The definition of bicycle; manual turn signals for bicyclists; lighting of bicycles, motor bicycles, and electric personal assistive mobility devices; overtaking and passing vehicles; the operation of bicycles equipped with metal-studded tires; and moped parking

Under current law, persons operating vehicles on highways in this state are required to use stop and turn signals that can be either by a signal lamp or by hand and arm signals. If the operator of a vehicle uses hand and arm signals, the signals must be given on the left side of the vehicle.

This bill allows bicyclists to use hand and arm signals for turns and stops with either hand and arm.

Under current law, vehicle equipment requirements are generally inapplicable to bicycles, motor bicycles, and electric personal assistive mobility devices (EPAMDs) except as otherwise expressly provided. Current law expressly prohibits a person from operating a bicycle, motor bicycle, or EPAMD, which is commonly known by its trade name "Segway," on a highway, sidewalk, bicycle lane, or bicycle way during hours of darkness unless the bicycle, motor bicycle, or EPAMD is equipped with or, with respect to a bicycle or motor bicycle, the operator is wearing, a lamp emitting a white light visible to the front. The bicycle, motor bicycle, or EPAMD must also be equipped with a red reflector or, with respect to an EPAMD, reflective tape, on the rear. A lamp emitting a red or flashing amber light to the rear may be used in addition to the reflector, but the lamp may not substitute for the reflector.

This bill allows a lamp emitting a red light to the rear to be used as a substitute for the red reflector on a bicycle, motor bicycle, or EPAMD.

Under current law, a vehicle operator may not drive on the left side of the center of a roadway designated, by signs or by a solid double yellow line, as a no-passing zone.

This bill allows a vehicle operator to cross the center line in such a no-passing zone to overtake and pass, with care, any vehicle, including a bicycle, traveling at a speed significantly less than the normal speed of traffic at the place of passing.

Current law generally prohibits automobiles and other motor vehicles from being operated on a highway with tires that have metal in contact with the roadway, except for tire chains and certain wire-embedded tires. Current law also generally prohibits other vehicles, including nonmotorized vehicles, from being operated on a highway if the vehicle has on the periphery of its tires any stud, flange, cleat, or other protuberance of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tire tread.

However, there are various exceptions, including an exception for farm tractors, self-propelled farm implements, implements of husbandry, animal-drawn vehicles, and road machinery, which may be operated with metal tires or tires having protuberances that will not injure the highway. In addition, current law prohibits a person from driving a vehicle equipped with metal tires at a speed in excess of 15 miles per hour.

This bill adds bicycles to the exception allowing a vehicle to be operated with metal tires or tires having protuberances that will not injure the highway. The bill also exempts bicycles from the 15 miles per hour speed limit for vehicles equipped with metal tires.

Current law considers mopeds as bicycles for the purpose of parking, allowing them to be parked on sidewalks and in bicycle parking areas.

This bill allows municipalities to enact ordinances considering mopeds as motorcycles rather than bicycles for the purpose of parking, allowing municipalities to prohibit moped parking on sidewalks and in bicycle parking areas. The bill also allows mopeds to be parked like motorcycles in parking spaces.