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Jay Gilson
Last week on the Tuesday hills ride we had an interesting encounter with the Menlo Park police.
We were heading west bound on the bike path with the intent to turn left on Willow (the normal path that so many of our rides utilize). We waited for the light and the WALK indicator
to change. As we had done the in the past, we got on our bikes and rode in the crosswalk, and proceeded to turn left onto Willow as we have done a hundred times before. On the shoulder there were two Menlo cops and they stopped us.
After an extended discussion the message from the police is to walk the bike in the crosswalk both at Willow and University. The primary issue they had was us riding our bikes against traffic. I think the congestion at the Willow intersection with the increase in cars going into Facebook, the Facebook bikes, the Facebook pedestrians and I am sure a myriad number of incidents, the police are really cracking down. Luckily we avoided a ticket(s).
To avoid walking I suppose you could cross at University (walking your bike) to the north side of HWY 84, ride around Facebook on the bay side and then ride through the Facebook tunnel or use the crosswalk (and I guess you can ride as you will be going with traffic at that point). Or you just walk in the crosswalk at Willow.
Just be aware this looks to be a big issue with the Menlo Park Police and I am sure it they catch a bicyclist doing what we did a likely outcome is a ticket....
Jay Gilson
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Since 2010, bicycling is supposed to be legal in crosswalks and "bicycle path crossings":
This bill would
define a “bicycle path crossing” as either that portion of a roadway
included within the prolongation or connection of the boundary lines of a
bike path, as defined, at intersections where the intersecting roadways
meet at approximately right angles or as any portion of a roadway
distinctly indicated for bicycle crossing by lines or other markings on
the surface, except as specified. This
bill would also permit the operation of bicycles on any sidewalk, on
any bicycle path within a highway, or along any crosswalk or bicycle
path crossing. 21650(g) This section does not prohibit the operation of bicycles on any
shoulder of a highway, on any sidewalk, on any bicycle path within a
highway, or along any crosswalk or bicycle path crossing, where the
operation is not otherwise prohibited by this code or local ordinance.
That location is certainly a "bicycle path crossing". The bill/law says nothing about direction. If they meant for you to walk your bike when facing traffic, I think they would have written it that way. Laws are supposed to be obvious, not logic puzzles.
(But I totally get not wanting to get into a legal discussion with police officers.)
Last week on the Tuesday hills ride we had an interesting encounter with the Menlo Park police.
We were heading west bound on the bike path with the intent to turn left on Willow (the normal path that so many of our rides utilize). We waited for the light and the WALK indicator
to change. As we had done the in the past, we got on our bikes and rode in the crosswalk, and proceeded to turn left onto Willow as we have done a hundred times before. On the shoulder there were two Menlo cops and they stopped us.
After an extended discussion the message from the police is to walk the bike in the crosswalk both at Willow and University. The primary issue they had was us riding our bikes against traffic. I think the congestion at the Willow intersection with the increase in cars going into Facebook, the Facebook bikes, the Facebook pedestrians and I am sure a myriad number of incidents, the police are really cracking down. Luckily we avoided a ticket(s).
To avoid walking I suppose you could cross at University (walking your bike) to the north side of HWY 84, ride around Facebook on the bay side and then ride through the Facebook tunnel or use the crosswalk (and I guess you can ride as you will be going with traffic at that point). Or you just walk in the crosswalk at Willow.
Just be aware this looks to be a big issue with the Menlo Park Police and I am sure it they catch a bicyclist doing what we did a likely outcome is a ticket....
Jay Gilson
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And if it's illegal to ride through the crossing when facing traffic, it would also be illegal to ride when facing traffic ALONG THE ENTIRE PATH. We'd have to walk our bikes from Fremont to Menlo Park, because the path is on the left side of the road.
Since 2010, bicycling is supposed to be legal in crosswalks and "bicycle path crossings":
This bill would
define a “bicycle path crossing” as either that portion of a roadway
included within the prolongation or connection of the boundary lines of a
bike path, as defined, at intersections where the intersecting roadways
meet at approximately right angles or as any portion of a roadway
distinctly indicated for bicycle crossing by lines or other markings on
the surface, except as specified. This
bill would also permit the operation of bicycles on any sidewalk, on
any bicycle path within a highway, or along any crosswalk or bicycle
path crossing. 21650(g) This section does not prohibit the operation of bicycles on any
shoulder of a highway, on any sidewalk, on any bicycle path within a
highway, or along any crosswalk or bicycle path crossing, where the
operation is not otherwise prohibited by this code or local ordinance.
That location is certainly a "bicycle path crossing". The bill/law says nothing about direction. If they meant for you to walk your bike when facing traffic, I think they would have written it that way. Laws are supposed to be obvious, not logic puzzles.
(But I totally get not wanting to get into a legal discussion with police officers.)
Last week on the Tuesday hills ride we had an interesting encounter with the Menlo Park police.
We were heading west bound on the bike path with the intent to turn left on Willow (the normal path that so many of our rides utilize). We waited for the light and the WALK indicator
to change. As we had done the in the past, we got on our bikes and rode in the crosswalk, and proceeded to turn left onto Willow as we have done a hundred times before. On the shoulder there were two Menlo cops and they stopped us.
