Southern California - Stop Signs

I was wondering what the law is with stop signs. I live in La Jolla and bike to UCSD ever day. Do we have to make a complete stop at stop signs? Yield? Can we roll right through? I see people doing all of these things.

Thanks for the help!

The Cal. Veh. Code (yes, you are a vehicle) requires you to come to a full stop at a stop sign. Stop is defined as a total cessation of forward movement. There's no requirement to put a foot down, so if you can trackstand, you satisfy the requirement. That's the law.

The practice is that most cyclists roll through stop signs, some when it's safe, others when it's not so safe.

Not saying it's right or legal, only that's what people do. A cop could give you a very expensive ticket, and if you were hit by a motorist while running a sign you'd have a tough time with their insurance company and/or lawsuit if it came to that.

Again, not saying that's likely, but it is a possible ramification.

Ride safely.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks :)

The Cal. Veh. Code (yes, you are a vehicle) requires you to come to a full stop at a stop sign. Stop is defined as a total cessation of forward movement. There's no requirement to put a foot down, so if you can trackstand, you satisfy the requirement. That's the law.

Bingo.

The law is not applied uniformily. At Huntington Beach's Main Street at the Pier, there are a lot of visitors and beach goers mostly weekends. Stop signs but lots of pedestrians along with lots of beach cruisers with no helmets. Police let the beach cruisers go by as if they were not vehicles.

Maybe some day H.B. will go the route of Santa Monica Promenade. Just close down that section to traffic all together, at least for the weekend.

In the meantime, most riders blow by those stop signs, using pedestrians as their human shields so to speak.

Just a suggestion. If you want motorists to consider you as traffic, such as recognizing that you may need to take a lane at times, ride far enough from the right when there are parked cars or other hazards to avoid, etc., act like traffic.

Just a suggestion. If you want motorists to consider you as traffic, such as recognizing that you may need to take a lane at times, ride far enough from the right when there are parked cars or other hazards to avoid, etc., act like traffic.
+1 Leave at least 3' from parked cars or expect to get a door opened in your face some day.

The Cal. Veh. Code (yes, you are a vehicle) requires you to come to a full stop at a stop sign. Stop is defined as a total cessation of forward movement. ...

Not technically, no. The CMV Code goes out of its way to make it known that a bicycle is not a vehicle--it is a bicycle:


Div. 1, Sec. 670. A "vehicle" is a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.


Div. 1, Sec. 231. A bicycle is a device upon which any person may ride, propelled exclusively by human power through a belt, chain, or gears, and having one or more wheels. Persons riding bicycles are subject to the provisions of this code specified in Sections 21200 and 21200.5.

However, your point is certainly true: we do have the same responsibilities as drivers of other vehicles:


Div. 1, Ch. 11, Sec. 21200. (a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle...

I'm not sure exactly why they do that, but, they do. So, in the end, I suppose it doesn't make a difference--I'm just nit-picking, really.

Not technically, no. The CMV Code goes out of its way to make it known that a bicycle is not a vehicle--it is a bicycle ...

I'm not sure exactly why they do that, but, they do. So, in the end, I suppose it doesn't make a difference--I'm just nit-picking, really.

One reason is that some common behaviors by bicyclists would otherwise be against the vehicle code. For example, it is illegal per the CVC to closely follow behind a vehicle. But cyclists frequently draft behind other bicycles, and that's ok since they are not vehicles. There's also a rather broadly written prohibition against racing of vehicles, including just trying to go as fast as possible. Well I frequently ride my bike about as fast as I can - even though that's still pretty slow.

Just a suggestion. If you want motorists to consider you as traffic, such as recognizing that you may need to take a lane at times, ride far enough from the right when there are parked cars or other hazards to avoid, etc., act like traffic.

Act like San Diego traffic? Hell, the cops don't even stop at stop signs, must less the rest of the frantic car driving populus. There is a certain rhythm, cadence, if you will, to negotiating an intersection with stops signs around here and if you try any of that coming-to-a-compete-stop nonsense you will get snaked. I'm not saying it's legal or right, it's how traffic acts.

+1 Leave at least 3' from parked cars or expect to get a door opened in your face some day.

Just today I was going down Los Feliz Blvd at 30mph+ and someone opened a door. Thank goodness I was far enough to the left.

