3. CA Bicycle Laws and Personal Bike Safety–with Tips for Kids

This section and other sections of the Tips for Bicycling Monterey County guide are in English only. 

For Spanish, un poquito de información en español below (there is a little info in Spanish below). Toda persona de menos de 18 años de edad que ande en bicicleta debe usar un casco.  (Bicycle riders under the age of 18 must wear a helmet.) For mas información en español, click here.  You’ll find  SPANISH and English – Summary of bicycle section of CA Vehicle Code – Leyes de ciclismo de California and links to many other Spanish-language bicycling safety and other resources.

Short of time?

Taking time to review safety tips, and to teach the children you bike with, may save you a lot of time–time recuperating from an accident.  Scroll down this entire page and read all headlines, stopping to read through those sections you may not be knowledgeable about.

Got kids?  Be sure to see the age-specific recommendations and other tips under the “Children and Teens” header on this page.

Then go have fun on the bikeways!

Share the trail–for harmony and safety

Whether biking, walking, or otherwise using the multi-use trail (commonly referred to as “the bike path”), please follow  “share the trail” guidelines:

  • Cyclists, ride slow near pedestrians (save  race training or other fast riding for wide, open areas).
  • Pedestrians, keep to the right (avoid unnecessarily slowing, or stopping, the travel of cyclists).

Some sections of the multi-use path have not just two lanes,  they also have a third lane.   That third lane is a separate lane assigned for pedestrians.  It may be a dirt/gravel lane, as in Pacific Grove, or an asphalt lane, as with the new path along Fort Ord Dunes State Park.  When there is a third lane, whether you are biking or walking, please use the lane that’s appropriate for you.

Click here for an overview on the City of Monterey’s website.  Once there, you’ll see “Remember these guidelines” under that,  “Rules for Coastal Trail Users”–click on the down arrow to expand the page for details.  Questions not answered there? Contact me.

Do you like to fly along the trail?  Please see “Outta my way” header in “Serious Cyclists” section.

Want to help children get familiar with various bike signs?  See “Signs of a Bicycling Friendly Monterey County.”

City of Monterey Community Action Team officers

Review the California bicycle laws

SPANISH RESOURCES – Leyes de ciclismo de California.

There is also a section regarding bicycles in the DMV Driver Handbook, with a variety of related information.

For distracted driving/biking laws, also click here and see header “Cell phones and other distracted driving/biking.”

You may also want to use your browser’s “find” window to search for “law” on this page.

How to avoid getting hit!

Unfortunately, just knowing and following the law isn’t enough to ensure your safety.

Here are excellent tips from BicycleSafe.com on how to avoid getting hit by vehicles. (Thanks to Devian Gilbert for bringing these to my attention.)

Excellent teaching materials are available from Commute Orlando, thanks in large part to the work of Keri Caffrey.  See their Smart Moves. (Thank you to Fred Oswald, a League of American Bicyclists certified  instructor from Ohio, for alerting me to Commute Orlando’s work .)

Ecology Action of our neighboring county of Santa Cruz has–in English and Spanish–Bicycle Safety Around Big Trucks and Truck Safety Around Bicycles. Check out their website for other safety tips too.

Truck alongside bike lane on Camino Aguajito at Fremont, near Monterey Peninsula College

More bike safety resources

You’ll find comprehensive safety info on the League of American Bicyclists website.  Here in Monterey County, we have a League certified instructor, Frank Henderson, included on our local resources page.  (Thinking of organizing a bike rodeo/bike skills and safety event? Click here.)

Bike Safety video:  Watch an approximately 15-minute video presentation with Frank Henderson.  Frank is being interviewed by Transportation Agency of Monterey County’s Executive Director Debbie Hale; click here, then slide over to about 41:00 minutes.

From Bike Safe California (bikesafecalifornia.org), a project of the California Bicycle Coalition, here are some more bike safety resources.

What’s the scoop on helmets?

Because of the name of the Bicycling Monterey project HER Helmet Thursdays, people may think this site promotes helmet use.  However, HER Helmet Thursdays is not about wearing a helmet.  People have strong feelings about helmet use, pro and con.

This 2-year-old cowboy, Francisco Dorantes, had his eye on the sea lions below Fisherman’s Wharf.  Dad told him, “You can sit on that bike, Cowboy, but you have to swap that hat for your bike helmet before you can ride!  That’s the law here in the Wild West.”

To avoid a ticket,  children under age 18 must wear an approved helmet, per California law; refer to VC 21212 on the DMV website.

