South Bend, IN Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum passing distance
- 3 feet between vehicle and bicycle
- Minimum fine
- $15.00 (Sec. 20-20(e))
- Bicycle roadway position
- Must keep to right-hand edge (Sec. 20-46)
- Shared mobility devices
- Restricted to bike lanes/paths (Sec. 4-54)
- General penalty backstop
- Up to $2,500/day under Sec. 1-23
- Enforcing agency
- South Bend Police Department
Summary
South Bend law requires drivers to leave at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist on any roadway, and bars merging back into the lane until safely clear. Cyclists on the road must keep to the right-hand edge, and shared mobility devices such as e-scooters are restricted to designated bike lanes or multi-use paths. Violating the passing-distance rule carries a minimum $15 fine.
(b)Overtaking or Passing a Bicyclist: The driver or operator of any motor vehicle driving on the roadways of South Bend may overtake or pass a bicyclist when there is a safe distance of not less than three feet (3') between the motor vehicle and the bicycle.(c)Returning to Original Lane: The driver or operator ... shall not return to the original lane until the vehicle is safely clear of the bicycle(s)...(e)...The minimum fine for violating the regulations addressing overtaking or passing a bicyclist as further addressed in Subsections 20-20(a) and (b) shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00) which shall be paid through the Office of the Ordinance Violations Bureau. (Sec. 20-20) All bicycles when driven on roadways shall keep to the right and driven as nearly as is practicable to the right-hand edge of that roadway. (Sec. 20-46)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
South Bend, IN, Code of Ordinances § 20-20 sets a minimum three-foot (3') passing distance a motor vehicle driver must maintain when overtaking a bicyclist on any city roadway, and the driver may not merge back into the lane until safely clear of the bicycle. The section defines 'bicyclist,' 'driver,' 'motor vehicle' and 'roadways' by cross-reference to § 20-2, and requires both drivers and bicyclists to comply with the rest of Chapter 20's traffic rules. 00, payable through the Ordinance Violations Bureau, after the Police Department issues written notice under § 20-17.
Separately, § 20-46 requires that 'all bicycles when driven on roadways shall keep to the right and driven as nearly as is practicable to the right-hand edge of that roadway,' and § 20-44 requires bicyclists to operate with due regard for their own safety and to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. For the newer shared mobility fleet (rental e-scooters and e-bikes licensed under § 4-54), operators must post language on every device stating that riders must operate the device only in designated bike lanes, protected bike lanes marked within city sidewalks, or multi-use bike paths, and that sidewalk use outside a protected bike lane is prohibited.
A shared mobility operator is jointly and severally liable for a user's traffic and parking violations under § 4-54(f)(10). 00 per day of continuing violation.
Violations & Fines
Passing a bicyclist with less than three feet of clearance draws a minimum $15.00 citation through South Bend's Ordinance Violations Bureau once police issue written notice under § 20-17. General bicycle-article violations without a stated fine fall back to § 1-23's citywide penalty, up to $2,500.00 per day of continuing violation. Shared mobility operators are jointly liable for a user's bike-lane and traffic violations under § 4-54(f)(10), and noncompliant devices can be impounded at the operator's cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much space must a driver give a cyclist in South Bend?
Can e-scooters ride outside a bike lane in South Bend?
Where must a bicyclist ride on a South Bend street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Bend
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