Northern California - Sausalito "Single File" signs illegal?

There was an interesting blog post today about the legality of the signs in Sausalito that require bikes to ride single file, and in the bike lane.

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/03/24/sausalito-installs-bicycle-signs-that-contradict-california-vehicle-code/

I remember reading on this board some time back that people were getting tickets when riding side by side. Might be worth contacting the Marin Bike Coalition and getting more info on this...

Adrian

IMHO, common sense and courtesy sometimes override the actual law. Now that spring has sprung, I see people out riding in big critical mess-esque clumps in the middle of the road for no particularly good reason. Sharing the road doesn't mean hogging the whole darn thing.

I was yelled at over a police car speaker in or around Sausalito for non-single-file riding. :)

While I didn't mind, and obliged the officer's request, technically bicycles have the same rights and restrictions on the roadway as any other vehicle. One is allowed to take the lane, but at the same time, impeding traffic is not allowed. As in an automobile, one is required to pull over and let traffic pass if a large group of cars is forming behind (10 cars, I think?).

Yes, we did get barked at. And we weren't actually attempting to ride side by side. I was in the act of a very slow uphill pass. If that's illegal, then no cyclist could ever pass another one.

It is not against the law to ride 2 abreast in a bike lane. Sausalito cops seem to think that's the case but it's not. I often ride with friends side by side, but always move to single file on narrow roads to allow cars to pass. In a bike lane, however, if 2 or 3 cyclists can ride side be side with the left most rider still to the right of the left bike lane line, I can't understand why cops have a problem with it other than the fact that they just don't like cyclists.

I rode to Sausalito from Fisherman's Wharf across the Golden Gate, etc. The route is a bit tricky including an accidental stop at the bus stop from hell right before a tunnel. Well, we made it despite some incredibly steep hills to go down! When got to Sausalito the tricky riding continued with very narrow streets and tour buses missing us by mere inches. I was so proud of my kids but the bike renters in SF gave us no clue about the perils of the journey - especially for kids. Regardless of the law that cute little town has some very distracted drivers on some very narrow roads. I think it is best to ride single file. BTW: we had a great lunch and ice cream; we took the ferry back. (which was PACKED!)

Also, according to the law, as long as you are going the "normal speed of traffic" you are allowed to ride in the middle of the lane. It's not too tough to ride 25mph through Sausalito (which I believe is the speed limit). I have a retired CHP officer on my team who has dared cops to give him a ticket when they say he's breaking the law and he knows he's not. They've never obliged him. He says if they did he'd sue them.

Massachusetts just passed a new law required police to attend bicycle law training. Up until now they were clueless and had an excuse! I thought ignorance was no excuse ...

Technically a city can put up a sign advising a motorist or cyclist of a recommendation on how to proceed in the upcoming road. The issue with Sausalito is they are using official signs that indicate this is a law not an advisory. Currently this is being reviewed because the signs are in violation of the California Vehicle Code, I would expect to see Sausalito changing all those signs in the upcoming months. I agree, going in single file is a good idea through that town, but you can't be cited for not doing so. Like your retired CHP friend, I don't mind daring them to give me a ticket. In fact, I would love for them to, because it would expedite the process of getting those signs changed.

I've never had any problems with the police riding through Sausalito, on the other hand motorists and pedestrians, especially through historic Sausalito, have been outright ridiculous. I'd like to see some minimum speed limit/ no stopping in the middle of the road/ don't walk on red signs.

While I didn't mind, and obliged the officer's request, technically bicycles have the same rights and restrictions on the roadway as any other vehicle. One is allowed to take the lane, but at the same time, impeding traffic is not allowed. As in an automobile, one is required to pull over and let traffic pass if a large group of cars is forming behind (10 cars, I think?).

From the California Driver Handbook:


If you are driving slowly on a two-lane highway or road where passing is unsafe, and five or more vehicles are following you, drive into the turnout areas or lanes to let the vehicles pass.

Two things to add here.

First, under the California Vehicle Code, bicycles are required to ride as far to the right (or left on a one way street) as "practicable." Not as far as "possible," as so many seem to think. "Practicable" is a lovely 19th Century word that more or less means the same as "practical." As a practical (or practicable) matter, that means that we can't just take the lane whenever we want, and it generally means stay to the right, but we can move out and even take the lane if it makes sense to do so and does not unreasonably impede other traffic. The use of the word "practicable" creates a lot of wiggle room - it is not black and white.

