In light of the recent police intervention in the last two SMCM bike rides, I am posting a link to the California Vehicle Code relating to bicycles. All the codes pasted below were taken directly from the California DMV website. It seems a good idea to print these out and carry a paper copy of them on your person/side bags when you are riding around. The link below will give you a listing of all bicycle codes:
California Vehicle Code Division 11 - Rules of the Road
Chapter 1. Obedience to and Effect of Traffic Laws
Article 4. Operation of Bicycleshttp://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd11c1a4.htmThere were some specific codes that were addressed last night with the police officers and I am posting them below. There was much dialog about (mis?)interpretation of the laws and the officers maintained that bicyclists MUST stay in the bike lane and/or the furthermost right side of the road and proceeded SINGLE FILE. Nowhere in the codes did I find any articles that mandates riding single file. When we were pulled over, the street we were on
did not have a bike lane and the traffic speed and driver habits on that road could be considered an "unsafe [situation for a bicyclist] to continue along the right-hand curb or edge".
The police officers also claimed that local ordinances overrode any state vehicle codes relating to bicycles . I am not certain about the validity of their statements. I posted the codes relating to local regulations at the bottom. Unless the street is now considered a "bicycle facility" (and wouldn't that be cool?!?) I don't believe this applies. It seemed to me that they were wildly ill-informed about traffic laws relating to bicycles. In fact, the code also provides for an exclusion of this rule when
other bicycles create conditions that make riding along the furthermost edge of the road unsafe. It seems that critical mass certainly falls into this category.
I think Bill Daniel, one of the founders of the original Critical Mass ride in San Fransisco, responds to their experiences with police intervention perfectly:
"...Critical Mass, if anything, has always been about being on the offensive. It's about changing the rules, changing the borders of what's possible and not accepting the rules of daily life as they're set down from on high..."
Check out the video
We Are Traffic! by Ted White. "The film chronicles the history and development of the "Critical Mass" bicycle movement, one of the most spirited and dynamic social/political movements of the apathetic 90's. In over 200 cities in 14 different countries, Critical Mass has now become a monthly ritual of reclaiming the streets by bicycle activists riding en masse." The documentary is roughly 45 minutes long and well worth the time.
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=189314458200750949&hl=enFinally, a few friends and I observed one of our riders acting very aggressively towards many of the vehicles we passed. He was swerving in and out of traffic, sticking his head into car windows and yelling "Fuck You, Asshole drivers!" and other such inflammatory statements to random motorists. We are each individuals and none of us can control the choices or actions of another however we as a community need to create a culture of respect and co-operation that strongly discourages this type of interaction with drivers. This will not help our cause. If you see this type of behavior from another rider, please speak up!
My son and I have loved riding with you all. We are moving up north and will miss SMCM sorely. I regret not being able to see how this all unfolds. Keep riding and we'll see you when we come back to visit.
I love you all!
~artemisia
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Operation on Roadwayhttp://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21202.htm21202. (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 that time shall ride
as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway
except under any of the following situations:
(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
(3) 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, subject to the provisions of Section 21656. 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.(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway of a highway, which highway carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of that roadway as practicable.
Amended Sec. 4, Ch. 674, Stats. 1996. Effective January 1, 1997.
Permitted Movements from Bicycle Laneshttp://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21208.htm21208. (a) Whenever a bicycle lane has been established on a roadway pursuant to Section 21207, any person operating a bicycle upon the roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride within the bicycle lane, except that the person may move out of the lane under any of the following situations:
(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle, vehicle, or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if the overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane.
(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
(3) When reasonably necessary to leave the bicycle lane to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions.
(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.
(b) No person operating a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane until the movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 22100) in the event that any vehicle may be affected by the movement.
Amended Sec. 5, Ch. 674, Stats. 1996. Effective January 1, 1997.
Local Regulationhttp://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21206.htm21206. This chapter does not prevent local authorities, by ordinance, from regulating the registration of bicycles and the parking and operation of bicycles on pedestrian or bicycle facilities, provided such regulation is not in conflict with the provisions of this code.
Amended Ch. 751, Stats. 1976. Effective January 1, 1977.
