycles is a simple one that can be done at the Traffic Department in any Police Station.
“Bicycles owners just need to bring in the bicycles for inspection. Once it’s approved the owner then pays EC$25 to the treasury, and return to the traffic department with the receipt. We then place the receipt number and the serial number of the bicycle in our registry and they ride off,” he said.
According to the law, “every rider of a bicycle shall carry a bell or horn in proper working order fixed to his or her machine, and shall sound same loudly and, if necessary, continuously, when approaching a corner of a street or road or moving towards or in a crowded thoroughfare, and when within twenty yards from, and before overtaking any vehicle or person riding on any animal or bicycle.”
“Having a horn or bell is one of the mandatory things for approval. We also check on the brakes, the tyres and other requirements, to make sure the bicycle is roadworthy, and if it’s not roadworthy after inspection, the owner can get it fixed and return or pull it off the road,” he further said.
According to the road traffic regulations for bicycles:
- No bicyclist shall carry any parcel or other package so as to interfere in any way with his or her control of the bicycle;
- Every bicycle shall have two brakes, operating on independent wheels, which shall be in proper working order;
- No bicycle shall be ridden on any footway reserved by any existing law for exclusive use of pedestrians;
- Only one person shall ride on a bicycle;
- No bicyclist shall ride furiously or without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road;
- All bicyclists shall, when turning a corner to the right, keep well over on the left of the road so as to make a quarter circle which, when completed, will bring them on the left side of the road into which they turn and in turning corners, bicyclists shall moderate the pace at which they are travelling.
- In turning corners, bicyclists shall moderate the pace at which they are travelling;
- Every rider of a bicycle shall carry a bell or horn in proper working order fixed to his or her machine, and shall sound same loudly and, if necessary, continuously, when approaching a corner of a street or road or moving towards or in a crowded thoroughfare, and when within twenty yards from, and before overtaking any vehicle or person riding on any animal or bicycle.
(Regulation 3 of the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations CAP 201 of the 2010 Continuous Revised Edition of the Laws of Grenada)
