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Mr Bill
Short Rider (>15 Posts!)
Joined: 27 Nov 2002
Posts: 15
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 Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 6:06 pm Post subject: Irvine Municipal Code;Irvine sidewalks are Legal to ride on |
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I was checking on this because one of the Irvine Police Officers told a group of kids it was illegal to ride on a sidewalk; I was glad to hear that, because I believe we are generally safer in the street and driving under the common vehicle code; but I thought I would check it out and I think he was wrong...
I Googled Sidewalk Bicycling & stumbled into a rather nasty forum string on "CarTalk.net"
| Quote: | Why do supposedly mature adults think it's OK to ride their bikes on the sidewalk? Here's another couple we saw today on our walk: http://tinypic.com/539poy
There's a perfectly good bike lane (or shoulder‚ as Brent likes to call them) not five feet from these @@@@@@‚ yet they feel the need to endanger pedestrians on the sidewalk· Why?!?!?!?
People like these give good‚ courteous‚ law–abiding pedalcyclists a bad name·
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Life is short – drive fast! |
Since the picture was clearly Harvard in Irvine I sent him a reply:
I agree - At least they were heading South on Harvard on the Southbound Side but it is legal in Irvine... (It is illegal & most dangerous to ride against traffic)
California Vehicle Code 21650.1 makes it pretty darn clear!
21650.1. A bicycle operated on a roadway, or the shoulder of a highway, shall be operated in the same direction as vehicles are required to be driven upon the roadway.
Irvine has an municipal ordinance that says you may ride on the side walk unless it is posted otherwise:
See the Irvine Municipal Code:
Sec. 4-7-210. Riding on sidewalks, playgrounds, etc.
A. Riding of bicycles on any sidewalk or roadway is permitted unless prohibited by appropriate signs authorized pursuant to the terms of this division.
B. Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing pedestrians.
C. No person shall ride or operate a bicycle upon any playground, park or school ground not designated as a bicycle path or route, where children are playing without first having secured the permission of the persons having supervision of the playground, park or school ground.
(Code 1976, § IV.F-209; Ord. No. 192, 5-10-77)
If I wrote the laws I would say Sidewalks are not EVER for riding - if you need to use one, get off & walk your bike - and NEVER ride against traffic.
My most recent near run-in was a woman coming East against traffic on University at Harvard. Her daughters got onto the sidewalk, but she took the bike lane / gutter head on with y truck.
Problem is - the Bike Lane is the right turn lane for vehicles for the last 200 feet or so (dashed bike lane line means cars should move over & turn right from the gutter) an dso she blocked my Right turn & when I gave her a "What are you thinking look" she pointed to the street & angrily screamed "It's Called A Bike Lane!" in my window. If she was on the sidewalk with her embarassed kids, she would have been legal (but still going the wrong way) ; If she crossed University & enjoyed the Bike Lane in the Eastbound direction, or even the Bike Trail through Mason Park, she would have been much safer and completely legal.
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 "Oooh NooooO!" |
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Bill Sellin
Administrator
Joined: 27 Nov 2002
Posts: 161
Location: Orange
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| Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject: The Laws in Orange |
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My Home Town; Orange Muni Code says:
| Quote: | 10.10.190 Riding Bicycles on Sidewalks.
A. No Person shall ride or operate a bicycle upon any sidewalk in a business district unless such sidewalk is officially designated as a bicycle route. This subsection shall not apply to Police Officers carrying out their official duties.
B. Any person riding or operating a bicycle upon any sidewalk shall exercise due care and shall yield the right-of-way to all pedestrians. (Ord. 13-93; 19-82) |
I may have to look up what a Business District is - but the plaza is posted "No Bicycles"... I do not know of any sidwalk designated as a bicycle route in Orange. Orange code includes the fact that you can not look to bike cops as cycling role models here either... even if not in pursuit, many will say the "POLICE" writen accross their back reads "EXEMPT" and they will roll through stop signes, down side walks, against traffic, with impunity...
| Quote: | 10.10.200 Riding Bicycles on Streets.
Except as provided by the California Vehicle Code, any person riding or operating a bicycle upon any street where a bicycle lane or trail appropriate to his direction of travel is established and officially designated shall ride or operate such bicycle only in such bicycle lane or trail or on the sidewalk where otherwise allowed by the Orange Municipal Code. (Ord. 19-82) |
So that says IF there is an adjacent lane or trail, you should stay in it. California law of course says stay to the right as far as safe - so leaving an unsafe lane could perhaps be acceptable... to avoid potential door openings and unsafe pavement... The bike lane on Santiago South from Lincoln to Wanda is so bad, that it is dangerous to hit the joints - so I ride outside the lane - using my mirror and caution.
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Most of the world is either downhill or flat... |
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expired
Half-Centurion (>50 Posts!)
Joined: 04 Mar 2003
Posts: 55
Location: Orange, CA
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| Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:54 pm Post subject: Orange Laws |
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Since I'm in Orange too....
Regarding 10.10.190 for sidewalks - sometime I'll get around to looking up the definition of a "business district", which varies from city to city. Certainly at least the Plaza is included.
As to a sidewalk designated as a bike route in Orange - there's two examples I can think of off the top of my head: (1) the path next to Jamboree in front of the Albertson's shopping center, and (2) the curve from Prospect to Collins.
Regarding 10.10.200 for streets - the wording seems to me like a devious attempt at getting around the state's sole authority for regulating cycling on streets:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/genprov/vc21.htm
| Quote: | | 21. Except as otherwise expressly provided, the provisions of this code are applicable and uniform throughout the State and in all counties and municipalities therein, and no local authority shall enact or enforce any ordinance on the matters covered by this code unless expressly authorized herein. |
So basically 10.10.200 is unenforceable, as cycling on streets is already regulated by the California Vehicle Code. The bike lane on Santiago that Bill mentions is essentially one big gutter (with joints and all), so I don't ride in it either as I consider it unsafe to do so. |
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