Illinois-2014 laws or revisions

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outlawbiker

outlawbiker

Member
Mar 15, 2009
282
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16
Chicago NW Suburbs
We've got quite a few threads going on about laws in Illinois and why bring back dead threads? Weather is turning warmer and its time to dig for any new revisions for 2014 to keep us safe.

I cannot find the nice clean version of our bicycle law with the state seal / complied statue number / or the header that stated "Illinois State Police Law Update" ,also i maybe mistaken,but i think it also had Pat Quinn's signature on it at the bottom?

I used to have stacks of those printed out, but lost them when i moved out to LA. If anyone can link me to them i would be grateful, those really got the cops off me every time and i like to hand them out to customers for the same reason.

Maybe some day i should have that law tattooed on my back like in old english looking like its on an old scroll from the founding fathers just so i cant loose it again. with an eagle.. and an american flag! with skulls! and flames!... sorry got carried away being all biker and patriotic.

Next up,while our government (state and federal) likes to keep modifying or stripping of us of our rights, after a little digging i did find that the S.O.S has cleaned up their rules about our "low speed" bicycles. Previously it was stated a few years ago that the S.O.S said we couldn't ride on streets rated faster than 30 mph (however our bikes cannot reach speeds over 20 mph). Looks like this has been removed in the 2014 rules of the road book on pages 39 - 41.Sounds like one win for us finally.

Not that this is written in stone, but it does add to the argument that bike paths should not restrict us even tho they have signs posted saying "no motorized vehicles",because as Illinois law now defines us as "low speed" bicycles and all rules for bicycles apply to us,we are NOT motorized vehicles. This quoted from Chicago Bicycle Attorneys:

http://www.mybikeadvocate.com/2010/09/explaining-ebikes-and-law.html

"Certain types of motorized bikes are governed by the same rules that apply to regular, old-fashioned pedal bikes, and are permitted on Chicago's Lakefront path. "Low-speed electric bicycles" and "low-speed gas bicycles" are permitted on the path. Mopeds and motorcycles are not. To be considered a "low-speed" bike, the cycle must (a) have fully operable pedals, (b) an electric or gas powered motor of less than 1 horse power, and (c) have a maximum speed of less than 20 mph."

Anyways, if any of you guys have seen changes to our laws please post em here to keep us safe from money hungry and power hungry authorities who lock you up then ask questions later..

remember,they want to fight us with the law,but we can use the same law to fight em back....... until they change the law in their favor.
 
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rangefinder

New Member
Oct 18, 2012
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Des Plaines, IL
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rangefinder

New Member
Oct 18, 2012
118
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Des Plaines, IL
more digging...

"Motor-driven cycle” means every motorcycle and every motor scooter with less than 150 cubic centimeter piston displacement.
http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Illinois/chicago_il/title9vehiclestrafficandrailtransportati/chapter9-4trafficdefinitionsandgeneralpr?f=templates$fn=document-frameset.htm$q=%5Brank%3A%5Bsum%3A%5Bstem%3Adisplacement%5D%5D%5D$x=server$3.0#LPHit1

Bookmark9-80-200 Toy vehicles. (skip down to "f")
(f) No person shall operate a motorized cycle or motorized scooter on the public way, except on a street where vehicular traffic is allowed. No person shall operate a motorized cycle or motorized scooter on a street unless the vehicle is properly registered and the operator is in possession of a valid driver's license, and meets the requirements of the Illinois Vehicle Code with respect to insurance. Nothing in this subsection applies to any motorized wheelchair as defined in the Illinois Vehicle Code.
http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Illinois/chicago_il/title9vehiclestrafficandrailtransportati/chapter9-80miscellaneousrules?f=templates$fn=document-frameset.htm$q=%5Brank%3A%5Bsum%3A%5Bstem%3Amotorized%5D%5Bstem%3Abikes%5D%5D%5D$x=server$3.0#LPHit1

The question in my mind is...
Are "Motorized cycle" and "Motor-driven cycle" the same thing?
 
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rangefinder

New Member
Oct 18, 2012
118
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Des Plaines, IL
found it...
His summary for the posting called "Motorized and Electric Bikes"
here... http://chicagobikelaw.blogspot.com/

Based on the opening of his posting, he is not promoting our cause.
I can see his point, but cannot find the exact entry he found on the MCC site.

Are both blogposts from the same author?

Looks like I have shed no light on this. *groan...*
 
outlawbiker

outlawbiker

Member
Mar 15, 2009
282
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Chicago NW Suburbs
rangefinder said:
found it...
His summary for the posting called "Motorized and Electric Bikes"
here... http://chicagobikelaw.blogspot.com/

Based on the opening of his posting, he is not promoting our cause.
I can see his point, but cannot find the exact entry he found on the MCC site.

