Stepped up bike safety enforcememt in the OC

https://local.nixle.com/alert/4651474/

Advisory
Press Release: Newport Beach Police Department Enforcement Campaign Targeting Bicycle Safety

Police to increase enforcement aimed at bicycle riders and careless motorists

The Newport Beach Police Department is announcing a partnership project with the Huntington Beach Police Department, Laguna Beach Police Department, and the Costa Mesa Police Department. These Police Departments will be conducting a specialized Bicycle Safety Enforcement Operation on February 19th and 24th, 2011. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by bicyclists and vehicles. Officers will be addressing traffic violations made by all vehicle operators, bicyclists, and other vehicle drivers that lead to bicycle vs. vehicle collisions, injuries and fatalities.

The goal of the program is to educate the public about the safe and lawful use of bicycles, as well as the safe and lawful use of vehicles that share the roadways with bicycles. Prevention is a key component of the program, which centers on the traffic laws that can prevent bicycle riders from becoming injured or killed due to illegal use or reckless behavior by bicyclists and vehicles. In addition, the Police Departments involved may be required to enforce obvious violations of the City’s Municipal Code to maintain safe operations.

With more traffic congestion on our city streets and more people turning to bicycles as a transportation alternative, we need to make sure that all road users understand the rules, laws and safe behavior; particularly how bicyclists and motorists share the road.


Primary Traffic Collision Factors for Bicycle and Motorist

Bicycle vs. Motorist:

• 21650.1 CVC – Bicycle must be operated on a roadway or the shoulder of the highway in the same direction as the flow of traffic.

• 22450(a) CVC -Failure to stop at Stop Signs.

• 21453(a) CVC - Failure to stop at Stop Lights.

• 21804 CVC – Yield the right of way to all traffic.


Motorist vs. Bicycle:

• 21801(a) CVC – Failure to yield when turning left.

• 22107 CVC – Unsafe turning movement.

• 21453(a) CVC – Failure to stop at red light.

• 21451(b) CVC – Failure to yield to others lawfully in intersection.

*Reference Source – California Vehicle Code

For additional information, please contact Sergeant, Damon Psaros, at 949-644-3743.

 

I just saw a bicyclist getting a ticket in San Dimas for slow rolling a red.

 

I got a ticket in November for not completing stopping at a stop sign in the gated community where I live. It was a $230 dollar ticket (but they had it as a car), so I went to court and it should have been a $114 ticket, but the judge knocked it down to $79.

 

I was riding past my local middle school the other morning and I stopped at the "Mini Light / Cross Walk" because the guard and the kids were in the cross walk. The gaurd went out of his way to personally thank me for stopping...I was a bit puzzled and then he said..."The grown up cyclist never stop...even when there are kids in the crosswalk".

Sometimes...a few others of us are our own worst enemies...

 

will be interesting how the rolling stop crackdown will be enforced in HB, especially downtown. i have never seen anybody come to complete stop there. even with cops on the corner, they just smile and wave.

 

Just got lit up last week in downtown Fullerton. Lights, sirens, couple o' horn beeps. got off with a warning for not stopping at a stop sign. Now I stop.:wave:

 

Met a neighbor in court last week that got a $378 ticket for riding her bike in a crosswalk and no it was not a red light. The Judge shock his head and reduced the fine to $25. You can read what you want into the article but the bottom line is that the cities are looking for revenue. $378 for failing to walk your bike in the crosswalk should not be as expensive as running a red light in a car. Police hope people will just pay the fine and not take the time to go to court and ask that the fines be reduced.

Dean

 

I am not seeing how this applies here?

21804 CVC – Yield the right of way to all traffic.

 

Depending on the intersection...I frequently roll stop signs when on my bike.
Often it is just NOT safer to come to a complete stop, clip-out, foot down... now it's a drag race between you, starting from a dead stop, and the unseen car coming around the blind corner at speed.

 

Primary Traffic Collision Factors for Bicycle and Motorist

Bicycle vs. Motorist:

• 21650.1 CVC – Bicycle must be operated on a roadway or the shoulder of the highway in the same direction as the flow of traffic.


Did not realize going against the flow of traffic if you are on the shoulder is in violation of the vehicle code. What's difference is there really? and what if the other side of the roadway does not have a shoulder?

 

Sweet more tickets for that BS stop sign on backbay.

 

Which? the stupid one a the bottom hill?

 

Yeah, I went and googled it and I'm still confused as to this code.

But bottom line is they're writing tickets (drug enforcement must not pay the bills any longer so let's get those damn law breaking cyclists)

I agree we need laws but why crack down on cyclists when far more people are breaking laws in vehicles. Really who is doing 35 in a 35? Who comes to a complete stop? And there are a lot of other infractions that we all do every day so why now look at the cyclists? What happens when a cyclist is ran over? Nothing, most times even when clearly at fault they won't even get a ticket even when some one has been killed.

 

That one made no sense but if they are going after both drivers and cyclist in high accident areas, I think its not as much about making $ but more about trying to have less accidents on those areas which is a good thing. I know there are a few spots on PCH that scare me every time i ride.

 

When I read the article or news release or whatever it was, it gave me the impression that the Police appear to have identified a potential problem brewing here, i.e., more bikes on the road and more accidents so they are giving the appearance at least of being "proactive". What a bunch of BS, I hope that they follow through and start ticketing motorists when they are at fault for hitting cyclists.

 

My son got a ticket for Running a red light
I told the judge it was on a bike and he said he didnt care
530.00 dollars later and 1 son on probation #-o

 

Yes the only one eight in the middle of loop.

 

It's great that they are finally doing something about it.......

But they need to add Santiago Canyon to the mix.........waaaaaayyyyy to many car driving in the bike lanes.


Dave Whitting has an article in the OC Register today:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/johnson-288300-cyclists-beach.html



:clap:

 

The problem is that the signs say "Trucks stay off bike lane" which means, obviously, that cars are just fine!

 

I ride with no id if you know what i mean