5 Boulder traffic laws you may not know you're breaking

https://www.colorado.edu/today/2017/11/30/5-boulder-traffic-laws-you-may...

Every day, people break traffic laws without even realizing it. The CU Boulder Police Department shares some of these lesser known offenses to help keep folks on the right side of the law.

Driving a vehicle while wearing earphones

It is illegal to drive a vehicle while wearing earphones. Boulder municipal code 7-2-34 does not specify whether the earphones include just over the ear or in the ear. So, this means that you cannot wear any type of earphone or earbuds while driving a vehicle.

Jumping from or into a moving vehicle

Municipal code 7-2-22 makes it illegal to “board or alight from any motor vehicle while such vehicle is in motion on a street.” Before you look it up, alight means descend from. So not only is it dangerous to jump from or into a moving vehicle, it is illegal.

Entering a roadway using roller skates, toy vehicles, more

“No person upon any roller skate, in-line skate, skateboard, roller ski, ski, coaster, sled, toboggan, toy vehicle, child's tricycle or any similar device shall go upon a roadway except while crossing the roadway on a crosswalk . . . ” is part of municipal code 7-2-15. The code goes on to say that anyone who is on one of the listed devices “shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian upon a sidewalk, in a crosswalk or on a path.”

Clinging to a moving vehicle

Municipal code 7-2-17 makes it illegal to cling to a vehicle while it is in motion. Obviously, this is not if you are inside the vehicle. This means that you can’t ride on a skateboard or other device while hanging on to the outside of a moving vehicle.

Riding a motorcycle with more passengers than it's designed to carry

Section 7-2-16 sets up the rules for properly riding a motorcycle or moped. First, you are only allowed to have as many riders as the vehicle is designed to carry. Just because you think that you can squeeze an extra rider on the seat doesn’t mean it is legal. You must have a second factory-installed seat and foot pegs.

It is also illegal to drive a motorcycle or moped while carrying anything that prohibits you from using two hands on the handlebars. If you have to hold it, you can’t drive it.

Remember, ignorance of the law is not a defensible claim. Click here to find a searchable database of Boulder municipal codes.