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California Bicycle Attorney
How to Safely Ride a Bicycle on Public Streets
Bicycles riders on public streets carry the same rights and responsibilities as automobile drivers and legally must follow all the same rules and regulations. Every year in California, hundreds of thousands of cycling accidents occur, over one hundred of those resulting in death.
The keys to safe bicycling include being visible at all times and communicating your intentions to motorists. Here are some critical points for cyclists to remember.
Bicyclists:
- Must ride in the same direction as other traffic, not against it.
- Must ride as near to the right curb or edge of the roadway as practical, not on the sidewalk.
- Must make left and right turns in the same way that drivers do, using the same turn lanes.
- Must signal all their intentions to motorists and cyclists near them.
- May legally move left to turn left, to pass a parked or moving vehicle, another bicycle, an animal, or to make a turn, avoid debris, or other hazards.
- Wear a bicycle helmet. It is the law for persons under 18 years of age.
- Ride with the traffic flow.
- Stop at stop signs and red lights.
- Use a light, reflectors and reflective clothing during darkness.
- Wear bright clothing during the daytime.
- Keep a safe distance from parked cars.
- Use proper hand signals when turning, stopping or changing lanes.
- Give pedestrians the right of way.
Your bicycle must have a brake which allows you to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.
You must be able to safely stop your bicycle, supporting it in an upright position with at least one foot on the ground.
A bicycle operated during darkness must be equipped with all of the following:
- A lamp emitting a white light that, while the bicycle is in motion, illuminates the highway, sidewalk, or bikeway in front of the bicyclist and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle.
- A red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.
- A white or yellow reflector on each pedal, shoe, or ankle visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of 200 feet.
- A white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the center of the bicycle, and a white or red reflector on each side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles that are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear need not be equipped with these side reflectors.
Equipping Your Bicycle for Safe Commuting:
- Make sure the bicycle is properly sized and adjusted.
- Use a white headlamp and a red rear reflector for night riding.
- A rack over the rear wheel is convenient for carrying items such as books, a briefcase, or clothing.
- Carry a basic tool kit, tire patch kit and tire pump for those unexpected roadside repairs.
REMEMBER: It is the law for persons under 18 years of age to wear a bicycle helmet at all times while cycling.
Published: for your convenience by The Law Office of Dean Goetz, serving the legal needs of the bicycle community since 1980.
