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Steve:<br>
Two questions:<br>
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? <br>
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).<br>
New CVC 21201 states in part:<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<dl>
<dd>(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.</blockquote>
</dl>2) Where did you hear that "none of them [reflectorized tires]
would be acceptable to the police or Highway Patrol"? The CHP web
site,
<a href="http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html</a> shows the following
information, outdated as of today, regarding <br>
<b>Night Riding<br>
</b>Bicycle must be equipped with the following:
<ul>
<ul>
<li>Light:
<li>A white headlamp, attached to the bicycle or your body, visible from
300 feet to the front and from the sides
<li>Reflectors
<ol>
<ol>
<li>Red rear reflector
<li>White or yellow reflectors on front and back of each pedal
<li>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.)
</ol>
</ol>
</ol>
</ol>The new CVC 21201 also has this text. No department that I know of
has established requirements; is that the
issue?<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">
<dl>
<dd> (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.
<dd> The reflectors and reflectorized tires shall be of a
type meeting requirements established by the department.</blockquote>
</dl>If someone/department is telling you otherwise, I'd like to
challenge them.<br><br>
Jim (willing to help establish requirements) Baross <br><br>
At 11:23 PM 12/31/2007, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font size=2 color="#0000FF">
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.<br>
</font> <br>
<font size=2 color="#0000FF">--Steve McNeil.<br>
</font>
<dl>
<dd><font face="Tahoma" size=2>-----Original Message-----<br>
<dd>From:</b> sdcbc-bounces@bikesandiego.org
[<a href="mailto:sdcbc-bounces@bikesandiego.org" eudora="autourl">
mailto:sdcbc-bounces@bikesandiego.org</a>]On Behalf Of </b>Jim
Baross<br>
<dd>Sent:</b> Sunday, December 30, 2007 2:18 PM<br>
<dd>To:</b> sdcbc@bikesandiego.org<br>
<dd>Cc:</b> caboforum@topica.com<br>
<dd>Subject:</b> Re: [SDCBC] New Law on Bicycle Lights<br><br>
</font>
<dd>The present, soon to be old, law required, "Every bicycle
operated upon any highway during darkness </u>..." 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. :-(
<br><br>
<dd>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.<br><br>
<dd>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!]<br><br>
<dd>Congrats that we got something improved. <br><br>
<dd>Bike Equipment - Lights, Reflectors, Brakes, Handlebars & Frame
Size (Modified 01/01/2008) 21201.</u></b> <br>
<dd>-- snip -- <br>
<dd> (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:<br>
<dd> (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.<br>
<dd> (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.<br>
<dd> (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.<br>
<dd> (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.<br>
<dd> The reflectors and reflectorized tires shall be of a
type meeting requirements established by the department.<br>
<dd> (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).<br>
<br>
<dd>Happy New Year!<br>
<dd>Jim B
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