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CYCLING FACTS
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The sport of cycling has the
second largest number of participants in the world.
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Cycling is experiencing major growth in the U.S.
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A new generation of Americans are
taking up the sport in record numbers. With more than 95 million
participants, cycling now out ranks golf, tennis and skiing as the most
popular sporting activity in the country. Adult cyclists outnumber
children 51 million to 44 million and college students are the fastest
growing segment.
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Second only to soccer in worldwide
participation, cycling is considered the best organized general
recreation sport in the United States.
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The image of cycling is one of health
and vitality and cities that are involved in world class cycling events
have reported significant tangible revenue and image enhancement from
their involvement
BICYCLE
SAFETY TIPS
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Don’t dart out of driveways
or from between parked cars.
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Stop at all stop signs.
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Be careful when checking
traffic and don’t swerve when looking over your shoulder.
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Always go with the traffic
flow and keep to the far side of the road.
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Always wear you helmet.
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Use hand signals when making
movements.
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Never allow another person to
ride on your bike with you.
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Always ride single file
in-groups of riders.
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Exercise courtesy and drive
defensively always watching cars.
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Know local and state laws
regarding bicycles.
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Walk your bike across any
street or when in a crosswalk.
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Wear bright clothing and use
lights when riding at night.
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Know and record your make,
model, and serial number of your bike.
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Register your bike with the
local police or sheriff.
…………..and
always lock your bike when leaving it
unattended.
BIKE LAWS
ARE YOU A SAFE BICYCLIST?
Safe Bicycling involves more
than wearing the proper safety equipment and keeping your bike in good
mechanical order- you  must
also learn the rules of the road.
The following are important excerpts from the California
Vehicle Code (VC) relating to the operation and equipping of bicycles.
Bicycle Defined. VC 231
Defines bicycle as a device
upon which any person may ride, propelled exclusively by human power
through a belt, chain, or gears and having one or more wheels.
Specifically provides that persons riding bicycles are subject to Vehicle
Code provisions specified in Sections 21200 and 21200.5 (see below).
Bicycle Use. VC 21200
Every person riding a bicycle upon a street
or highway has all the rights and is subject to all the duties applicable
to the driver of a vehicle, including the provisions of law dealing with
driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or drugs, except those
provisions which by their very nature can have no application.
Bicycling Under Influence of Alcohol or Drugs. VC 21200.5
Provides that it is
unlawful to ride a bicycle upon a street or highway while under the
influence of an alcoholic beverage or drug or the combination of alcohol
and a drug, punishable by a fine of up to $250. A person arrested may
request a chemical test. If the person is under 21 but over 13 years of
age, his or her driving privilege will be suspended for one year or
delayed for one year once the person is eligible to drive.
Equipment Requirements. VC 21201
a)
No person shall operate a bicycle on a roadway unless it is equipped with
a brake which will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on
dry, level, clean pavement.
b) No person shall operate on the highway any bicycle
equipped with handlebars so raised that the operator must elevate their
hands above the level of their shoulders in order to grasp the normal
steering grip area.
c) No person shall operate upon any highway a bicycle
which is of such a size as to prevent the operator from safely stopping
the bicycle, supporting it in an upright position with at least one foot
on the ground, and restarting it in a safe manner.
d) Every bicycle operated upon any highway during
darkness shall be equipped with the following:
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A lamp emitting a white light which illuminates the
highway and is visible from a distance of 300 feet to the front and the
sides of the bicycle.
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A red reflector mounted on the rear of the bicycle and
visible from 500 feet to the rear of the bicycle.
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A white or yellow reflector mounted on each pedal
visible 200 feet to the front and rear of the bicycle and a white or red
reflector on each side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except
bicycles which are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and
the rear need not be equipped with side reflectors. All reflectorized
tires must meet DMV requirements.
e) A lamp or lamp combination, emitting a white light,
attached to the operator and visible from a distance of 300 feet in front
and from the sides of the bicycle, may be used in place of a lamp attached
to the bike.
Duty of Bicycle Operator:
Operation On Roadway. VC 21202
a)
Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the
normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall
ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway
except under any of the following situations:
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When overtaking and passing another bicycle or motor
vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
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When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or
into a private road or driveway.
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When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions
(including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles,
bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width
lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or
edge. For purposes of this section, a "substandard width lane" is a lane
that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by
side within the lane.
b) Any person operating a bicycle on a one-way street
or highway with two or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near the
left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable.
Hitching Rides. VC 21203
No person riding upon any motorcycle, motorized bicycle,
bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, or toy vehicle shall attach the
same or themselves to any streetcar or vehicle on the roadway.
Riding On Bicycle. VC 21204
a) No person operating a bicycle on a highway shall
ride other than on a permanent and regular attached seat.
b) No person operating a bicycle
on a highway shall allow anyone to ride as a passenger other than on a
separate attached seat. If the passenger is four years old or younger or
weighs 40 pounds or less, the seat shall adequately retain the passenger
in place and protect him/her from the bicycle's moving parts.
