California Assembly Bill AB2509 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2509INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ting FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to amend Section 21202 of the Vehicle Code, relating to bicycles. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2509, as introduced, Ting. Operation of bicycles: speed. Existing law requires a person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time to ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except in specified situations. A violation of this provision is an infraction. Existing law further authorizes a person operating a bicycle upon a roadway of a highway that carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes to ride as close to the left-hand curb or edge of that roadway as practicable. This bill would require a person operating a bicycle, as described above, to ride as close as is either safe or practicable to the specified curb or roadway edge. The bill would expand the exceptions to riding as close as safe or practicable to the right-hand curb or roadway edge to include, among others, when riding in class I, class II, or class IV bikeways, as specified. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 21202 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 21202. (a)  Any   A  person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as  is safe or  practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the  roadway except under any of the following situations:   roadway.   (b) Subdivision (a) does not apply in any of the following situations:  (1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction. (2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. (3) When reasonably necessary to avoid  conditions (including,   conditions, including,  but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width  lanes)   lanes,  that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge, subject to  the provisions of  Section 21656. For purposes of this section, a "substandard width lane" is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane. (4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.  (5) When riding within a class I, class II, or class IV bikeway.   (6) When riding within a class III bikeway within the path of a shared lane marking.   (7) When riding beside another bicycle in any situation described in paragraphs 1 to 6, inclusive, or whenever riding outside the path of vehicular travel in a lane.   (b) Any   (c)     A  person operating a bicycle upon a roadway of a  highway, which highway  highway that  carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic  lanes,   lanes  may ride as  near   close to  the left-hand curb or edge of that roadway as  is safe or  practicable.