Right: Is this the future for bikes?.
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Background information
Bicycles and the law(The following information has been taken from thee Wikipedia entry on 'bicycle'. The full text of that entry can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle)
Early in its development, like in the case of automobiles, there were restrictions on the operation of bicycles.
The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of the United Nations considers a bicycle to be a vehicle, and a person controlling a bicycle (whether actually riding or not) is considered an operator. The traffic codes of many countries reflect these definitions and demand that a bicycle satisfy certain legal requirements, sometimes even including licensing, before it can be used on public roads. In many jurisdictions, it is an offense to use a bicycle that is not in roadworthy condition.
In most jurisdictions, bicycles must have functioning front and rear lights when ridden after dark. As some generator or dynamo-driven lamps only operate while moving, rear reflectors are frequently also mandatory. Since a moving bicycle makes little noise, some countries insist that bicycles have a warning bell for use when approaching pedestrians, equestrians, and other cyclists.
Bicycles and Australian Road Rules
The Australian Road Rules defines a vehicle in the following manner. This indicates that the laws covering vehicles on Australian roads also apply to bicycles.
A vehicle includes:
(a) a motor vehicle, trailer and tram; and
(b) a bicycle; and
(c) an animal-drawn vehicle, and an animal that is being
ridden or drawing a vehicle; and
(d) a combination; and
(e) a motorised wheelchair that can travel at over
10 kilometres per hour (on level ground);
but does not include another kind of wheelchair, a train, or a
wheeled recreational device or wheeled toy.
Bicycles and the law in the United States, Canada, Britain, Belgium and France
The following Internet site provides links to detail on the laws governing bicycle use in each of the states of the United States and in Canada, Britain, Belgium and France http://www.massbike.org/bikelaw/bikelaw.htm