With the amount of vehicular traffic rising and the number of parking spots quickly disappearing in San Diego, more and more people are cleaning off their bicycles and hitting the road. Riding to lunch, work, or to meet friends for happy hour, riding your bike can be a great way to get outside and save a few bucks on gas and parking.

After adding air to your tires and quickly lubing your chain, take a quick look at the local laws pertaining to exactly where you can ride.

Cal. Veh. Code § 21200 generally provides that a bicyclist has all of the same rights and responsibilities as the driver of a motor vehicle. As for where you may legally ride your bicycle, you can ride wherever you want on the roadway, so long as you are moving as fast as traffic. Nonetheless, when you are moving slower than traffic, § 21201 requires that you ride your bike as close to the right side of the road as possible, except in the following situations:

·         You are passing a vehicle or another bicycle.

·         You are preparing to make a left turn.

·         You are avoiding a hazard in the road.

·         The lane is too narrow to share with a vehicle (look for “Sharrows”).

·         You are approaching a place where a right turn is permissible.

You also generally must ride your bike with traffic, as opposed to against traffic, according to § 21650. The only exceptions are when you are passing, making a left turn, avoiding a hazard, or approaching a place where you can turn right.

However, § 21208 provides that if you are cycling at a speed that is slower than traffic, you must use the bike lane, if one is available, except when you are making a left turn, passing, avoiding a hazard, or approaching a place where you may make a right turn.

Individuals may not ride bikes on freeways and expressways where prohibited by the California Department of Transportation (CDOT) or local authorities, and bicycling on toll roads is not permissible unless CDOT explicitly permits it.

§ 21206 provides that local ordinances in cities and counties may determine whether you can ride your bike on sidewalks. To date, only five cities in San Diego County have completely banned cycling on sidewalks, which are Escondido, El Cajon, Carlsbad, Vista, and National City. In the city of San Diego, cycling on sidewalks is permissible in residential areas, so long as cyclists exercise due care, but sidewalk cycling is not permissible in business districts. Similarly, Oceanside allows bicyclists to ride on sidewalks except in a number of clearly defined commercial area streets. 

When you have been injured in a bicycle accident, you need an attorney who knows bikes and can stand up for your interests from the outset of your personal injury claim. It is our goal to evaluate the facts, assess your claim, explore your options, and help you build the strongest claim for compensation possible against those who are responsible for the accident that led to your injuries. Do not hesitate to contact Bonnici Law Group at 858-261-5454 today and set up an appointment to speak with us soon.