Are both blogposts from the same author?

Looks like I have shed no light on this. *groan...*
Click to expand...
thanks for all the work, im sure this will come in handy to all of us.

As far as the blog posts,it could be the same author,but it seems that its a group of lawyers for bicyclist,they way he wrote that post sure would be contradicting some of his previous post if it was the same person.

Im sure chicago is going to have a different take on low speed bikes, but some of these bicycle people,these purist,elitist ..... yea, those people are always trying to get in our way and this guy might be one of them.

Its bad enough that cops are pissed because they cant find reasons to lock us up, damage our drivers license or heavily fine us ,now we got lawyers out there that want to make an example.

just for fun here's an news article showing how bad these police have a hard on for us and feel that its unfair that the law they are paid to protect wont allow them to screw with us as bad as they want to.

http://www.sj-r.com/x450310760/Difficult-to-determine-which-rules-apply-to-motorized-bikes
 
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rangefinder

New Member
Oct 18, 2012
118
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0
Des Plaines, IL
I have heard of Brenden Kevenides, but do not know him personally.

I used to be pretty active with some people on the Chainlink.org site, when living downtown. Now I live out in Des Plaines. They can be pretty dang richeous, ...about anything!

Only seen a few motorized bikes when living in the Logan Square area. One was an old guy riding around Humboldt Park, once when I was riding home on my plain ol' bike on Armitage Ave. And that rider was acting as if he was just another motorcycle, and not using the bike lane. I found a guy on Yelp called Thunderhawk cycles, who does 2 strokes.

Speaking of Des Plaines, I think I read I have to register the motorized bike.
I am going to go check into that pretty soon.

Where are you riding here, I see NW suburbs...?
 
outlawbiker

outlawbiker

Member
Mar 15, 2009
282
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Chicago NW Suburbs
rangefinder said:
I have heard of Brenden Kevenides, but do not know him personally.

I used to be pretty active with some people on the Chainlink.org site, when living downtown. Now I live out in Des Plaines. They can be pretty dang richeous, ...about anything!

Only seen a few motorized bikes when living in the Logan Square area. One was an old guy riding around Humboldt Park, once when I was riding home on my plain ol' bike on Armitage Ave. And that rider was acting as if he was just another motorcycle, and not using the bike lane. I found a guy on Yelp called Thunderhawk cycles, who does 2 strokes.

Speaking of Des Plaines, I think I read I have to register the motorized bike.
I am going to go check into that pretty soon.

Where are you riding here, I see NW suburbs...?
Click to expand...
i sent you a private message as not to clutter up this thread with non-info..

ive heard of "registering" our bikes in other places in the USA, but i think the type of registering here is like registering it like you would a bicycle,off the frame numbers. there is a half and half on this forum that will tell you that you can or cant register the bike here.

First off, I think going to the police department or who ever handles the registration of the bike frame number is fine,because if the bike is stolen or impounded you can prove it is yours. Actually trying to get plates and insurance would be over kill,as long as your under the law as it stands you should be fine. im a bit more ballsy and use 80/66 cc engines and lie and cheat the cops into its a 48cc with fake 48cc stickers and stuff.
 
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outlawbiker

outlawbiker

Member
Mar 15, 2009
282
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Chicago NW Suburbs
rangefinder said:
http://www.dnrintra.state.il.us/lands/operations_manual/Memo_motorizedvehicles.pdf
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even tho this covers DNR roads,it should also cover trails and bike paths.

i was really excited about this one considering we have bike trails all over the entire region here. check out our bike path maps from chicago all the way to the west,you can really get around to different parts of northern illinois here by using them.

I really thought you found the holy grail of confirming what ive been fighting for so long,being able to have access to these bicycle "freeways" (parks,paths and trails). but the date filed on that was in 2009 before the law passed,however as the law is written, (remember,according to the state we are not motorized bicycles) we are Low Speed Bicycles, either gas or electric will be treated the same as any normal bicycle and considered as such. This isnt a debate,its the facts,the debating will happen when trying to explain this to a park ranger,or county deputy when riding in these areas

I hope you can find something like this DNR thing but updated since the laws have changed,i would feel more confident about riding with this in my pocket backing up the original state law. thanks for the find,keep it up.
 
outlawbiker

outlawbiker

Member
Mar 15, 2009
282
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Chicago NW Suburbs
rangefinder said:
Woahhhh... you gotta' read this one!
I think this guy was on the other MB site. He might be a member on here too.

http://illinoiscourts.gov/R23_Orders/AppellateCourt/2012/4thDistrict/4110593_R23.pdf

I am going to put a smile on this one.

