Tag Archives: Bicycle Safety

A new California bicycle law that recently went into effect requires cyclists to do what many say they have been doing all along. Now, bicycles, similar to any other slow moving vehicle, will be required to pull over to the far right of the road when traffic begins to get backed up behind them. The law went into effect at the start of this year, but tons of riders assumed it was a rule before that. “Sharing the road goes both ways,” said Gary Helfrich, executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition. “We always teach in bike safety classes [pulling over for traffic is] how to behave anyway.” However, Helfrich and other officials are quick to remind motorists that cyclists are not required in any way to put themselves in danger. Drivers should not be expecting riders to pull over before they feel it is safe. Same as with…
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Residents and city council members in Oceanside were reminded of the importance of bicycle safety after the tragic death of a 12-year-old boy. The boy was riding his bike to school when he was struck and killed by a truck on Coastal Highway. Family of the victim and other residents started a campaign called the Logan Lipton Bike Path Initiative; their primary goal being to force city officials to improve road safety for cyclists. What Has Been Done to Increase Bike Safety in Oceanside? Currently, Oceanside has plans to start posting more speed limit signs along Coastal Highway as well as setting up speed monitoring devices in an effort to persuade drivers to reduce their speed. One stretch of the highway in particular, which residents refer to as the “dip,” is especially dangerous. Locals say that cars are driving too fast, the bike lanes are too narrow, and the road…
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Daylight savings time will be coming to an end soon. Remember to reset your clocks on November 1 and prepare for an earlier sunset. It’s also a decent time for a quick refresher on California nighttime cycling laws as many of us will be riding in the dark soon. California law requires that any cyclist riding after sunset be on a bike that is equipped with 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 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 lieu of the lamp on the…
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