Q: In southern California, if there is a bike path, running adjacent to the street:

[foehn]

are you as a cyclist mandated by law to take the bike path, the separate, running-adjacent-to-the-street-bikepath, or can a cyclist take the road instead, so as to avoid the starting and stoping that is mandated by various signs on the path? In this instance it is a separate bike path, separate from the street.

I rode up on Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita this past Saturday and I had about ten people honk at me for riding in the third lane (three lanes either direction) when there was a bike path running adjacent to the street. One driver even honked and me and pointed repeatedly to the bike path. . . The path was slower, with more stops so I was riding the street, as I normally do.

[markf]

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=veh&group=21001-22000&file=21200-21212

according to the CA vehicle code, you have to use a bicycle lane in the roadway if it's there (with certain exceptions), but I don't see anything in the Vehicle Code that says you have to use a bike path next to the roadway.

I get this kind of harassment with annoying regularity around here. According to the Colorado State Patrol website unnecessary honking and gesturing can be seen as aggressive driving, so I'm tempted to start taking license numbers and calling the CSP road rage hotline the next time this happens.

[LCI_Brian]

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=veh&group=21001-22000&file=21200-21212

according to the CA vehicle code, you have to use a bicycle lane in the roadway if it's there (with certain exceptions), but I don't see anything in the Vehicle Code that says you have to use a bike path next to the roadway.
+1 - markf got it right, but thought you'd like confirmation from someone in So Cal. :)

[zeytoun]

LCI_Brian and Markf are right on the law.

I'm not personally familiar with Santa Clarita, or Soledad Canyon Road, so I was trying to think of something comparable in my area to compare it to. What's the speed limit on that stretch of Soledad Canyon road? Is there a wide shoulder or a bike lane? Is the separated path roughly paved, busy, and how does it have more intersections?

I'm not questioning your decision, just trying to compare to what I know, to figure out what I would do in your circumstances. I'm imagining the Silver Strand route here in San Diego, connecting Coronado to Imperial Beach. It has a 65mph speed limit, and a parallel bikeway that is well paved, with infrequent intersections (although I have to be careful for right turners at them; I think there are 6 over the course of about 10-12 miles), and not a crowded path (one could easily maintain 20mph and still be safe on the path) it's a straight route pretty much. I would never even think of taking the highway section (heck, not even sure whether or not bikes are "allowed"/if it is considered a freeway). Just wondering how dissimilar your setting is.

Cheers.

[foehn]

. . . What's the speed limit on that stretch of Soledad Canyon road? Is there a wide shoulder or a bike lane? Is the separated path roughly paved, busy, and how does it have more intersections?

I'm not questioning your decision, just trying to compare to what I know, to figure out what I would do in your circumstances. I'm imagining the Silver Strand route here in San Diego, connecting Coronado to Imperial Beach. It has a 65mph speed limit, and a parallel bikeway that is well paved, with infrequent intersections (although I have to be careful for right turners at them; I think there are 6 over the course of about 10-12 miles), and not a crowded path (one could easily maintain 20mph and still be safe on the path) it's a straight route pretty much. I would never even think of taking the highway section (heck, not even sure whether or not bikes are "allowed"/if it is considered a freeway).


This road was not freeway, nor freeway speeds. Hmmm, I did not notice the speed limit, but packs of cars were passing me at somewhere in the vicinity of 40mph; On the slight down hill of that road I was running at 22mph with not to much difficulty. 3 lanes of travel each direction. I want to again emphasize, these people in cars were passing me, but not all that fast, or so it seemed to me. There were stoplights on this road as well--that is where the packs of cars were coming from.

Adjacent, paved bikepath, well paved but more stops than the road--I noticed one sign that said "stop walk bike". I only saw 3 people on the path, and they were where the path started, across on the other side of Soledad. The path ran on that side for a ways and then it had riders cross Soledad to use the path on my side of the street.

For me it was easier and faster to ride the right-hand lane, moving to take the lane as rude ones tried to squeeze by me.

[John E]

Although I strongly support our right to use the road, I sometimes resort to a sidepath, but I share the very real concerns regarding right-hook and left-cross dangers, plus the hazards posed by pedestrians, dog-walkers, etc.

[Helmet Head]

LCI_Brian and Markf are right on the law.

I'm not personally familiar with Santa Clarita, or Soledad Canyon Road, so I was trying to think of something comparable in my area to compare it to. What's the speed limit on that stretch of Soledad Canyon road? Is there a wide shoulder or a bike lane? Is the separated path roughly paved, busy, and how does it have more intersections?

I'm not questioning your decision, just trying to compare to what I know, to figure out what I would do in your circumstances. I'm imagining the Silver Strand route here in San Diego, connecting Coronado to Imperial Beach. It has a 65mph speed limit, and a parallel bikeway that is well paved, with infrequent intersections (although I have to be careful for right turners at them; I think there are 6 over the course of about 10-12 miles), and not a crowded path (one could easily maintain 20mph and still be safe on the path) it's a straight route pretty much. I would never even think of taking the highway section (heck, not even sure whether or not bikes are "allowed"/if it is considered a freeway). Just wondering how dissimilar your setting is.

Cheers.
:eek:

Freeways don't have intersections like the strand "highway" has - it's not a freeway. And riding there I find is more pleasant than the path. The intersections the path crosses are nasty, because off the offset from the main road.

[SonataInFSharp]

We have a suburb of Minneapolis that states that if there is a path (bike, MUP, anything) next to the road, you have to take the path. The path, however, is very old, decaying, bumpy, and just plain horrible. However, in this particular suburb, cops are pulling bicycles over all the time. I see a few bikes pulled over for random things each month.

Hopefully So. Cal. doesn't become this way.

[zeytoun]

Freeways don't have intersections like the strand "highway" has - it's not a freeway.
Ok, it's a highway. It still has a 65mph speed limit:
http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/images075/ca-075_sb_silver_strand_02.jpg
and unswept shoulders:
http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/images075/ca-075_sb_silver_strand_15.jpg

And riding there I find is more pleasant than the path.
Congratulations, I'm happy for you. Do what thou wilt... even if you're just trying to make a point.

Just don't make a stupid face at me, when I choose to ride on what is described as:

the most beautiful and most cyclist-friendly bike route in Southern California.
Then again, when I am on this route, I am riding recreationally and enjoy the solitude and don't mind those very "nasty" intersections that have caused many deaths and injuries I am sure, and occur 1/2 a dozen times over a 10 mile course. Unlike you, the transporational cyclist. Who must have business in Coronado or IB...other then just going for a ride.

[Helmet Head]

Then again, when I am on this route, I am riding recreationally and enjoy the solitude and don't mind those very "nasty" intersections that have caused many deaths and injuries I am sure, and occur 1/2 a dozen times over a 10 mile course. Unlike you, the transporational cyclist. Who must have business in Coronado or IB...other then just going for a ride.
When I ride on the strand, I'm on a 40ish mile loop, and have to still catch the ferry to get back across the bay (my usual route is to go south through downtown and National City, then up the strand and across the ferry). I don't have time to dilly dally on the path competing for space with joggers and dog walkers and dealing with wacky intersections.

Having said that, the southern part is less problematic, often allows for 20+ mph speeds, and I do sometimes take the path on that part.