Carrying Articles. VC 21205
No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package,
bundle, or article which prevents the operator from keeping at least one
hand upon the handlebars.
Permitted Movements from Bicycle Lanes. VC 21208
a) Whenever a bicycle lane has
been established on a roadway, any person operating a bicycle upon the
roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the
same direction shall ride in the bicycle lane, except under the following
situations.
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When overtaking or passing another bicycle, vehicle, or
pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if such overtaking
and passing cannot be done safely within the lane.
When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or
into a private road or driveway.
When necessary to leave the lane to avoid debris or
other hazardous conditions.
b) No operator of a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane
until it can be done safely and then only after giving an appropriate hand
signal in the event that any vehicle might be affected by the movement.
Parking. VC 21210
No person shall leave a bicycle lying on its side on any
sidewalk, or shall park a bicycle on a sidewalk in any other position, so
that there is not an adequate path for pedestrian traffic. Local
authorities may prohibit bicycle parking in designated areas of the public
highway, provided appropriate signs are erected.
Obstruction of Bikeways. VC 21211
No person shall place or park a bicycle or vehicle so as
to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of any bicyclist on
a bikeway or bicycle path or trail unless the placement or parking is
necessary for safe operation or otherwise in compliance with the law.
Youth Helmets. VC 21212
Prohibits persons under 18 from riding or being a
passenger on a bicycle without wearing helmets meeting specified standards
(ANSI or SNELL). Violations are punishable by a fine of not more than $25.
Bicycles on Roadways VC 21650.1
A bicycle operated on a roadway or highway shoulder shall
be operated in the same direction as vehicles are required to drive upon
the roadway.
Bicycling on Freeways VC 21960
a) The Department of
Transportation and local authorities may prohibit or restrict the use of
freeways or any portion thereof by bicycles.
b) Such prohibitory regulations shall be effective
when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected upon the freeway
and the approaches thereto.
Hand Signals. VC 22111
All required signals given by hand and arm shall be given
in the following manner:
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Left turn-hand and arm extended horizontally beyond the
side of the bicycle.
Right turn- left hand and arm extended upward beyond the
side of the bicycle or right hand and arm extended horizontally to the
right side of the bicycle.
Stop or sudden decrease of speed signal- left hand and
arm extended downward beyond the side of the bicycle.
Toll Crossing. VC 23330
Except where a special permit has been obtained from the
Department of Transportation, bicycles shall not be permitted on any
vehicular crossing, unless the Department by signs indicates that bicycles
are permitted upon all or any portion of the vehicular crossing.
Headsets and Earplugs. VC 27400
No person operating any vehicle, including a bicycle shall
wear any headset covering, or any earplugs in, both ears. There are
exceptions for persons operating authorized emergency vehicles, special
construction or maintenance equipment and refuse collection equipment, and
for any person wearing personal hearing protectors designed to attenuate
injurious noise levels and which do not inhibit the wearers' ability to
hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or horn form another motor
vehicle, and for any person using a prosthetic device which aids the hard
of hearing.
License Requirement. VC 39002
a) A city or county may adopt a bicycle licensing
ordinance or resolution providing that no resident shall operate any
bicycle on any street, road, highway, or other public property within the
city of county, unless such bicycle is licensed in accordance with this
division.
b) Any bicycle not licensed under this division may be
additionally regulated or licensed pursuant to local ordinance or may be
licensed upon request of the owner.
c) It is illegal for any person to tamper with,
destroy, mutilate or alter any license indicia (marking) or registration
form or to remove, alter, or mutilate the serial number, or the
identifying marks of a licensing agency's identifying symbol on any
bicycle frame licensed under the provision of this division.
Throwing Substances on Highways or Adjoining Areas. VC
23111 7 23112
No person in any vehicle shall throw or discharge from or
upon any road, highway or adjoining area, pubic or private, any lighted or
non-lighted cigarette, cigar, match or any flaming or glowing substance.
No person shall throw or deposit upon a highway any
bottle, can garbage, glass, wire, nails, paper or any substance likely to
injure or cause damage to traffic using the highway.
Note: Some of the sections of the laws listed above have
been reworded slightly and/or abbreviated. For exact language, refer to
the referenced sections in the California Vehicle Code.
In addition to these state laws, many communities have
local ordinances. Check with your local police department regarding
bicycle registration, licensing, and regulations (sidewalk riding, etc.)
in your area.
Final Thoughts
Each year in California, over one hundred people are killed and thousands
more are injured in bicycle collisions. We can make bicycling safer for
all by observing the following safety tips:
Never carry another person on your bicycle.
Always use hand signals when turning or stopping.
Look out for cars at cross street, driveways, and
parking places.
Be careful when checking traffic and don't swerve when
looking over your shoulder.
Give pedestrians the right-of-way.
Keep your bicycle in good condition.
Always ride carefully.
Remember a bicycle is a vehicle. Bicyclists share a
complex traffic environment with other larger forms of transportation.
Youngsters under age nine lack the physical and mental development to
interact safely in that environment.
Safe Cycling! |