Here’s a link para “Como Ponerse el Casco de Bicicleta y Hacerlo Bien” en español, and “Fitting a Bicycle Helmet Right” in English.   Pictorial guide.

As a California boy, this young Seaside resident knows there isn’t any question:  He must wear his helmet.

If you’re renting a bike, a helmet is usually included.  Helmets are also sold at local bike shops.

Consider high-visibility apparel

Two of the most important things you can do to stay safe on your bike:  be visible and predictable. 

So, what about being visible? Especially when leaving off-road bike paths to share a road with cars, consider dressing to be highly visible.  (Nah, that doesn’t mean showing skin.)

If you don’t have some type of neon/brightly colored shirt or jacket, you may want to purchase brightly colored biking apparel or a reflective sash that can be worn over any clothing.  Even on a bright, sunny day, simply passing under the shade of trees can often make a cyclist nearly invisible to cars!  If you ride bent over, sitting upright if you hear a car approaching will make your high-visibility apparel more noticeable to that driver.

Remember other safety gear, as appropriate, such as lights; see “Biking in the Dark” section.

Refer to the “More Bike Safety Gear: High Visibility” section of this guide.  There, and on the “Bike Shops in Monterey County” page, you’ll find links to Monterey Bay locations where you can purchase such items.

Susan Ragsdale-Cronin and daughters Dharma Maria (in trailer) and Tara can be seen biking all over the Monterey Peninsula.

Use hand signals (and teach your children)

Be predictable.  Here’s one example:  Ever feel annoyed by motorists who fail to use their turn signals and just cut in front of you?  The same etiquette applies to bicycling (and bike laws require signaling; see VC 22111).  Please use hand signals to let others know when you’ll be turning. 

Remember your “brake lights” too–hand signals to indicate slowing or stopping.

Here are two related links from other sites.  The first is a refresher course on the most used hand signals, and the second is a list of detailed signals. Yes, there are some variations in approaches to hand signaling; don’t worry about that, just do your best to clearly indicate your intentions.

How to make those turns

Teach your children to exercise wise judgment about the best way to make those turns.

  • Especially for children, it is often safer to hop off the bike and make that turn as  a pedestrian:  Walk your bike through the crosswalk.
  • “Same roads, same rules, same rights,” and a bicycle does have the right to make a left-hand turn from the left-turn lane of the road, just as a car does.  Do it safely!

Although I bike, I drive too.  And I’ve been at the wheel of a car when a cyclist not only failed to signal their intention to turn, they also came from the right-hand lane and suddenly biked in front of me to make a left turn.  Stories like these are a sober reminder to all of us.

Have 20 seconds--that might even save your life?  Watch Ecology Action’s video on making a left-hand turn safely.  (And see next section regarding right turns.)

The same page also includes a 33-second video on how to “take the lane” when it isn’t safe for a car and a bike to be side-by-side.

Intersections: Eye contact and proper lane usage

When crossing straight through an intersection, or when making either a right or left-hand turn,  make eye contact with nearby drivers whenever possible.  Be a safe, predictable cyclist by hand signaling and by following the California laws regarding proper lane usage for bicyclists.

If not comfortable following those laws, then hop off your bike and be a pedestrian; use the crosswalk at an intersection.  As mentioned above, this is wise for children, and at busy intersections, is often the best approach for adults too.

Be especially cautious that you are not to the right of a car that is making a right-hand turn when you are going straight.  Refer to “Collision Type #5:  The Red Light of Death” in the aforementioned “How not to get hit by cars” at BikeSafe.com for tips about this.

Also see  “Making right turns in the presence of bicyclists” in Street Smarts Santa Cruz.

Mirror

Use of bike mirrors is far from a unanimous practice. Many riders don’t use one until they are hit by a car–or nearly are.  While not required by law as with a car, a bicycle having a rear-view mirror makes just as much sense!

Bells and horns

“Same road, same rules, same rights.”  That includes the California DMV rule that states “Do not honk your horn unless it is a safety warning to avoid a collision.”  It’s easy to forget that rule when annoyed by someone carelessly stepping into your lane on the multi-use path.  You may wish you had–or maybe you do have–a loud horn to blast their ears.  Restrain yourself!

An old-style bicycle bell with a soft, friendly sound has been part of my bike equipment, because it’s fun for little kids to ring it when I stop to chat with them and their parents.  Some cyclists ring bells frequently on the multi-use trail.  Rarely do I use even my soft, friendly bell there as an alert.  Instead, I slow down and am extra cautious around pedestrians.  If needed, I call out to them in a friendly voice, e.g., “Hi, I’m going to pass on your left.”

