Bike Helmet Law

[Man1la]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

I am a teenager under 18 years old. Can't i just legally ride on sidewalks and pass crosswalks without a helmet?

i've been told that the law only requires you to wear a helmet on the bike lane and that the law didnt apply to sidewalks or something.
so is it true that you can ride legally under 18 on crosswalks and such (excluding bike lanes) without a helmet?

 

[justalayman]

I would have to check but is not riding your bike on the sidewalk and crosswalks illegal?

 

[Man1la]

not that i know of....

a majority of the young people never wear helmets at all where i am from.

and i have never heard of anyone getting ticketed around this area.





or something. sorry

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Guess you could ride around the block quite a few times, but cross that street and you have violated the law.

Dude - there are great looking helmets out there; it's for your own safety, really.

I would NOT ever be caught without one. Went over head first; rode home 35 miles afterwards because I was wearing that helmet.

 

[Man1la]

so riding around sidewalks is legal?

but what do u mean by "cross that street"?

do u mean when you ride across a pedestrian lane?

by the way, nice job biking 35 miles. that's a lot

 

[CdwJava]

Here is the law:

21212. (a) A person under 18 years of age shall not operate a
bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard, nor shall they wear
in-line or roller skates, nor ride upon a bicycle, a nonmotorized
scooter, or a skateboard as a passenger, upon a street, bikeway, as
defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, or any
other public bicycle path or trail unless that person is wearing a
properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards
of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or
the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or
standards subsequently established by those entities. This
requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while
in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or in a trailer
towed by the bicycle.​

A "street" includes a "highway" which includes a "sidewalk" (ref. CVC 590, 360, 555). Ergo, you must wear a helmet on the sidewalk as well.

By default a bicycle is not generally prohibited from sidewalk operation, though the cyclist will have to defer to pedestrians. Plus, most cites DO have ordinances restricting some or all bicycle traffic from sidewalks in certain areas.

Oh, ever seen the results of a 15 MPH collision where the cyclist fell off his bike onto the pavement without a helmet? I have ... picture grayish scrambled eggs with ketchup ... not pretty.

- Carl