Bicycles on UCF Campus Sidewalks and Roadways

Question

Kyminda asked: What is the law for a bike rider who is riding on the sidewalk on UCF campus as far as:
Is it legal to ride on the sidewalk in UCF campus? Do they have to ride on the sidewalk in the same direction as traffic? When they come to a crosswalk can they ride their bike through the crosswalk? Does this matter if they were riding on the sidewalk the opposite way of traffic when they approach the sidewalk? Must they stop before riding through the crosswalk? What right of way do they have when riding on sidewalk opposite direction of traffic when they come to a cross walk? Would the law or right of ways be any different if they were in the bike lane on the road instead of the sidewalk?

Answer

Although some universities have local regulations regarding bicycles, according to this police safety bulletin, UCF does not.

https://police.ucf.edu/bicycle-safety-tips

Hence, as the bulletin says, Florida statutes apply.

Bicycles are permitted on sidewalks and their operators have the same rights and duties as pedestrians but must yield to pedestrians.

s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations

(9) A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

(10) A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.

There is no requirement to walk/ride in a particular direction on the sidewalk and lacking a traffic signal to the contrary, there is no requirement to stop or dismount to cross a crosswalk. I am aware of one university that does require walking a bicycle across a crosswalk.

Motorists must yield to a bicyclist having the same rights and duties as a pedestrian in a crosswalk if the bicyclist (or pedestrian) has entered the crosswalk in a timely manner.  See this post.

http://flbikelaw.org/2016/03/drivers-must-yield-to-pedestrians/

If a bicyclist is in a marked bike lane, which is part of the roadway, the bicyclist has the same rights and duties as other drivers, with few exceptions.

s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations

(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this chapter, except as to special regulations in this chapter, and except as to provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.

I recommend checking your university regulations for any exceptions to the above.