You’ll see some people flying along and hear them bark out, “On your left!”  On the multi-use path though, understand that this is a cyclists’ term that may not be understood in the moment by some pedestrians.  Choice of words and tone of voice help create a more harmonious vibe on the multi-use trail.

On roads? As the law requires, reserve use of a bicycle horn as an alert for those rare times when safety truly demands it.  Some bike commuters like having a loud horn to get the attention of cars at intersections. Having a horn equipped on your bike is a good idea, if used judiciously/legally. But safe biking practices–including proper lane usage, hand-signaling, and making eye contact with drivers–will do far more good than blasting a horn.  Besides, chances are a careless driver has their music up too loud to hear a bike horn anyway!

Keep hands free for steering and signaling

You’re out on your bike, remember some stops you need to make, and suddenly you find yourself loaded down with awkward packages.  While it’s great to shop by bike, it usually requires bringing along something to help carry your packages.

A simple, inexpensive day pack can be all it takes to ensure your hands are free!

There are lots of other options too, such as, a small pouch that fastens to your bike, panniers, or other cargo holders.  Ask our local bike shops for their favorite methods and equipment.

Consider a trailer or cargo bike if you carry a lot of things, or have a young child or two along with you.  See Biking by the Bay, Cargo-Style.

Whoops!

If you’re like this guy, and me, it’s easy to think of another stop you want to make on the way home–when you didn’t think you needed to bring a day pack, or other cargo holder, on this ride.

Being loaded down after unanticipated errands may not seem too bad on the bike path; but see “Spoke hazards” below!

When it’s necessary to venture out onto a road with cars, that’s another matter!  Wherever hand signaling and sudden steering may be required, having hands free is essential.

And the solution need not be expensive!

And here’s an idea from the Portland Bureau of Transportation:  Build a Bike Bucket (PDF Document, 470kb) Do-it-yourself iinstructions on building your  own bike bucket, to carry things on your bike!

Spoke hazards

Jody Brooks at Plan Bike offers a sobering reminder of why cargo-carrying, even something as simple as a purse, needs thoughtful attention.

As someone who has erred in this regard–fortunately, without any serious repercussions–I can vouch for the importance of Jody’s advice!

It’s the law:  safety and earplug use

For safety and to avoid a ticket (see DMV website; refer to VC 27400), remember to bike with one earplug out.  This is essential to staying alert to sounds around you!

Don’t want to sacrifice sound quality? You may want to investigate One Good Earbud.

Changing seasons on the Central Coast

Shortened daylight hours mean many cyclists (e.g., those who commute to work) suddenly have to give more thought to bike lights and accessories, so they’ll be visible to motor vehicle drivers and others.   And even on the California coast, where snow isn’t an issue, seasonal changes bring rain and colder temperatures that affect cycling.  Check out these “Seasonal Tips for Cycling” written by our Monterey Bay neighbors, Piet Canin of Ecology Action of Santa Cruz and Theresia Rogerson, Santa Cruz County Health Agency staff representative to the Community Traffic Safety Coalition.

Click here for more weather-related tips from the BicyclingMonterey.com website.

Alcohol and bicycle safety

If you consume alcohol, please use the same good judgment about when it’s safe to get behind those handlebars that you would use about when it’s safe to get behind the steering wheel of a motor vehicle.  And although you would not be subject to a DUI (driving under the influence) ticket, you would  still be subject to a BUI (biking under the influence) ticket.  Refer to VC 21200.5 in this overview of California bicycle laws.  The California Department of Motor Vehicles website has the latest info about a BUI fine.

Just as with a car, consuming too much alcohol can be dangerous on a bike.  Click here for more info.

Biking at night

Lights: When you’re Biking in the Dark, lights and reflectors are not only required by law, they are essential for safety when sharing a road with cars–and often for safety at other times too!

See the California DMV webpage on  “Equipment Requirements” for laws about night riding and other equipment.  (For Spanish translation of equipment requirements for night riding and more–not available at the DMV website as of Oct 2011, refer to this site’s en espanol page.)

Our local bike shops have plenty of lighting options, including those made by Light and Motion, a local manufacturer of lightweight, high-powered lights.

Budget-minded lights:  If your budget doesn’t allow the bike light you most desire, don’t be discouraged from night riding!  See “Low-cost lights” in this site’s Biking in the Dark section.

