# Rules of the road?



## rv5869 (Oct 22, 2004)

Someone told me that in California a bicyclist is required to put their foot down at a stop sign to be considered a stop. I cannot find anything about this on the Ca. DMV website. Does anyone know the answer and have proof to back it up? Thank you, in advance.


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## DasMud (Jun 8, 2003)

I found this: http://www.bicyclesource.com/body/safety/laws/california-laws.shtml

The only line that's close to that is 



> c) No person shall operate upon any highway a bicycle which is of such a size as to prevent the operator from safely stopping the bicycle, supporting it in an upright position with at least one foot on the ground, and restarting it in a safe manner.


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

I've had a police officer pace me as I approached a stopsign. I could hear him approach and was wondering why the guy didn't pass me. I stopped for a second, doing a trackstand as I didn't feel like unclipping, then rode through the intersection. The patrol car passed me as I cleared the intersection and he never looked back.


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## Killroy (Feb 9, 2006)

If I don't put a food down than motorists think I am going when I am really giving them the right away. I have to remember to put a foot down to signal drivers on the right to take the right away.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

22450 VC Stop at limit line, crosswalk or entrance to an intersection. 

You are not required to put a foot down, but you have to come to 'a complete stop'.

In most cases bicyclists are subject to the same traffic laws as motor vehicles.


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## johnny99 (Apr 2, 2004)

95% of the time, if you slow down to a walking pace and carefully look at all sides of the intersection (including the crosswalks) and there are no other vehicles or pedestrians near the intersection, then the cops will not bother you. If the stop sign is in a school zone or if local residents have been complaining about stop sign violations (by cars or bikes), then the cops are going to be more strict. If there are cars approaching the intersection, then a 1 second track stand is not very safe.


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## tron (Jul 18, 2004)

when I lived in Eugene, OR it was the law that you put your foot down and it was enforced.


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

*Depends...*



johnny99 said:


> 95% of the time, if you slow down to a walking pace and carefully look at all sides of the intersection (including the crosswalks) and there are no other vehicles or pedestrians near the intersection, then the cops will not bother you. If the stop sign is in a school zone or if local residents have been complaining about stop sign violations (by cars or bikes), then the cops are going to be more strict. If there are cars approaching the intersection, then a 1 second track stand is not very safe.


I would say that depends on the cop. Some will turn the other way, some will cite you.....cops have their pet peeves...you can't predict what ALL officers will do..they have their pet peeves...FYI I was a CHP Officer for over 27 years...


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

During yesterday's Montecello Century Ride from Vacaville to Napa and back, the rest stop crew was adamantly telling us to come to a full stop. Napa didn't want us there and they were prepared to ticket any offender and planned to have enforcement on patrol. I took the metric route that didn't go through Napa.

Also, here in Marin county, Fairfax, Ross and Corte Madera get tough during back to school month in fall, $45 I am told. I've also been warned, but only once about Tiburon.

Personally, I stop any way, or at least that very slow rolling stop out in the county


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## Killroy (Feb 9, 2006)

Group rides need to learn how to stop at stop signs, because other road users do and cyclist are loosing there respect. I don’t have any problem with the police ticketing a whole century ride if the participants a purposely rolling through stop signs. If I was a cop I would.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

You can't find anything about it on the DMV site because there is no such law or requirement. I have never done it, and I've never been cited, either. And I've had plenty of cops watch me. All you need to do is come to a reasonable stop, which I can easily do without unclipping.


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