Bicycle Safety and the Law
Cycling is much more than having the proper clothing , gear and accessories to make your road bike riding experience safe and pleasurable. It even goes further than keeping your road bike in good working order to make sure your safety. It requires that you are keenly aware of the vehicle codes in your local area that govern your cycling activities and acknowledged. Bicycles are vehicles and as such are subject to some of the same laws that govern motor vehicles.
The following lists are a few of the vehicle codes that govern the state of California where I live. Please take the time to research the laws in your local are so that you are in compliance with the law.
[hr]
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:
- 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.
- A red reflector mounted on the rear of the bicycle and visible from 500 feet to the rear of the bicycle.
- 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.
(My Comments: 1.a It is pretty obvious what the above described is declaring. There is a movement of riders out there that are using bikes with a single fixed gear and no brakes, helmets, etc. While these may look cool and trendy, it has the potential to be extremely dangerous. 1.e You ABSOLUTELY want to be visible at night to ensure your safety as much as possible. Avoid riding at night if you do not have a headlamp and flashing tail light.)
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:
- When overtaking and passing another bicycle or motor vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
- When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
(My Comments: Always remain in the designated bike path unless it is neccessary for the above stated reason not to. Never give a motorist an opprtunity to hit you if and when you can avoid it.)
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.
(My Comments: Riding with the flow of traffic is always better than riding against it and here is why. The motorist are not expecting vehicles (which includes bicycles) to be approaching them against the flow of traffic and therefore may not see a cyclist when making turns. Secondly, the cyclist is focused on the road ahead of him and not apt to looking behind or to the right when crossing an intersection. Always ride with the flow of traffic.)
Hand Signals. VC 22111
All required signals given by hand and arm shall be given in the following manner:
- 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.
(My Comments: Using hand signals are a great way to encourage visibility to motorist and shows a sign of respect. However there may often be times when this practice is not practical depending on the speed you are traveling for safety reasons. Whenever possible put hand signals in practice as they may just save your life.)
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.
(My Comments: This is a grey area for me and maybe for you as well. I own an iPod like many others and use it when I go cycling. I often cycle alone and the iPod is a great companion to have on lonely rides. Though It may not be safe and obviously not lawful for me to do so, I will typically ride with only one ear bud in one ear and leave the other out so that I am able to hear the traffic and emergency vehicles when they are coming. I will ONLY place both ear buds in both ears when I am in the isolated bike path where I am not in the road at all but on a dedicated bike path. In no way am I advocating that you practice as I do. Do what is safe for you!)