[SDCBC] Huh? RE: New Law on Bicycle Lights

[Jim Baross]

Steve:
Two questions:
1) Though I suspect that pedal reflectors might be more 
conspicuous/reflective than reflective shoe or reflective ankle 
straps, are you aware that these alternatives now meet the legal 
(minimum) requirements?
It seemed to us that the new alternatives to meeting the minimum 
requirements would be cheaper, easier to have on-hand, etc. to allow 
us to more easily ride legally at night (though many people discount 
the added value of pedal reflectors at all, and they are of very 
limited value to those using certain style recumbent bikes).
New CVC 21201 states in part:
>(3) A white or yellow reflector on each pedal, shoe, or ankle 
>visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of 200 feet.
2) Where did you hear that "none of them [reflectorized tires] would 
be acceptable to the police or Highway Patrol"? The CHP web site, 
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html shows the following 
information, outdated as of today, regarding
Night Riding
Bicycle must be equipped with the following:
    * Light:
    * A white headlamp, attached to the bicycle or your body, visible 
from 300 feet to the front and from the sides
    * Reflectors
        * Red rear reflector
        * White or yellow reflectors on front and back of each pedal
        * White or yellow reflectors on each side forward of center 
of bike, and red or white reflectors on each side rear of center - 
usually mounted on wheel spokes (If you have reflectorized tires in 
front and rear, you do not need side reflectors.)
The new CVC 21201 also has this text. No department that I know of 
has established requirements; is that the issue?
>    (4) A white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the 
> center of the bicycle, and a white or red reflector on each side to 
> the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles that 
> are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear 
> need not be equipped with these side reflectors.
>    The reflectors and reflectorized tires shall be of a type 
> meeting requirements established by the department.
If someone/department is telling you otherwise, I'd like to challenge them.

Jim (willing to help establish requirements) Baross

At 11:23 PM 12/31/2007, you wrote:
>Does anyone know of a reflector that would attached to my Shimano 
>clipless pedals?  Most of the ones that reflectors could be attached 
>to are not any of the clipless ones.  And regarding "relectorized 
>tires", tha last I heard was that none of them would be acceptable 
>to the police or Highway Patrol.
>
>--Steve McNeil.
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org 
>[mailto:sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org]On Behalf Of Jim Baross
>Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2007 2:18 PM
>To: sdcbc at bikesandiego.org
>Cc: caboforum at topica.com
>Subject: Re: [SDCBC] New Law on Bicycle Lights
>
>The present, soon to be old, law required, "Every bicycle operated 
>upon any highway during darkness ..." to be properly equipped, per 
>CVC 21201(d), . A "highway" for CVC purposes does however include 
>the whole right of way including Bike Lanes and sidewalks, but 
>strictly speaking does not include Bike Paths separate from the 
>roadway/highway; another indication that Bike Paths are not 
>considered regular transportation facilities as they should be, IMHO. :-(
>
>Though we, CBC and CABO (and others?), worked to bring along 
>additional changes to the original idea brought forward by Sac 
>Sheriffs - to include Bike Paths and sidewalks in the law - the 
>pedal reflector change will help more people to meet minimum legal 
>requirements w/less effort.
>
>There certainly are other CVC changes that would benefit us, but 
>working through the legislature is very tricky. More resources - 
>your participation, donations and memberships - help us protect and 
>promote improvements for bicycling. [Also, your continued efforts to 
>be legal and courteous though assertive bicyclists certainly help!]
>
>Congrats that we got something improved.
>
>Bike Equipment - Lights, Reflectors, Brakes, Handlebars & Frame Size 
>(Modified 01/01/2008)  21201.
>-- snip --
>    (d) A bicycle operated during darkness upon a highway, a 
> sidewalk where bicycle operation is not prohibited by the local 
> jurisdiction, or a bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the 
> Streets and Highways Code, shall be equipped with all of the following:
>    (1) 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.
>    (2) A red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from a 
> distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful 
> upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.
>    (3) A white or yellow reflector on each pedal, shoe, or ankle 
> visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of 200 feet.
>    (4) A white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the 
> center of the bicycle, and a white or red reflector on each side to 
> the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles that 
> are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear 
> need not be equipped with these side reflectors.
>    The reflectors and reflectorized tires shall be of a type 
> meeting requirements established by the department.
>    (e) 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 
> required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (d).
>
>Happy New Year!
>Jim B

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