Take a Test Drive With Our Bike Law Quiz!

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Bike riding season is finally here! Riding a bike is an enjoyable and healthy way to get around. To keep it that way and avoid problems, try our quiz and test your knowledge on the rules surrounding biking!  

Faites notre quiz sur le vélo, pour éviter les problèmes en chemin!

1. Can you ride without lights at night?

Wrong answer

For you to ride safely, your bike must carry:

  • 6 reflectors: at the front and rear of the bike, on the spokes of each wheel and on the pedals.
  • A white headlight or light at the front and a red taillight at the rear. 

You can find examples and illustrations of where each accessory must be installed on the Société d’Assurance Automobile du Québec (SAAQ)’s website. 

Correct answer

For you to ride safely, your bike must carry:

  • 6 reflectors: at the front and rear of the bike, on the spokes of each wheel and on the pedals.  
  • A white headlight or light at the front and a red taillight at the rear. 

You can find examples and illustrations of where each accessory must be installed on the Société d’Assurance Automobile du Québec (SAAQ)’s website.

2. Can you ride your bike after drinking alcohol?

Correct answer

While you are allowed to bike after drinking alcohol, it is forbidden to drink while biking.  

What’s more, a police officer could intercept you if they find that you’re not in an adequate state to ride your bike and that you are a danger to yourself or others. They may also hold your bike until it is safe for you to ride it again. 

Wrong answer

While you are allowed to bike after drinking alcohol, it is forbidden to drink while biking.  

What’s more, a police officer could intercept you if they find that you’re not in an adequate state to ride your bike and that you are a danger to yourself or others. They may also hold your bike until it is safe for you to ride it again. 

3. Can you lock your bike to a lamppost or tree?

It depends on the city or town

Rules concerning public property, like lampposts, street signs or benches, are the responsibility of municipalities or boroughs.  

The Highway Safety Code doesn’t prohibit it. However, some boroughs like the City of Montreal prohibit locking bikes to trees or public property. Fines can range from $30 to $60.  

Contact your municipality or borough to know which rules apply to you.

4. Do you have to be visible and signal your intentions?

Correct answer

As with a car, you must signal your intentions to others on the road:

  • To turn left, extend your left arm horizontally.
  • To turn right, extend your right arm out horizontally or your left arm out horizontally with your hand and forearm raised upward.

If you don’t follow these rules, you could face a fine of $80 to $100.

Wrong answer

As with a car, you must signal your intentions to others on the road:

  • To turn left, extend your left arm horizontally.
  • To turn right, extend your right arm out horizontally or your left arm out horizontally with your hand and forearm raised upward.

If you don’t follow these rules, you could face a fine of $80 to $100.

5. Can you ride on the sidewalk?

Only if road signals allow for it

In most cases, you must ride your bike on the road as far to the right as possible. And you must ride in the same direction as traffic.

But there are exceptions to these general rules. You can move farther from the right side to avoid obstacles like someone opening their car door or a part of the road that’s in poor condition. You also don’t have to stay as far to the right as possible:

  • if you are turning left,
  • if the road signs indicate you can ride in the opposite direction of traffic, or
  • in case of necessity, for example, to avoid being in danger.