Second, it is simply a good idea to stay to the right as far as is "practicable" - to the right, but far enough out to stay out of range of parked cars' doors, not stuck in the absolute gutter, that good old fashioned common-sense stuff - if for no other reason than it is what car driver expect. And being predictable to car drivers is the best assurance of safety we have. The vast, vast majority of the drivers out there really do not want to hit us or be jerks, but a goodly number of them are clueless. Being predictable helps keep them where we want them, meaning not crashing into us.

The bottom line is that Sausalito PD may well be going overboard here, but 98% or more of the time, the result will be the same as what common sense says we ought to be doing anyway. During tourist season, the Bridgeway is simply not a place to do one's best Eddy Merckx imitation. (Neither is the GG Bridge, but that rant is for another day.) It's just too crowded with too many people looking for touristy things to do. So slow down, be safe, and gulp down some Cytomax and Gu.

Massachusetts just passed a new law required police to attend bicycle law training.

Groovy! I`d love to see more of that, especially in conjunction with training for overly anxious cyclists. Maybe something like traffic court for M.V. drivers who get cited for dumb sh1t... behave yourself, carry on. Act up, go to school!

If Sausalito really wants to solve this "problem", all they have to do is continue the bike lane all the way through town.

I had the best char burger with bacon and cheese with tequila and beer. and then we all had ice cream. cute little town

I interpret "as far to the right as practicable" to mean single file. You may be riding smack dab in the middle of the lane, but that's how I would interpret it, even on a jury.

I interpret "as far to the right as practicable" to mean single file. You may be riding smack dab in the middle of the lane, but that's how I would interpret it, even on a jury.

Agreed EXCEPT "As far to the right as practicable" is only part of the code:

as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:

(paraphrasing) If you're going the speed of traffic, if there is no other traffic, if there's debris in the road, if the road is too narrow for a car and bike in the same lane, if you're passing someone, et al - then 21202 doesn't apply at all. So "ride single file" signs do not represent the intent of the code and communicate a bad message.

A picky interpretation of this would also mean that bikes must ride close to the right hand edge of a bike lane no matter how wide it is (and that would allow faster riders to pass more easily).

Do municipalities have the right to make more restrictive rules than the state law, as long as they are posted? For instance, if they felt like it, couldn't they post a 20 mph speed limit throughout the city? Could be argued that the state laws are the "default" as long as the municipality doesn't post something different? For instance, if, along a busy highway, they mandated bike lane use, or... bike travel in single file? A municipality has the right to regulate traffic in their jurisdiction, don't they?

police depts give out tickets for illegal speed (and other) signs that towns put up and you can fight them in court.

Local municipalities can come up with some real doozies and they're tough to fight. Here in Belmont, they have an ordinance that you're supposed to curb the wheels of your vehicle on ANY incline, not just a steep one. Hope you brought your level with you.

I also hear that some places have an ordinance where when cycling you need to put your foot down at a stop or it's not considered a complete stop.

This was posted on the Western Wheeler's mailing list last month:

Bicycles and the Law: The Case of California (http://www.cabobike.org/articles/bicycles-and-the-law/)

From the article "Nothing in California law explicitly requires bicyclists to ride single file or prevents them from riding two or more abreast"

My 2 cents: I can sympathize with Sausalito for dealing with a lot of tourists on bikes who aren't really experienced cyclists. They claim these signs are advisory and it seems like it might be a good reminder for folks who don't know the rules of the road as well

For the rest of us, even if riding two abreast within the bike lane is legal, is it really smart and safe? Every time I've been through Sausalito on a weekend it is chock full of cars, bikes, and pedestrians. I would rather be "antisocial" and go through the downtown area single file while there is so much traffic to pay attention to. There are lots of other nice quiet roads for two abreast social riding.

Do municipalities have the right to make more restrictive rules than the state law, as long as they are posted?
Depends on the state. In California there are two sections of the state vehicle code that put restrictions on what municipalities are allowed to do. One indicates that the California Vehicle Code takes precedence over local ordinances, and the other is a section with a long list of items that 'local authorities' may regulate. If it's not on that list then any local ordinance is not enforceable. The main item on the list with regard to cycling is that local authorities can regulate where cyclists may or may not ride on sidewalks.