Chapter 10.24
BICYCLES

Sections:

10.24.010    License—Required—Bicycle defined.

10.24.020    License—Application.

10.24.030    License—Plate and seal—Records.

10.24.040    License—Transfer.

10.24.050    License—Removal, destruction prohibited.

10.24.060    Violation—Seizure and impoundment.

10.24.070    Violation—Minors.

10.24.010 License—Required—Bicycle defined.

It is unlawful for any resident to operate any bicycle first sold as a new bicycle in California on or after September 20, 1974, on any street, road, highway or other public property within the town unless such bicycle is licensed in accordance with the provisions of Division 16.7 of the California Vehicle Code and the provisions of this chapter. “Bicycle,” for the purposes of this chapter, means any device upon which a person may ride, which is propelled by human power through a system of belts, chains, or gears having either two or three wheels (one of which is at least twenty inches in diameter) or having a frame size of at least fourteen inches, or having four or more wheels. (Ord. 417 § 10(A), 1985: Ord. 209 § 1, 1955)

10.24.020 License—Application.

The police department is authorized and directed to issue bicycle licenses upon written application. Such licenses, when issued, shall entitle the licensee to operate the bicycle so licensed upon all the streets and public highways in the town. (Ord. 209 § 2, 1955)

10.24.030 License—Plate and seal—Records.

The town shall provide metallic license plates and seals or decals, together with registration cards. The license shall be numbered in numerial order, beginning with Number 1, together with the name “TOWN OF ATHERTON.” The police department shall attach the license to the frame of the bicycle and shall issue a corresponding registration card to the licensee upon payment of the license fee provided for in this chapter. The owner of the bicycle shall keep the license attached during the term of the license. The police department shall keep a record of the date of issue of each license, to whom issued, and the number thereof. (Ord. 325 § 1, 1973: Ord. 209 § 3, 1955)

10.24.040 License—Transfer.

A. Whenever any person sells or otherwise disposes of a bicycle, he shall endorse upon the registration certificate previously issued for such bicycle a written transfer of the same, setting forth the name, address, telephone number of the transferee, date of transfer, and signature of the transferor, and shall deliver the registration certificate, so endorsed, to the police department within ten days.

B. Any person who purchases or otherwise acquires possession of a bicycle

shall, within ten days of taking possession, apply for the transfer of license to his own name. (Ord. 417 § 10(B), 1985: Ord. 209 § 4, 1955)

10.24.050 License—Removal, destruction prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any person to wilfully or maliciously remove, destroy, mutilate or alter the number of any bicycle frame licensed pursuant to this chapter. It shall also be unlawful for any person to remove, destroy, mutilate or alter any license plate, seal or registration card during the time in which the license plate, seal or registration card is operative; provided, however, that nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the police department from stamping numbers on the frames of bicycles on which no serial number can be found, or on which the number is illegible or insufficient for identification purposes. (Ord. 209 § 5, 1955)

10.24.060 Violation—Seizure and impoundment.

Any bicycle found to be in violation of this chapter is subject to seizure and impounding thereof by the police department as a public nuisance and any bicycle so seized or impounded shall not be released until the person guilty of violation of this chapter personally reports to the chief of police. The police department shall keep a record of such violations, with the license number, if any, of each bicycle so seized, the name of and time of the violation, the names and addresses of the rider or user thereof at the time of the violation, the names and addresses of the parents if such user or rider is a minor, and the date and approximate time of such violation, and shall notify one of the parents of any minor of such violation. (Ord. 417 § 10(c), 1985; Ord. 387 § 8 (part), 1981; Ord. 209 § 10 (part), 1955)

10.24.070 Violation—Minors.

In case the violation is by a minor, such minor shall be committed to the juvenile probation officer of the county for disposition and correction. Any bicycle seized or impounded for a second or subsequent violation hereof by a minor shall be released only to one of the parents of such minor, and upon written authority from the juvenile probation officer. (Ord. 209 § 10 (part), 1955)