After an extended discussion the message from the police is to walk the bike in the crosswalk both at Willow and University. The primary issue they had was us riding our bikes against traffic. I think the congestion at the Willow intersection with the increase in cars going into Facebook, the Facebook bikes, the Facebook pedestrians and I am sure a myriad number of incidents, the police are really cracking down. Luckily we avoided a ticket(s).
To avoid walking I suppose you could cross at University (walking your bike) to the north side of HWY 84, ride around Facebook on the bay side and then ride through the Facebook tunnel or use the crosswalk (and I guess you can ride as you will be going with traffic at that point). Or you just walk in the crosswalk at Willow.
Just be aware this looks to be a big issue with the Menlo Park Police and I am sure it they catch a bicyclist doing what we did a likely outcome is a ticket....
Jay Gilson
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Hi Jay, They must have thought of you guys as the kids from Fremont :)
- Amit
Last week on the Tuesday hills ride we had an interesting encounter with the Menlo Park police.
We were heading west bound on the bike path with the intent to turn left on Willow (the normal path that so many of our rides utilize). We waited for the light and the WALK indicator
to change. As we had done the in the past, we got on our bikes and rode in the crosswalk, and proceeded to turn left onto Willow as we have done a hundred times before. On the shoulder there were two Menlo cops and they stopped us.
After an extended discussion the message from the police is to walk the bike in the crosswalk both at Willow and University. The primary issue they had was us riding our bikes against traffic. I think the congestion at the Willow intersection with the increase in cars going into Facebook, the Facebook bikes, the Facebook pedestrians and I am sure a myriad number of incidents, the police are really cracking down. Luckily we avoided a ticket(s).
To avoid walking I suppose you could cross at University (walking your bike) to the north side of HWY 84, ride around Facebook on the bay side and then ride through the Facebook tunnel or use the crosswalk (and I guess you can ride as you will be going with traffic at that point). Or you just walk in the crosswalk at Willow.
Just be aware this looks to be a big issue with the Menlo Park Police and I am sure it they catch a bicyclist doing what we did a likely outcome is a ticket....
Jay Gilson
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Jay Gilson
In the law you cite there is a section that says... "...crosswalk or bicycle path crossing, where the operation is not otherwise prohibited by this code or local ordinance."
Maybe there is a local ordinance that is more restrictive than the state rules.
I don't know and the most important issue is there is an easy way to avoid a ticket... just walk your bike.
And if it's illegal to ride through the crossing when facing traffic, it would also be illegal to ride when facing traffic ALONG THE ENTIRE PATH. We'd have to walk our bikes from Fremont to Menlo Park, because the path is on the left side of the road.
Since 2010, bicycling is supposed to be legal in crosswalks and "bicycle path crossings":
This bill would
define a “bicycle path crossing” as either that portion of a roadway
included within the prolongation or connection of the boundary lines of a
bike path, as defined, at intersections where the intersecting roadways
meet at approximately right angles or as any portion of a roadway
distinctly indicated for bicycle crossing by lines or other markings on
the surface, except as specified. This
bill would also permit the operation of bicycles on any sidewalk, on
any bicycle path within a highway, or along any crosswalk or bicycle
path crossing. 21650(g) This section does not prohibit the operation of bicycles on any
shoulder of a highway, on any sidewalk, on any bicycle path within a
highway, or along any crosswalk or bicycle path crossing, where the
operation is not otherwise prohibited by this code or local ordinance.
That location is certainly a "bicycle path crossing". The bill/law says nothing about direction. If they meant for you to walk your bike when facing traffic, I think they would have written it that way. Laws are supposed to be obvious, not logic puzzles.
(But I totally get not wanting to get into a legal discussion with police officers.)
Last week on the Tuesday hills ride we had an interesting encounter with the Menlo Park police.
We were heading west bound on the bike path with the intent to turn left on Willow (the normal path that so many of our rides utilize). We waited for the light and the WALK indicator
to change. As we had done the in the past, we got on our bikes and rode in the crosswalk, and proceeded to turn left onto Willow as we have done a hundred times before. On the shoulder there were two Menlo cops and they stopped us.
After an extended discussion the message from the police is to walk the bike in the crosswalk both at Willow and University. The primary issue they had was us riding our bikes against traffic. I think the congestion at the Willow intersection with the increase in cars going into Facebook, the Facebook bikes, the Facebook pedestrians and I am sure a myriad number of incidents, the police are really cracking down. Luckily we avoided a ticket(s).
To avoid walking I suppose you could cross at University (walking your bike) to the north side of HWY 84, ride around Facebook on the bay side and then ride through the Facebook tunnel or use the crosswalk (and I guess you can ride as you will be going with traffic at that point). Or you just walk in the crosswalk at Willow.
Just be aware this looks to be a big issue with the Menlo Park Police and I am sure it they catch a bicyclist doing what we did a likely outcome is a ticket....
Jay Gilson
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