Proposed New Law Would Allow Cycling on Sidewalks in Sacramento

If you already didn’t know, cycling on sidewalks is illegal in most cities. Many even have fines ready for cyclist that break that law, but in Sacramento, the cycling residents of the city came to city council to discuss a new law that would allow more cycling on sidewalks to provide a safe environment for cyclists.

As it stands now, cycling is illegal in Sacramento everywhere except for residential districts. This is defined by California State Vehicle Code as areas with more than 50 percent housing. In areas that are more than 50 percent housing, cyclists are welcomed to ride on sidewalks, but in some areas in the city, police officers often find it hard to identify the percentage of housing in the area when considering whether or not to fine a cyclist.

However, it is not in residential areas that cyclists need to worry about. It is in the highly trafficked streets of the city where bicycle lanes disappear that cyclists feel they are in the most danger and want to move off the street and onto the sidewalk where the worse case is they hit a person or fall off their bike.

The proposed new law would still ban sidewalk cycling in certain areas such as commercial districts or areas where bike lanes are already present, but cycling advocates just want looser sidewalk laws in a city where traffic can be vicious and not enough cycling infrastructure is in place.

Were you forced to cycle in a busy street because of the lack of bike lanes and restrictive sidewalk laws? Contact us today. No matter what your accident was or who caused it, the Law Office of Gary Brustin fights hard for the rights of the growing cycling community.