Where can/can't I lock my bike (Newark, East Orange: law, dangerous)

[neon_volt]

I am talking about for running errands. Say there's no bike rack, is it illegal if I lock it to a streetlight, street sign, public fence, etc

[lammius]

In most towns it is not legal to do that.
But the likelihood of getting ticketed for it is probably slim to none, that is, if you're just chaining up to run a quick errand and not leaving the bike overnight or something.

[captne76]

Much depends on the towns too. I know and have seen recently in East Orange a squad of cops is targeting anyone riding a bike on the sidewalk. Tickets issued, warrants checked, etc. So they enforce walking bikes only on sidewalks.

[flyonpa]

You should not be riding a bike on a sidewalk, (It is against the law).

(Maybe if you are less then 10yo in a residential area.) but never in a commercial area.

[nybbler]

Originally Posted by flyonpa

You should not be riding a bike on a sidewalk, (It is against the law).

It's not against NJ law; I assume if EO is ticketing for it, it's against an EO ordinance. It's also illegal in Orange, but not West Orange. It's legal in Fort Lee; it's actually required for the approach to the GWB bicycle path.

(Orange also has a law requiring bicycles to be registered on sale... I doubt the cops would even know what to do if you tried...)

[Peanuttree]

it don't matter no one cares, I do it all the time, as do all the hispanic guys
both biking on the sidewalk and locking to stuff that isn't technically a bike lock. Heck, some of the train stations don't even have bike racks to tie onto; what the heck are you supposed to do if you biked there!?

[neon_volt]

Thanks ppl, well, NJ is not like the Netherlands
haha

I never ride on the sidewalk, a bicycle is vehicle, and vehicles belong on the road

[EBWick]

Biking on the sidewalk should be illegal everywhere. If you can't figure out how to bike on a street then you shouldn't be biking at all.

[brokenaperture]

Originally Posted by EBWick

Biking on the sidewalk should be illegal everywhere. If you can't figure out how to bike on a street then you shouldn't be biking at all.

This.

[jaymoney]

I once got pulled over by the chief of police in East Newark for riding down the road. They informed me that was where cars belonged and that it was dangerous for me to be there and that I should ride on the sidewalk.

Literally half an hour I spent trying to explain to him that vehicles belonged on the road and that I had more rights to be there than on the sidewalk where pedestrians would never hear me coming. Half an hour explaining to the top cop in a town the rules of the road. He claimed he would cite me for slowing traffic (bikes are exempt) in a 25 MPH zone.

Long story short I just rode through Newark until we moved a year later, it was just less of a hassle.