^ Yep, I see what would have been a bad situation for me at least once per year. I usually make a comment to the idiot as I ride by, but I think all it accomplishes is startling them for a moment.

Just today I was going down Los Feliz Blvd at 30mph+ and someone opened a door. Thank goodness I was far enough to the left.

People on that stretch of road are ruthless, particularity on the big hill. Every time I have ridden there I have been buzzed.

People on that stretch of road are ruthless, particularity on the big hill. Every time I have ridden there I have been buzzed.

Really? I was never buzzed. Used to commute there from Vermont down to the Griffith Park entrance right at 3:30--4:00pm. Traffic was so backed up. The third lane always had parked cars and trash cans in it so that drivers pretty much stayed out of it--I had it all to myself. Only trouble I had was when I needed to cross traffic to turn left into GP. But I was also doing 30+mph so, more often than not, I just merged over like a car.

Now going past GP where the cars turn right onto freeway :eek: That was a death-trap!

. . . There is a certain rhythm, cadence, if you will, to negotiating an intersection with stops signs around here and if you try any of that coming-to-a-compete-stop nonsense you will get snaked. I'm not saying it's legal or right, it's how traffic acts.
Please note that I said "Act like traffic." NOT be stupid. Having lived in SD for several years, the traffic there is no different than traffic in any other metro area. Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere, even if they don't know where. It's common practice for motorists to do what use to be called a "Tijuana stop", that is come to a slow roll and continue through the intersection of a boulevard stop.

Having just completed a 600 mile tour from Seattle up through Brittish Columbia, and down Vancouver Island, I can say that I found the motorists up there to be very considerate toward cyclists, almost to a fault.

Honestly, I treat stop signs as a suggestion. Sometimes, it's a very, very good suggestion. Other times, not so much. From what I've seen, I'm not alone.

http://www.cambriabike.com/Images/product/world_jerseys_jolly_roger_pirate.jpg

California needs to adopt the Idaho Stop Sign Law for cyclists. This is what most police and cyclists practice anyway -- Stop signs are yields for cyclists.

http://www.oregoncycling.org/2008/12/history-of-idahos-stop-sign-law/

http://www.slate.com/id/2232555/?gt1=38001

Having just completed a 600 mile tour from Seattle up through Brittish Columbia, and down Vancouver Island...

Gene, that sounds pretty cool. Gonna throw some pics up?

I just finished traffic school. Got busted by the CHP for blowing a stop sign on Mulholland Highway at Cornell Road while on my DeRosa.

Gene, that sounds pretty cool. Gonna throw some pics up?

It was a fantastic trip obie. Planning to do more of these. I'll have a short video montage I'll post as soon as it's finished.

Not technically, no. The CMV Code goes out of its way to make it known that a bicycle is not a vehicle--it is a bicycle:
However, your point is certainly true: we do have the same responsibilities as drivers of other vehicles:
I'm not sure exactly why they do that, but, they do. So, in the end, I suppose it doesn't make a difference--I'm just nit-picking, really.

Vehicles need license plates... Operators / Drivers need a license to use a vehicle on the roadway.
Bicycles do not have license plates... Operators / Drivers don't need a license to use a bike on the roadway.

There are many other reasons why a bicycle is not a 'vehicle' per state law, mostly to provide bicyclists with greater freedoms so the bicyclist can make a judgment call about a particular situation.


However, if you are in the roadway (defined as the pavement between the 2 white 4-inch wide strips of paint, including any bike lane which has a 6" white strip of paint between the bike lane and vehicle lane), then the legal requirement is that you STOP for all stop signs, look for other operators / pedestrians, and proceed when it is safe to do so. Putting your foot down is not a requirement because people in cars do not open their doors to put their foot on the ground when they stop...

The tickets are also getting VERY expensive... since the ticket is written on the same form given to every other roadway you need to make sure the police officer writes "Bicycle" into the notes, otherwise it may appear on your driving and insurance record. This might get the fine reduced, but in this economy I would not bet on it...

I just finished traffic school. Got busted by the CHP for blowing a stop sign on Mulholland Highway at Cornell Road while on my DeRosa.

Sorry, that sucks.

However, I see no advantage to doing traffic school in that situation. It's just as expensive as the ticket, yet from what I understand, the ticket can't go as points on your DL or affect your insurance. So, why bother if you're not saving money or avoiding conviction/points on the license?

What am I missing?