According to Iowa law, responsibly riding a bicycle is almost as important as properly driving a car. But not every bicyclist abides by the laws.

Many bicyclists simply are not aware of the laws, said Lt. Isra Harahap of the Department of Public Safety.

Once a bike is ridden on the street, it is considered a traffic vehicle and riders must obey all applicable laws, Harahap said, including all signs and traffic lights.

“[For] some, it’s a matter of choice,” said Ronn Ritz, manager of Michael’s Cyclery, 320 Main St. He said it is easy to go through a stop sign when no one is around.

Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said bicyclists often ignore stop signs and lights.

“I don’t think [they] realize how dangerous that is,” Ballantine said.

Because there are so many bicyclists in Ames, problems have become serious, Ballantine said. In two outings at Welch Avenue and Knapp Street, officers issued 45 citations and warning tickets to violators, he said.

Tickets issued for bike offenses have fairly high fines, Ballantine said. Any first offense ticket from the city of Ames is $50, and a repeat offense ticket is $100.

Harahap said bicyclists seem to be more irresponsible than motorists, which is a major cause of bike accidents. Running a stop light or sign, riding on a sidewalk where it is not permitted and failing to give right of way to pedestrians are all violations, he said.

“Writing a ticket shouldn’t be the whole solution,” he said. “There should be more education.”

Harahap said DPS bicycle officers try to set a good example by walking their bikes in areas where they cannot ride them and by wearing helmets at all times.

Though laws do not enforce helmet use, each year the Ames Police Department conducts a survey to determine the number of people who wear helmets.

According to the latest Ames Police Department survey, 20 percent of high school- through college-age people were wearing helmets, an increase from the previous survey done in April. Officers and others concerned about bike safety feel that is not nearly enough.

“Everybody that is on a bike should be wearing a helmet,” Ritz said. “We sell hundreds of helmets, but not everyone that buys a bike buys a helmet.”

Harahap said he would sacrifice looks for safety by wearing a helmet. “You can’t make a mistake on protecting your head,” he said.

“The more safety you can have is always the best,” said Sgt. Randy Kessel of the Ames Police Department. “I think people are getting more safety-conscious.”

Helmets are also continually being redesigned to be less bothersome, he said. They are becoming smaller and more presentable.

For more information on bicycle rules and regulations, contact the DPS parking division. A manual on the rules and regulations is available from DPS.