Prince William County

Sec. 17-23. Bicycles to be ridden only in designated areas.

No person shall ride a bicycle in a park, except in areas designated for such use.

(Code 1965, S 13.2-23)

Cross references: General regulations on riding bicycles, S 13-375 et seq.

Sec. 32-280.30. Town center provisions.

Town centers shall be established by special use permit in any PMD or PMR zoning district. Development plans shall be submitted meeting the requirements of section 32-700.50 and the provisions of this section.

Town centers are intended to implement the regional employment center and community employment center land use classifications of the comprehensive plan where the purposes set forth below are accomplished.

The purpose of town centers is to promote the development of a pedestrian-oriented and fully-integrated mixed use community where public facilities and services can be efficiently provided and where environmental characteristics are sensitively considered. These town center provisions are created in the urban convention prevalent in the United States from colonial times to the 1940’s.

The following elements characterize town centers:

1. A community with clearly defined built limits.

2. Consists of land bays containing mixed uses that comprise a substantial amount of land area within the town center.

3. Pedestrian-oriented circulation system with a continuity of streets, sidewalks, and blocks so all parts of the community are easily accessible by pedestrians, motor vehicles and bicycles.

Sec. 13-127. Lights on bicycles, electric power-assisted bicycles and mopeds.

1. Every bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle and moped, when in use between sunset and sunrise, shall be equipped with a headlight on the front emitting a white light visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a red reflector visible from a distance of at least 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlights on a motor vehicle. Such lights and reflectors shall be of types approved by the superintendent.

In addition to the foregoing provisions of this section, a bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors. These lights may be steady burning or blinking.

2. Every bicycle, or its rider shall be equipped with a taillight on the rear emitting a red light plainly visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear when in use between sunset and sunrise and operating on any highway with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or greater. Any such taillight shall be of a type approved by the superintendent of state police

(Code 1965, S 12.1-174; Ord. No. 84-613, 7-17-84; Ord. No. 89-168, 12-19-89; Ord. No. 01-46, 6-19-01, effective 7-1-01; Ord. No. 04-39, 6-22-04, effective 7-1-04; Ord. No. 05-43, 6-28-05)

Sec. 13-207. General duty to drive on right side of highway.

On all highways of sufficient width, the driver of a vehicle shall drive on the right half of the highway, unless it is impracticable to travel on such side of the highway and except when overtaking and passing another vehicle, subject to the limitations applicable in overtaking and passing set forth in this article.

(Code 1965, S 12.1-95; Ord. No. 89-168, 12-19-89)

State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia, S 46.2-802.

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle, moped, bicycle or electric power-assisted bicycle on the highways in the county while using earphones on or in both ears.

For the purposes of this section, “earphones” shall mean any device worn on or in both ears which converts electrical energy to sound waves or which impairs or hinders the person’s ability to hear, but shall not include (i) any prosthetic device which aids the hard of hearing, (ii) earphones installed in helmets worn by motorcycle operators and riders and used as part of a communications system, or (iii) non-prosthetic, closed-ear, open-back, electronic noise-cancellation devices designed and used to enhance the hearing ability of persons who operate vehicles in high-noise environments, provided any such device is being worn by the operator of a vehicle with a gross weight rating of 26,000 pounds or more. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the driver of any emergency vehicles as defined in section 13-6.

(Ord. No. 97-60, 6-24-97, effective 7-1-97; Ord. No. 01-46, 6-19-01, effective 7-1-01)

Sec. 13-212. Passing vehicle proceeding in same direction–Generally.

1. The driver of any vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass at least two feet to the left of the overtaken vehicle and shall not again drive to the right side of the highway until safely clear of such overtaken vehicle, except as provided in this article.

2. The driver of a vehicle shall not drive to the left side of the center line of a highway in overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, unless such left side is clearly visible and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and passing to be made in safety.

3. No person operating a truck or combination of vehicles shall pass or attempt to pass any truck or combination of vehicles going in the same direction on an upgrade, if such passing will impede the passage of following traffic.

4. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person riding a bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped shall comply with all rules applicable to the driver of a vehicle when overtaking and passing.

   1. A person riding a bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped may overtake and pass another vehicle on either the left or right side, staying in the same lane as the overtaken vehicle, or changing to a different lane, or riding off the roadway as necessary to pass with safety.

   2. A person riding a bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped may overtake and pass another vehicle only under conditions which permit the movement to be made with safety.

   3. A person riding a bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped shall not travel between two lanes of traffic moving in the same direction, except where one lane is a separate turn lane or a mandatory turn lane.

5. In approaching or passing a person riding a bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal or animal-drawn vehicle, the driver of the motor vehicle shall pass at a safe distance and at a reasonable speed.

(Code 1965, SS 12.1-100, 12.1-104; Ord. No. 82-28-20, 10-19-82; Ord. No. 89-168, 12-19-89; Ord. No. 99-42, 6-22-99, effective 7-1-99; Ord. No. 01-46, 6-19-01, effective 7-1-01; Ord. No. 04-39, 6-22-04, effective 7-1-04; Ord. No. 06-59, 6-27-06)

State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia, SS 46.2-838, 46.2-839, 46.2-843, 46.2-907.

Sec. 13-216.1. Left turns by bicycles and mopeds.

1. A person riding a bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle or moped and intending to turn left shall either follow a course described in section 13-216 or in subsection (b) of this section.

2. A person riding a bicycle, electric power-assisted bicycle or moped and intending to turn left shall approach the turn as closes a practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the intersecting roadway, the rider shall comply with traffic signs or signals and continue his turn as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway being entered.

3. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the Commonwealth transportation board and local authorities may cause official traffic-control devices to be placed at intersections to direct that a specific course be traveled by turning bicycles, electric power-assisted bicycles and mopeds. When such devices are so placed, no person shall turn a bicycle or moped other than as directed by such devices.

(Ord. No. 82-28-20, 10-19-82; Ord. No. 89-168, 12-19-89; Ord. No. 01-46, 6-19-01, effective 7-1-01)

Sec. 13-231. Driving on sidewalks.

No person shall ride or drive any vehicle other than (i) an emergency vehicle, as defined in Code of Virginia, S 46.2-920 or in section 13-6 of this chapter, (ii) a vehicle engaged in snow or ice removal and control operations, (iii) a wheelchair or wheel chair conveyance, whether self-propelled or otherwise, (iv) a bicycle, or (v) electric power-assisted bicycle on the sidewalks in the county.

(Code 1965, S 12.1-122; Ord. No. 89-168, 12-19-89; Ord. No. 94-40, 6-28-94; Ord. No. 01-46, 6-19-01, effective 7-1-01)

State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia, S 46.2-903.