.trk
Click to expand...
yes,he is a member here, i remember this story from a few years ago, it pissed me off so bad to hear what this guy was going thru,and im so happy that he kept fighting it,i know what its like to be unlawfully convicted and no mater what the state is right and you a wrong. Any ways, i hope Chas finally got some justice and his bike back.

i wonder if his case can be used in any other persons court cases in Illinois over these petty cops, like "your honor, id like to make reference to the state vs chas blah blah" If so i owe this man a thank you for his sacrifice to slap these cops in the face with the law they try and rape us with.
 
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rangefinder

New Member
Oct 18, 2012
118
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0
Des Plaines, IL
I emailed the DNR this letter earlier today...

Good Morning,
I am writing you in regard to the use of motorized pedal cycles on trails.
Recently I have seen an increase of the use of electric bikes and low speed gas bikes on the trails.
What I see are E-bikes I have started to see a bike shops, and 49cc gas bike kits on the internet.
Can you link me to, or send me a copy of, the rules on the use of motorized pedal cycles?


And I received a response this afternoon...

I have looked into your question about motorized pedal cycles on trails. Generally they are considered motorized devices and thus are not allowed on our trails, unless the trail is designed for motorized traffic. The policy states that only human powered bicycles are allowed on trails designated for hiking, interpretation, horseback-riding, cross-country skiing, biking and mountain biking unless designated to be an assistance device to individuals with mobility disabilities.

17 ILL. ADM. CODE 110.60(a)(2)-110.65 State rule on bicycles states that it is prohibited for any person to operate any motor driven bicycle, mini-bike, motorcycle or off-road vehicle unless it is on a roadway designated for vehicular use.

Site superintendents are authorized to issue, condition, or deny permission for access as long as the determination is based upon non-disability related factors. Our priority is to maintain public safety and to insure proper facility and natural resource management at all times.
You may want to check with the Site Superintendent for confirmation.
 
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S

SpecialX

New Member
May 1, 2012
137
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Florida
That's usually the same no matter what state your in...
You (usually) can't ride a gas/electric bike on either a sidewalk or bike path under motor power. Even though it's a dedicated bike path, they usually want you using human power only.
 
bluegoatwoods

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
Here's what I can remember of the law as it stood, last I knew.

The Illinois Vehicle Code sections 140.14 & 140.4 describe a bike that sounds an awful lot like most bikes around here as being nothing more, legally, than a bicycle.

I hope I can trust my memory on those section numbers. And I don't remember the wording of those sections. But it was clear that the typical china girl bike was just fine.
 
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rangefinder

New Member
Oct 18, 2012
118
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0
Des Plaines, IL
I pressed my inquiry with the DNR... (I was super polite)

Can you please help me a bit further?
I found another link while looking at the State rule you sent me.

It can be found here http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-0125

I was wondering if the bike follows these rules, is it now a "Low speed gas bicycle" and not a "Motor driven Bicycle"?

Please understand I am not at all trying to be argumentative with you.
I would like to educate myself as much as I can on this matter
Are you the person I should be emailing? Or is there somebody else I should ask? I sincerely appreciate any help you can provide.
 
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rangefinder

New Member
Oct 18, 2012
118
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0
Des Plaines, IL
And I received a pretty thoughtful response...

I gathered advice from our Chief of Parks regarding this issue and his response is below:

“Legal interpretation for the purpose of use on trails is that if it is gas or electrically powered, it is a motor driven bicycle. The act you site governs transportation and the authority there would be with the Illinois Department of Transportation. The purpose of the bill you cite below, in part, was to “treat a low-speed gas bicycle the same as a low-speed electric bicycle in a provision regulating the use of low-speed bicycles and a provision excluding low-speed bicycles from the definition of a motor vehicle.””

This issue has been evaluated by staff in the past with the conclusion being that our access policy supersedes this clarification of the vehicle code. The access policy for State Trails takes into consideration several factors but the overriding consideration and our priority is to maintain public safety and to insure the proper facility and natural resource management at our sites and on our trails at all times.

Again, I thank you for your interest. I can suggest you talk with the site superintendent for a more site specific explanation. You may know that motorized bikes are allowed on roadways, however, they are not allowed on sidewalks or trails.

Regards,
 
S

SpecialX

New Member
May 1, 2012
137
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Florida
Which is pretty much what I said...

Here in Florida, I can ride my electric bike AFRAP on the roadway under power (and in bicycle lanes)..
But once I hit a bike path or Sidewalk, I can only use human power (pedaling).
 
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