Buddy system: In some locations,  it makes sense to bike with a friend, or even in a group.

Changing your route: Changing your usual route is sometimes wise at night.  For example, some cyclists might skip the multi-use/bike path at night and instead bike in more traveled areas, even if it’s a road shared with cars–and sometimes even a sidewalk (more on that below).

High-visibility apparel: As mentioned above, and even moreso at night…

 Better to be looked over than overlooked.

Monterey biker in a Graniterock vest; see More Bicycle Safety Gear.

Sidewalks

According to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, California law leaves it to local jurisdictions to set rules for riding bikes on sidewalks; in San Francisco, children under 13 may ride on sidewalks unless otherwise posted.

In general, you may assume that bicycling is not permitted on sidewalks.  In most cases, riding on sidewalks is neither legal nor safer than street-riding.  Click here to learn why.

If you decide to use a sidewalk, check these “Top 5 Rules for Riding on a Sidewalk” from Commute by Bike.

Nonetheless, there are times when a cyclist determines that the sidewalk is the safest place to bike.  At night,  rather than sharing a road with cars, or biking on the path when it is mostly deserted, a cyclist may decide that a sidewalk is best.  (One such example is the sidewalk parallel to Del Monte Avenue, alongside the Naval Postgraduate School fence; at night, solo cyclists in particular may prefer this to the nearby bike path.)

When biking where the road has no bike lane and has heavy vehicle traffic, and the road has a very long sidewalk parallel to it (with few breaks for streets), that sidewalk may be the safest place to bike.  Be alert for driveways and pedestrians.

Use common sense.  If you are considerate of others when making the decision to bike on a sidewalk in Monterey County, it is unlikely that you will be ticketed, though that is a possibility.

Children and Teens

Use your brower’s “find” feature to quickly locate all references to “children” on this page!  Below are some additional tips especially for babies and kids.

First, is your baby or child ready?

(Note: Refer to helmet fitting tips above. Helmets should cover the forehead.)

The little one above is a terrific age to begin a love affair with bicycling!

Infants under the age of one should not be transported on a bicycle.  Visit the League of American Bicyclists website for tips on kids and bikes, starting with “When is an infant old enough to be on a bike?”  Also see the age-specific recommendations linked below.

  1. Ideas for Teaching Cycling to Children is a good resource.  It was written by Fred Oswald, a League of American Bicyclists certified instructor.
  2. Our Monterey Bay neighbors at Ecology Action in Santa Cruz have a detailed web section on Bicycle Safety Tips for Youth.
  3. Age-specific recommendations (for ages 1-5, 5-8, 9-12, 13-17–also found in the right-hand panel of the “Educating Children and Teens” section) are provided by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (bicyclinginfo.org).
  4. You may also glean useful info from Kids and Bike Safety at  http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/KidsandBikeSafetyWeb/index.htm and from the International Bicycle Fund’s Teaching/Learning to Bike and Teaching Children Bicycle Safety.
  5. Children under ten years old are usually not mature enough for riding their own bike in the street. However, sidewalk riding has its dangers too (see “sidewalk” tips on this wepage), so parental guidance is still important.
  6. Have a child old enough to want to listen to music while biking–or to talk on a cell phone?  Go over the related info on this web page with them!
  7. If you have children or teens interested in mountain biking, take advantage of the Monterey Off Road Cycling Association’s Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, where they’ll receive safety instruction while having fun.
  8. Some families have gained a lot of experience by bicycle touring with children. Visit the Harrison Family AKA Pedouins, who visited Monterey County and authored A Pedouin Life:  Stop and Smell the Artichokes.  Another is The Family on Bikes website, which includes Tips on Bicycling with Children.
  9. Ideas for Teaching Cycling to Children is a worthwhile resource.  It was written by Fred Oswald, a League of American Bicyclists certified instructor.
  10. The American Academy of Pediatricians offers these myths and facts about children biking.
  11. Companies that manufacture bikes and bike-related items for use with children typically address some safety questions on their sites (e.g., Burley “Child Trailers” FAQs.)

Also see “Children growing up streetwise” and other posts in the “Children and Teens” category of this website, including “Bicycle culture and youth,” which has a few tips about kids and helmets–and sources for some extra cool ones!

Equipment for use with infants and younger children
  1. A parent asked me recently how I liked the Burley trailer I used when my 22-year-old was young.  I liked it a lot, and I also love the new options available to parents today!  Check this out for one example.
  2. Another newish option for biking with kids, especially when you want to venture out on roads with kids who are just learning to be street-wise,  is a trail-a-bike.  If you want to try one out before purchasing, rent one from a local shop.

