Bike Laws

To my knowledge the City of Ammon does not have any additional bicycle rules beyond what is outlined in the state laws.

To view the official Idaho Bike Laws click here!

In Simple Terms

Always Follow These Rules:

• Do not give rides to another person unless the bicycle is equipped with a second seat. (Adults may carry a child in a backpack or child carrier attached to the bike.)
• If you are carrying something while riding, one hand must remain free to steer and control the bicycle. (Better to get a basket or rack to carry things!)
• Use hand signals during the last 100 feet before a stop or turn, unless you need both hands to control the bike.
• When riding at night, you are required to have a headlight with a 500 foot range, as well as a reflector on the back of the bicycle. (Additional lights and reflectors are permitted beyond what is required here.)
• Electric assisted bicycles are considered bicycles and may be ridden anywhere a bicycle can. They may have additional restrictions for trail usage beyond traditional bicycles. 
• Ebikes made or sold after September 1, 2019 are required to have a label indicating the class of ebike, motor size in watts, and top assisted speed.
• You are not required to get a license or insurance to operate a bicycle or ebike.

*** Not a law, but solid advice: Always wear a helmet and (if night riding) reflective clothing.

Sidewalk and Crosswalk Riding

• When you ride your bike on a sidewalk, you must yeild to pedestrians. 
• You are also considered a pedestrian especially when crossing streets in a crosswalk. As such you must obey and use pedestrian signals, and pedestrian laws.
• You are required to use an audible warning such as a bell or horn to signal when you are overtaking a pedestrian or another bicyclist.
• Local cities and public agencies may ban bicycle use on sidewalks. (Just be aware of posted signs.)

*** Not a law, but solid advice: When you are riding your bicycle do not sporadically transition between sidewalk riding and street riding. It confuses motorists and can lead to injury. So pick sidewalk or street and stick to it for the duration of the ride if at all possible.

Street Riding

• Do not hold onto moving vehicles, or follow a moving vehicle too closely.
• Ride as far to the right as possible unless you are: 
• avoiding an obstacle 
• passing another bicycle 
• turning left 
• are on a "one way" street in which case you may also ride as far to the left as possible 
• (A good rule of thumb here is to use the right 3-4 feet of the road as much as possible, this is where a bike lane would be and is the safest place for bicyclists.)
• Two bycyclists may ride side by side as long as they do not impede traffic and stay within a single lane. (Essentially riding as though they are a car.)
• When you are riding in the street, you may treat stop signs as yeild signs and red lights as stop signs. After pausing for other traffic to clear you may continue through the intersection.  (This is known as the "Idaho Stop" and has been adopted in a handul of other states as well.)
• Bicycle racing on streets is prohibited unless as part of an organized event in which law enforcement has been notified and is directing traffic around the event.