Riding your bike or scooter this fall? Here’s what you need to know

Fall is here – but the shorter daylight hours and cooler weather doesn’t mean you need to hang up your bike or scooter. If you continue to ride into the season, it’s time to shift gears. Being prepared and putting safety first is the best way to bike responsibly.

Follow these tips to ensure your fall bike rides are safe and fun:

• Head strong, helmet on! 
  • Before heading out, ensure you’re wearing a helmet, and that your bike or scooter has a working bike bell or horn. 
• Shine bright, dress right!
  • Wear reflective gear so you’re visible even in dim light conditions. 
  • Dress according to changing weather conditions, including rain, wind and cool temperatures.
  • Your bike or scooter should be equipped with working lights and reflective tape: white reflective tape on the front forks, red reflective tape on the rear forks, a white front light, a red rear light or reflector.
• Eyes up, avoid road hiccups! 
  • Avoid riding through puddles as hidden road conditions, such as potholes, gravel or sand may not be visible under water.
  • Be mindful of wet, slick spots on the road, including railroad tracks, maintenance hole covers, painted road lines and leaf piles.
• Show your hand!
  • Use proper hand signals, obey traffic lights and stop signs, be aware of your surroundings at all times and be courteous to all other road users. 

Whether you are an experienced rider or riding for the first time, bike and scooter safety protocols apply to all. People riding bikes under the age of 18 years are required to wear a helmet – but everyone, regardless of age, are encouraged to do so.  

Remember, a bicycle is considered a vehicle under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, and riders have the same rights and responsibilities to obey all traffic laws as other road users. Visit vaughan.ca/cycling to learn more about safety requirements and rider etiquette.

Where to ride 

There are many places to ride in our community! Vaughan is home to a large network of sidewalks, cycle tracks, bike lanes, multi-use paths and recreational trails, which include the following:

• In-boulevard cycle tracks: designated spaces for people riding bikes, e-bikes or e-scooters separate from those walking or driving by a curb and buffer. These areas are marked with an arrow, bicycle symbol and a diamond.
• On-road bike lanes: designated spaces on the road for people riding bikes, e-bikes or e-scooters. Bike lanes are located on both sides of the roadway and users travel in the same direction as those driving. These lanes are separated from motor vehicle lanes by a white painted line. 
• In-boulevard multi-use pathways: shared spaces for people walking, riding bikes, e-bikes or e-scooters separate from those driving by a curb and buffer. These areas are within the boulevard along a roadway.
• Multi-use recreational trails: shared spaces for walking and riding bikes found within parks and open spaces. Powered/motorized micromobility devices are not permitted on multi-use recreational trails.

For more information, visit vaughan.ca/cycling. You can also explore Vaughan’s cycling facilities in the York Region Cycling Map.

What about e-bikes, e-scooters and other micromobility devices? 

An e-bike is a power-assisted bicycle. It has the appearance of a bicycle but has an electric motor and braking system. An e-scooter (electric kick-scooter) is a motorized vehicle with two wheels, brakes, a platform to stand on and a handlebar for steering. E-bikes and e-scooters are allowed to operate on bike lanes, cycle tracks, in-boulevard multi-use paths and local roads with a speed limit at or less than 50 kilometers per hour, as long as the device meets the Ministry of Transportation’s requirements for e-bikes and e-scooters.

Both e-bikes and e-scooters are not allowed to operate on sidewalks. Learn more about provincial e-scooter and e-bike requirements and where they can operate.

At this time, other micromobility devices – such as golf carts, Segways, electric skateboards, hoverboards and other motorized personal vehicles – cannot be used on sidewalks, cycle tracks, shared pedestrian, bike paths, recreational trails or local roads in Vaughan. Exemptions apply to residents who require motorized wheelchairs and medical devices to get around. To learn more, visit vaughan.ca/micromobility. 

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