Stay legal on the street

When you’re riding on a  road (shared with cars), keep those aforementioned California cycling laws in mind.  Here are a couple examples:

Single file or side-by-side?

Is it okay to ride alongside another cyclist or must you ride single file?  Basically, whenever you are riding slow enough to impede traffic, ride single file.  See our neighboring Street Smart Santa Cruz blog’s post “Cycling Side by Side” for a detailed answer that cites California law.   For further applicable comments, from our Oregon neighbors at bikeportland.org, see “Bike Law 101: Riding Two Abreast.”

Required equipment

Other legal requirements have to do with necessary equipment, including those bike helmets for people under 18, along with lights, brakes, and such for everyone.

Proper lane usage

In another California county (San Diego), the bicycle community and the police wanted to avoid incidents like this, where a cyclist was incorrectly ticketed even though they had followed California law about lane usage for bicyclists.  So, trainings for police officers on cyclists’ rights and laws were established.

In Monterey County, if ever you feel you’ve been incorrectly warned–or even mistakenly ticketed–by a police officer, please notify the head of that police department.  (Feel free to contact me with any questions about bicycling laws.)  Our local police departments are pretty bike-savvy!  Check out these Constables of the Peace in Monterey County; they aren’t just bike-friendly, they are biking themselves.

Avoiding the door zone

Watch this three-minute video on Youtube, “Why you should avoid the door zone.”

Taking responsibility for personal safety

Bicycling Monterey encourages being mindful about personal safety. That doesn’t mean one might not choose to forgo high-visibility (i.e., neon colored) apparel  for a preferred fashion–and there’s always the option to add a reflective sash or other high-visibility item to your outfit.  See this guide’s section on More Bike Safety Gear.

It also makes sense that many bikers, especially when biking apart from cars (i.e., on off-road bike or multi-use paths) prefer the pleasure of feeling the wind in their hair over wearing a helmet.

Yes, cycling safety isn’t ensured by a neon jacket, or a helmet, anyway.  There’s indeed a need for safer bikeways in nearly every state and country!

Mutual respect and cooperation are reasonable expectations to have on shared routes, though not found 100% of the time!   That’s true of roads shared by cyclists and cars, and it’s also true of the multi-use path, which is intended for use by joggers, skaters, and pedestrians too.

“Skateboarding isn’t illegal,” as the bumper stickers say.

These young military service personnel are out having fun on the bike/multi-use path, too.

They cheerfully share the path with others, with a mindfulness about safety for everyone.

(For more about skateboarding safety on this site, see Bicycle Parking, Security, and Storage post.)

Nearly every frequent cyclist has at least one story of a frustrating—if not injurious or life-threatening—experience while biking  around others:

  • Perhaps it’s a pedestrian on a cell phone wandering into the bikeway, oblivious to a cyclist who has to slam on the bike brakes to avoid hitting them.
  • Or it may be an experience of being “doored” by a driver exiting their vehicle without looking to see that there’s a bicycle coming alongside.
  • It may be another cyclist who puts you at risk, even from something as unintentional as losing their balance and crossing into your lane.

Likewise there are pedestrians or drivers who have stories about distracted or arrogant cyclists.  And since so few cyclists live a car-free life, most of us have shared-road tales from all perspectives.

The point is, both better bikeway infrastructure and a heightened awareness about and respect for sharing the various types of bikeways in a community make a difference in cycling safety.

And the more people who cycle in a community, the safer it is to cycle there.  That’s what Bicycling Monterey is all about:  encouraging more bicycling in Monterey County, along with encouraging a more positive share-the-road, share-the-multi-use-path, share-the-beauty way of thinking and being.

Below, Al Abbott of Abbott Plumbing, Salinas enjoying a Sunday afternoon on the multiuse trail, using a cross-training street strider.

More resources:  Bike Etiquette and Common Sense from the Marin County Bicycle Coalition.

* * * * *

Looking for Safe Routes to School info?  Click here.

Wondering about cars parked in bike lanes?  It is legal to park in a bicycle lane if the vehicle does not block bicyclists and/or if there is not a “No Parking/Bike Lane” sign posted.  We are fortunate in Monterey County to have many “No Parking/Bike Lane” signs; see Signs of a Bicycling Friendly Monterey County.

Posted by: marilynch on February 5, 2010.
Last revised by: marilynch on May 14, 2012.