There are rights and responsibilities that come with riding a bicycle. One of the most important things to remember is that the California Vehicle Code considers a bicycle to be a vehicle, and as such, laws and regulations apply to the operation of a bicycle on public roads. These regulations are in place to insure that all roadway users peacefully coexist – in other words, these laws are for your safety.

Another way to look at bicycle traffic laws is this:

Riding a bicycle on the road, and on designated bicycle facilities, i s both a privilege and a right, and is the result of years of hard work by dedicated cyclists to bring about proper consideration for every cyclist’s safety and ease of navigation. Obeying traffic laws on your bicycle is one way to respect the effort that won you those rights.  

As a cyclist, you can be cited for not following the laws that apply to vehicular traffic. This means that you can be cited for:

• not stopping at a stop sign or red light,
• obstructing the flow of traffic,
• riding against the flow of traffic, and
• for speeding.
• And don’t forget - it is your job to know the local and state laws. 

There is local bicycle safety education, as well as copious reference materials available to assist you in learning the laws that govern bicycle operation on the roads and developing skills that will make your riding experience safer and more enjoyable.

A quick and thorough guide to bike laws in C alifornia
http://www.bikelink.com/law_safety.asp

California Vehicle Code s traight from the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/about/bicycle.htm

Bicycles and the Law: The Case of California, by Alan Wachtel
http://www.vcbike.org/bikelaw/bikelaw.htm